Test the delete command. $ rm -rf d $ mkdir -p d/patches $ cd d $ cat > test.txt < Calling pci_match_id() would be more feasible. $ quilt new test1 > Patch %{P}test1 is now on top $ quilt add test.txt > File test.txt added to patch %{P}test1 $ cat > test.txt < Try the following patch instead. $ quilt refresh > Refreshed patch %{P}test1 $ quilt new test2 > Patch %{P}test2 is now on top $ quilt add test.txt > File test.txt added to patch %{P}test2 $ cat > test.txt < Ok, that's fine with me if you want to do that instead. $ quilt refresh > Refreshed patch %{P}test2 $ quilt pop > Removing patch %{P}test2 > Restoring test.txt > > Now at patch %{P}test1 $ quilt series > %{P}test1 > %{P}test2 $ quilt delete -n > Removed patch %{P}test2 $ quilt series > %{P}test1 $ quilt pop > Removing patch %{P}test1 > Restoring test.txt > > No patches applied $ quilt delete test1 > Removed patch %{P}test1 $ quilt series $ cd .. $ rm -rf d