diff --git a/src/ostbuild/pyostbuild/builtin_build.py b/src/ostbuild/pyostbuild/builtin_build.py
index 40aad797..07bea392 100755
--- a/src/ostbuild/pyostbuild/builtin_build.py
+++ b/src/ostbuild/pyostbuild/builtin_build.py
@@ -137,24 +137,8 @@ class OstbuildBuild(builtins.Builtin):
         f = open(metadata_path, 'w')
         json.dump(artifact_meta, f)
         f.close()
-        
-        patches = meta.get('patches')
-        if patches is not None:
-            patches_meta = self.manifest['patches']
-            (patches_keytype, patches_uri) = buildutil.parse_src_key(patches_meta['src'])
-            patches_mirror = buildutil.get_mirrordir(self.mirrordir, patches_keytype, patches_uri)
-            vcs.get_vcs_checkout(self.mirrordir, patches_keytype, patches_uri,
-                                 self.patchdir, patches_meta['branch'],
-                                 overwrite=True)
 
-            patch_prefix = patches_meta.get('prefix', None)
-            if patch_prefix is not None:
-                patchdir = os.path.join(self.patchdir, patch_prefix)
-            else:
-                patchdir = self.patchdir
-            for patch in patches:
-                patch_path = os.path.join(patchdir, patch)
-                run_sync(['git', 'am', '--ignore-date', '-3', patch_path], cwd=component_src)
+        run_sync(['ostbuild', 'checkout', name], cwd=checkoutdir)
         
         logdir = os.path.join(self.workdir, 'logs', 'compile', name)
         old_logdir = os.path.join(self.workdir, 'old-logs', 'compile', name)
@@ -243,8 +227,6 @@ class OstbuildBuild(builtins.Builtin):
         build_manifest_path = os.path.join(self.workdir, 'snapshot.json')
         self.manifest = json.load(open(build_manifest_path))
 
-        self.patchdir = os.path.join(self.workdir, 'patches')
-
         components = self.manifest['components']
         if args.recompose:
             build_components = []
diff --git a/src/ostbuild/pyostbuild/builtin_checkout.py b/src/ostbuild/pyostbuild/builtin_checkout.py
index 3aa4c50c..9600abbf 100755
--- a/src/ostbuild/pyostbuild/builtin_checkout.py
+++ b/src/ostbuild/pyostbuild/builtin_checkout.py
@@ -48,19 +48,42 @@ class OstbuildCheckout(builtins.Builtin):
         build_manifest_path = os.path.join(self.workdir, 'snapshot.json')
         self.manifest = json.load(open(build_manifest_path))
 
-        for component_name in args.components:
+        if len(args.components) > 0:
+            checkout_components = args.components
+        else:
+            checkout_components = [os.path.basename(os.getcwd())]
+
+        for component_name in checkout_components:
             found = False
-            for component in self.manifest['components']:
-                if component['name'] == component_name:
-                    found = True
-                    break
-            if not found:
+            component = buildutil.find_component_in_manifest(self.manifest,
+                                                             component_name)
+            if component is None:
                 fatal("Unknown component %r" % (component_name, ))
             (keytype, uri) = buildutil.parse_src_key(component['src'])
             checkoutdir = os.path.join(os.getcwd(), component['name'])
+
             component_src = vcs.get_vcs_checkout(self.mirrordir, keytype, uri, checkoutdir,
                                                  component['revision'],
                                                  overwrite=False)
+
+            patches = component.get('patches')
+            if patches is not None:
+                patches_meta = self.manifest['patches']
+                (patches_keytype, patches_uri) = buildutil.parse_src_key(patches_meta['src'])
+                patches_mirror = buildutil.get_mirrordir(self.mirrordir, patches_keytype, patches_uri)
+                vcs.get_vcs_checkout(self.mirrordir, patches_keytype, patches_uri,
+                                     self.patchdir, patches_meta['branch'],
+                                     overwrite=True)
+
+                patch_prefix = patches_meta.get('prefix', None)
+                if patch_prefix is not None:
+                    patchdir = os.path.join(self.patchdir, patch_prefix)
+                else:
+                    patchdir = self.patchdir
+                for patch in patches:
+                    patch_path = os.path.join(patchdir, patch)
+                    run_sync(['git', 'am', '--ignore-date', '-3', patch_path], cwd=checkoutdir)
+        
             print "Checked out: %r" % (component_src, )
         
 builtins.register(OstbuildCheckout)
diff --git a/src/ostbuild/pyostbuild/builtins.py b/src/ostbuild/pyostbuild/builtins.py
index 4b5abe76..4a2baee6 100755
--- a/src/ostbuild/pyostbuild/builtins.py
+++ b/src/ostbuild/pyostbuild/builtins.py
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ class Builtin(object):
         self.workdir = ostbuildrc.get_key('workdir')
         if not os.path.isdir(self.workdir):
             fatal("Specified workdir '%s' is not a directory" % (self.workdir, ))
+        self.patchdir = os.path.join(self.workdir, 'patches')
 
     def execute(self, args):
         raise NotImplementedError()
diff --git a/src/ostbuild/pyostbuild/vcs.py b/src/ostbuild/pyostbuild/vcs.py
index 00d936d0..2479d62e 100755
--- a/src/ostbuild/pyostbuild/vcs.py
+++ b/src/ostbuild/pyostbuild/vcs.py
@@ -55,16 +55,17 @@ def get_vcs_checkout(mirrordir, keytype, uri, dest, branch, overwrite=True):
         if overwrite:
             shutil.rmtree(dest)
         else:
-            return dest
+            tmp_dest = dest
     if not os.path.isdir(tmp_dest):
         run_sync(['git', 'clone', '-q',
                   '--no-checkout', module_mirror, tmp_dest])
+    else:
+        run_sync(['git', 'fetch'], cwd=tmp_dest)
     run_sync(['git', 'checkout', '-q', branch], cwd=tmp_dest)
     run_sync(['git', 'submodule', 'init'], cwd=tmp_dest)
     have_submodules = _fixup_submodule_references(mirrordir, tmp_dest)
     if have_submodules:
         run_sync(['git', 'submodule', 'update'], cwd=tmp_dest)
-    os.rename(tmp_dest, dest)
+    if tmp_dest != dest:
+        os.rename(tmp_dest, dest)
     return dest
-
-