diff --git a/patches/0001-Make-_open_subprocess-argument-more-explicit-in-_han.patch b/patches/0001-Make-_open_subprocess-argument-more-explicit-in-_han.patch
deleted file mode 100644
index a90a4af..0000000
--- a/patches/0001-Make-_open_subprocess-argument-more-explicit-in-_han.patch
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,30 +0,0 @@
-From cfcb84db5452b1fbc801ca85f2f70015660f3132 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
-From: Lunar <lunar@anargeek.net>
-Date: Wed, 6 Mar 2013 18:39:34 +0100
-Subject: [PATCH] Make _open_subprocess argument more explicit in _handle_io
-
-The previous way worked out, but was really harder to understand.
----
- gnupg.py |    6 +++++-
- 1 files changed, 5 insertions(+), 1 deletions(-)
-
-diff --git a/gnupg.py b/gnupg.py
-index 4a73164..479e6dd 100644
---- a/gnupg.py
-+++ b/gnupg.py
-@@ -984,7 +984,11 @@ class GPG(object):
-         """
-         Handle a call to GPG - pass input data, collect output data.
-         """
--        p = self._open_subprocess(args, passphrase is not None)
-+        if passphrase is not None:
-+            ask_passphrase = True
-+        else:
-+            ask_passphrase = False
-+        p = self._open_subprocess(args, ask_passphrase)
-         if not binary:
-             stdin = codecs.getwriter(self.encoding)(p.stdin)
-         else:
--- 
-1.7.2.5
-
diff --git a/patches/README.md b/patches/README.md
deleted file mode 100644
index e409f4c..0000000
--- a/patches/README.md
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,23 +0,0 @@
-This patches folder is managed by quilt, which is a tool for automatic patch
-application and removal. To use quilt with the patches in this directory,
-navigate to the top level directory of this repository, and do:
-
- $ quilt setup patches/series
-
-To add an externally created patch (in other words, one created with ```diff
---git``` or ```git diff```), place that .patch or .diff file in this directory,
-and do:
-
- $ quilt import patches/<patchfile>
-
-Then, to apply the new patch, do:
-
- $ quilt push
-
-Removing patches from the stack can be done with:
-
- $ quilt pop
-
-Please see the man quilt(1) for more information on adding and importing new
-patches. The debian package maintainer guides also have chapters on quilt
-usage.
diff --git a/patches/series b/patches/series
deleted file mode 100644
index 572d722..0000000
--- a/patches/series
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-0001-Make-_open_subprocess-argument-more-explicit-in-_han.patch