diff --git a/applyPatch.go b/applyPatch.go
index 0985345..a0ddbab 100644
--- a/applyPatch.go
+++ b/applyPatch.go
@@ -6,11 +6,17 @@ import (
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 
+	"go.wit.com/lib/gui/shell"
 	"go.wit.com/lib/protobuf/forgepb"
 	"go.wit.com/log"
 )
 
 func applyPatches(pset *forgepb.Patchs) error {
+	var everythingworked bool = true
+	tmpdir, err := os.MkdirTemp("", "forge")
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 	// log.Info("got to applyPatches() pset", pset)
 	log.Info("applyPatches() NAME", pset.Name)
 	log.Info("applyPatches() COMMENT", pset.Comment)
@@ -23,11 +29,30 @@ func applyPatches(pset *forgepb.Patchs) error {
 		basepath, filename := filepath.Split(p.Filename)
 		fullpath := filepath.Join(me.forge.GetGoSrc(), basepath)
 		log.Info("pset filename FILENAME IS REAL? fullpath", fullpath)
-		log.Info("pset filename FILENAME IS REAL? filename", filename)
-		fullname := filepath.Join(fullpath, filename)
-		raw, _ := os.OpenFile(fullname, os.O_WRONLY|os.O_CREATE|os.O_TRUNC, 0644)
+		fullTmpdir := filepath.Join(tmpdir, basepath)
+		err := os.MkdirAll(fullTmpdir, os.ModePerm)
+		if err != nil {
+			log.Info("applyPathces() MkdirAll failed for", fullTmpdir)
+			log.Info("applyPathces() MkdirAll failed err", err)
+			everythingworked = false
+			continue
+		}
+		log.Info("pset filename FILENAME IS REAL? tmp fullTmpdir", fullTmpdir)
+		tmpname := filepath.Join(fullTmpdir, filename)
+		raw, _ := os.OpenFile(tmpname, os.O_WRONLY|os.O_CREATE|os.O_TRUNC, 0644)
 		raw.Write(p.Data)
 		raw.Close()
+		cmd := []string{"git", "am", tmpname}
+		result := shell.PathRun(fullpath, cmd)
+		if result.Exit != 0 {
+			log.Info("cmd failed", cmd, result.Exit)
+			everythingworked = false
+		}
+		// until 'git am' works
+		everythingworked = false
+	}
+	if everythingworked {
+		os.RemoveAll(tmpdir) // clean up
 	}
 	log.Info("THIS IS THE END MY FRIEND")
 	return nil