diff --git a/lisp/vc/diff-mode.el b/lisp/vc/diff-mode.el
index e4a1996c1b..5147f37e95 100644
--- a/lisp/vc/diff-mode.el
+++ b/lisp/vc/diff-mode.el
@@ -2928,6 +2928,15 @@ diff-syntax-fontify-props
         (forward-line 1)))
     (nreverse props)))
 
+;;;###autoload
+(defun diff-vc-deduce-fileset ()
+  (let ((backend (vc-responsible-backend default-directory))
+        files)
+    (save-excursion
+      (goto-char (point-min))
+      (while (progn (diff-file-next) (not (eobp)))
+        (push (diff-find-file-name nil t) files)))
+    (list backend (nreverse files) nil nil 'patch)))
 
 (defun diff--filter-substring (str)
   (when diff-font-lock-prettify
diff --git a/lisp/vc/vc-dispatcher.el b/lisp/vc/vc-dispatcher.el
index e2a490092b..93bcf4e976 100644
--- a/lisp/vc/vc-dispatcher.el
+++ b/lisp/vc/vc-dispatcher.el
@@ -624,6 +624,8 @@ vc-buffer-sync
 
 (declare-function log-edit-empty-buffer-p "log-edit" ())
 
+(defvar vc-patch-string)
+
 (defun vc-log-edit (fileset mode backend)
   "Set up `log-edit' for use on FILE."
   (setq default-directory
@@ -653,15 +655,17 @@ vc-log-edit
                       (mapcar
                        (lambda (file) (file-relative-name file root))
                        fileset))))
-	      (log-edit-diff-function . vc-diff)
+	      (log-edit-diff-function
+               . ,(if vc-patch-string 'vc-diff-patch 'vc-diff))
 	      (log-edit-vc-backend . ,backend)
-	      (vc-log-fileset . ,fileset))
+	      (vc-log-fileset . ,fileset)
+	      (vc-patch-string . ,vc-patch-string))
 	    nil
 	    mode)
   (set-buffer-modified-p nil)
   (setq buffer-file-name nil))
 
-(defun vc-start-logentry (files comment initial-contents msg logbuf mode action &optional after-hook backend)
+(defun vc-start-logentry (files comment initial-contents msg logbuf mode action &optional after-hook backend patch-string)
   "Accept a comment for an operation on FILES.
 If COMMENT is nil, pop up a LOGBUF buffer, emit MSG, and set the
 action on close to ACTION.  If COMMENT is a string and
@@ -688,6 +692,7 @@ vc-start-logentry
     (setq-local vc-parent-buffer parent)
     (setq-local vc-parent-buffer-name
                 (concat " from " (buffer-name vc-parent-buffer)))
+    (setq-local vc-patch-string patch-string)
     (vc-log-edit files mode backend)
     (make-local-variable 'vc-log-after-operation-hook)
     (when after-hook
@@ -753,7 +758,8 @@ vc-finish-logentry
 (defun vc-dispatcher-browsing ()
   "Are we in a directory browser buffer?"
   (or (derived-mode-p 'vc-dir-mode)
-      (derived-mode-p 'dired-mode)))
+      (derived-mode-p 'dired-mode)
+      (derived-mode-p 'diff-mode)))
 
 ;; These are unused.
 ;; (defun vc-dispatcher-in-fileset-p (fileset)
diff --git a/lisp/vc/vc-git.el b/lisp/vc/vc-git.el
index 46a486a46c..8458b40714 100644
--- a/lisp/vc/vc-git.el
+++ b/lisp/vc/vc-git.el
@@ -53,7 +53,8 @@
 ;; - responsible-p (file)                          OK
 ;; - receive-file (file rev)                       NOT NEEDED
 ;; - unregister (file)                             OK
-;; * checkin (files rev comment)                   OK
+;; * checkin (files comment rev)                   OK
+;; - checkin-patch (patch-string comment)          OK
 ;; * find-revision (file rev buffer)               OK
 ;; * checkout (file &optional rev)                 OK
 ;; * revert (file &optional contents-done)         OK
@@ -914,6 +915,12 @@ vc-git-log-edit-mode
   "Major mode for editing Git log messages.
 It is based on `log-edit-mode', and has Git-specific extensions.")
 
+(defvar vc-git-patch-string nil)
+
+(defun vc-git-checkin-patch (patch-string comment)
+  (let ((vc-git-patch-string patch-string))
+    (vc-git-checkin nil comment nil)))
+
 (defun vc-git-checkin (files comment &optional _rev)
   (let* ((file1 (or (car files) default-directory))
          (root (vc-git-root file1))
@@ -936,12 +943,20 @@ vc-git-checkin
           (if (eq system-type 'windows-nt)
               (let ((default-directory (file-name-directory file1)))
                 (make-nearby-temp-file "git-msg")))))
+    (when vc-git-patch-string
+      (let ((patch-file (make-temp-file "git-patch")))
+        (with-temp-file patch-file
+          (insert vc-git-patch-string))
+        (unwind-protect
+            (apply #'vc-git-command nil 0 patch-file
+                   (list "apply" "--cached"))
+          (delete-file patch-file))))
     (cl-flet ((boolean-arg-fn
                (argument)
                (lambda (value) (when (equal value "yes") (list argument)))))
       ;; When operating on the whole tree, better pass "-a" than ".", since "."
       ;; fails when we're committing a merge.
-      (apply #'vc-git-command nil 0 (if only files)
+      (apply #'vc-git-command nil 0 (if (and only (not vc-git-patch-string)) files)
              (nconc (if msg-file (list "commit" "-F"
                                        (file-local-name msg-file))
                       (list "commit" "-m"))
@@ -959,7 +974,8 @@ vc-git-checkin
                           (write-region (car args) nil msg-file))
                         (setq args (cdr args)))
                       args)
-		    (if only (list "--only" "--") '("-a")))))
+                    (unless vc-git-patch-string
+                      (if only (list "--only" "--") '("-a"))))))
     (if (and msg-file (file-exists-p msg-file)) (delete-file msg-file))))
 
