diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 409761e..3d6ef21 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ mine: install
 all: install
 	forge list --all
 
-patches: install
+patches-make: install
 	forge --patchset "from makefile"
 
 localhost-patches: install
@@ -73,6 +73,9 @@ localhost-patches: install
 patches-list: install
 	forge --list-patchset
 
+patches-apply-213058: install
+	forge --apply /tmp/2024.12.27.213058.submitted.pb
+
 dirty: install
 	forge dirty --all
 
diff --git a/applyPatch.go b/applyPatch.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9dccc6c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/applyPatch.go
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+// Copyright 2024 WIT.COM Inc Licensed GPL 3.0
+
+package main
+
+import (
+	"os"
+
+	"go.wit.com/lib/protobuf/forgepb"
+	"go.wit.com/log"
+)
+
+func applyPatches(pset *forgepb.Patchs) error {
+	all := pset.SortByFilename()
+	for all.Scan() {
+		p := all.Next()
+		log.Info("pset filename", p.Filename)
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+func readPatchFile(pbfile string) (*forgepb.Patchs, error) {
+	bytes, err := os.ReadFile(pbfile)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Info("readfile error", pbfile, err)
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	var pset *forgepb.Patchs
+	pset = new(forgepb.Patchs)
+	err = pset.Unmarshal(bytes)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Info("Unmarshal failed", pbfile, err)
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	return pset, nil
+}
diff --git a/argv.go b/argv.go
index 7c19ed4..5b90fc4 100644
--- a/argv.go
+++ b/argv.go
@@ -28,10 +28,11 @@ type args struct {
 	Delete       string   `arg:"--delete"                             help:"delete this repo"`
 	URL          string   `arg:"--connect"                            help:"gowebd url"`
 	Register     string   `arg:"--register"                           help:"register your git URL (foo.com/mystuff) or (github.com/foo/bar)"`
-	GitReset     bool     `arg:"--git-reset"                       help:"run 'git reset --hard'"`
-	Scan         bool     `arg:"--scan"                            help:"reload protobuf from .git/"`
-	Force        bool     `arg:"--force"                           help:"force redo things"`
-	PatchSet     string   `arg:"--patchset"                      help:"make patch set"`
+	GitReset     bool     `arg:"--git-reset"                          help:"run 'git reset --hard'"`
+	Scan         bool     `arg:"--scan"                               help:"reload protobuf from .git/"`
+	Force        bool     `arg:"--force"                              help:"force redo things"`
+	PatchSet     string   `arg:"--patchset"                           help:"make patch set"`
+	Apply        string   `arg:"--apply"                              help:"apply a patch set"`
 }
 
 func (args) Version() string {
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 1c2db96..25e801e 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -76,6 +76,17 @@ func main() {
 		}
 	}
 
+	if argv.Apply != "" {
+		pset, err := readPatchFile(argv.Apply)
+		if err != nil {
+			badExit(err)
+		}
+		if err = applyPatches(pset); err == nil {
+			okExit("applied patch ok")
+		}
+		badExit(err)
+	}
+
 	if argv.Delete != "" {
 		me.forge.DeleteByGoPath(argv.Delete)
 		me.forge.SetConfigSave(true)
diff --git a/send.go b/send.go
index 900b3b3..67fec90 100644
--- a/send.go
+++ b/send.go
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 package main
 
 import (
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
 
 	"go.wit.com/lib/protobuf/forgepb"
@@ -77,6 +79,17 @@ func getPatch(pbfile string) error {
 		return err
 	}
 	log.Info("getPatch() len(body)", len(body))
+	var pset *forgepb.Patchs
+	pset = new(forgepb.Patchs)
+	err = pset.Unmarshal(body)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Info("Unmarshal failed", err)
+		return err
+	}
+	filename := filepath.Join("/tmp", pbfile)
+	f, _ := os.OpenFile(filename, os.O_WRONLY|os.O_CREATE|os.O_TRUNC, 0644)
+	f.Write(body)
+	f.Close()
 	return nil
 }