 (defun vc-git-find-revision (file rev buffer)
diff --git a/lisp/vc/vc.el b/lisp/vc/vc.el
index b05adfb2d5..c5c9835de9 100644
--- a/lisp/vc/vc.el
+++ b/lisp/vc/vc.el
@@ -247,6 +247,11 @@
 ;;   revision argument is only supported with some older VCSes, like
 ;;   RCS and CVS, and is otherwise silently ignored.
 ;;
+;; - checkin-patch (patch-string comment)
+;;
+;;   Commit a single patch PATCH-STRING to this backend, bypassing
+;;   the changes in filesets.  COMMENT is used as a check-in comment.
+;;
 ;; * find-revision (file rev buffer)
 ;;
 ;;   Fetch revision REV of file FILE and put it into BUFFER.
@@ -1102,6 +1107,8 @@ vc-deduce-fileset-1
       (vc-dir-deduce-fileset state-model-only-files))
      ((derived-mode-p 'dired-mode)
       (dired-vc-deduce-fileset state-model-only-files not-state-changing))
+     ((derived-mode-p 'diff-mode)
+      (diff-vc-deduce-fileset))
      ((setq backend (vc-backend buffer-file-name))
       (if state-model-only-files
 	(list backend (list buffer-file-name)
@@ -1114,7 +1121,8 @@ vc-deduce-fileset-1
            (or (buffer-file-name vc-parent-buffer)
 				(with-current-buffer vc-parent-buffer
 				  (or (derived-mode-p 'vc-dir-mode)
-				      (derived-mode-p 'dired-mode)))))
+				      (derived-mode-p 'dired-mode)
+				      (derived-mode-p 'diff-mode)))))
       (progn                  ;FIXME: Why not `with-current-buffer'? --Stef.
 	(set-buffer vc-parent-buffer)
 	(vc-deduce-fileset-1 not-state-changing allow-unregistered state-model-only-files)))
@@ -1230,6 +1238,8 @@ vc-next-action
       (error "Fileset files are missing, so cannot be operated on"))
      ((eq state 'ignored)
       (error "Fileset files are ignored by the version-control system"))
+     ((eq model 'patch)
+      (vc-checkin files backend nil nil nil (buffer-string)))
      ((or (null state) (eq state 'unregistered))
       (cond (verbose
              (let ((backend (vc-read-backend "Backend to register to: ")))
@@ -1615,7 +1625,9 @@ vc-steal-lock
      ".\n")
     (message "Please explain why you stole the lock.  Type C-c C-c when done.")))
 
-(defun vc-checkin (files backend &optional comment initial-contents rev)
+(defvar vc-patch-string nil)
+
+(defun vc-checkin (files backend &optional comment initial-contents rev patch-string)
   "Check in FILES. COMMENT is a comment string; if omitted, a
 buffer is popped up to accept a comment.  If INITIAL-CONTENTS is
 non-nil, then COMMENT is used as the initial contents of the log
@@ -1643,7 +1655,9 @@ vc-checkin
        ;; vc-checkin-switches, but 'the' local buffer is
        ;; not a well-defined concept for filesets.
        (progn
-         (vc-call-backend backend 'checkin files comment rev)
+         (if patch-string
+             (vc-call-backend backend 'checkin-patch patch-string comment)
+           (vc-call-backend backend 'checkin files comment rev))
          (mapc #'vc-delete-automatic-version-backups files))
        `((vc-state . up-to-date)
          (vc-checkout-time . ,(file-attribute-modification-time
@@ -1651,7 +1665,8 @@ vc-checkin
          (vc-working-revision . nil)))
      (message "Checking in %s...done" (vc-delistify files)))
    'vc-checkin-hook
-   backend))
+   backend
+   patch-string))
 
 ;;; Additional entry points for examining version histories
 
@@ -1779,6 +1794,23 @@ vc-diff-finish
 (defvar vc-diff-added-files nil
   "If non-nil, diff added files by comparing them to /dev/null.")
 
+(defvar vc-patch-buffer nil)
+
+(defun vc-diff-patch ()
+  (let ((buffer "*vc-diff*")
+        (patch-string vc-patch-string))
+    (vc-setup-buffer buffer)
+    (set-buffer buffer)
+    (let ((buffer-undo-list t)
+          (inhibit-read-only t))
+      (insert patch-string))
+    (setq buffer-read-only t)
+    (diff-mode)
+    (setq-local diff-vc-backend (vc-responsible-backend default-directory))
+    (setq-local revert-buffer-function (lambda (_ _) (vc-diff-patch)))
+    (pop-to-buffer (current-buffer))
+    (vc-run-delayed (vc-diff-finish (current-buffer) nil))))
+
 (defun vc-diff-internal (async vc-fileset rev1 rev2 &optional verbose buffer)
   "Report diffs between two revisions of a fileset.
 Output goes to the buffer BUFFER, which defaults to *vc-diff*.