--- epatch.eclass.orig	2017-10-16 04:04:23.039920786 +0000
+++ epatch.eclass	2017-10-16 03:49:12.049931705 +0000
@@ -423,23 +423,37 @@
 	# don't clobber any EPATCH vars that the parent might want
 	local EPATCH_SOURCE check
 	for check in ${CATEGORY}/{${P}-${PR},${P},${PN}}{,:${SLOT%/*}}; do
-		EPATCH_SOURCE=${EPATCH_USER_SOURCE}/${CTARGET}/${check}
-		[[ -r ${EPATCH_SOURCE} ]] || EPATCH_SOURCE=${EPATCH_USER_SOURCE}/${CHOST}/${check}
-		[[ -r ${EPATCH_SOURCE} ]] || EPATCH_SOURCE=${EPATCH_USER_SOURCE}/${check}
-		if [[ -d ${EPATCH_SOURCE} ]] ; then
-			local old_n_applied_patches=${EPATCH_N_APPLIED_PATCHES:-0}
-			EPATCH_SOURCE=${EPATCH_SOURCE} \
-			EPATCH_SUFFIX="patch" \
-			EPATCH_FORCE="yes" \
-			EPATCH_MULTI_MSG="Applying user patches from ${EPATCH_SOURCE} ..." \
-			epatch
-			echo "${EPATCH_SOURCE}" > "${applied}"
-			if [[ ${old_n_applied_patches} -lt ${EPATCH_N_APPLIED_PATCHES} ]]; then
-				has epatch_user_death_notice ${EBUILD_DEATH_HOOKS} || \
-					EBUILD_DEATH_HOOKS+=" epatch_user_death_notice"
+		set -- \
+			${EPATCH_USER_SOURCE}/${CTARGET}/${check} \
+			${EPATCH_USER_SOURCE}/${CHOST}/${check} \
+			${EPATCH_USER_SOURCE}/${check}
+		while true; do
+			EPATCH_SOURCE=$1
+			if [[ -d ${EPATCH_SOURCE} || -L ${EPATCH_SOURCE} ]] \
+					&& [[ ! -r ${EPATCH_SOURCE} ]]; then
+				die "Unable to open user patch directory '${EPATCH_SOURCE}'; permission denied"
 			fi
-			return 0
+			if [[ -d ${EPATCH_SOURCE} ]]; then
+				# viable patch directory found
+				break
+			fi
+			if ! shift || [[ $# -eq 0 ]]; then
+				# no viable patch directories found; proceed to next 'check'
+				continue 2
+			fi
+		done
+		local old_n_applied_patches=${EPATCH_N_APPLIED_PATCHES:-0}
+		EPATCH_SOURCE=${EPATCH_SOURCE} \
+		EPATCH_SUFFIX="patch" \
+		EPATCH_FORCE="yes" \
+		EPATCH_MULTI_MSG="Applying user patches from ${EPATCH_SOURCE} ..." \
+		epatch
+		echo "${EPATCH_SOURCE}" > "${applied}"
+		if [[ ${old_n_applied_patches} -lt ${EPATCH_N_APPLIED_PATCHES} ]]; then
+			has epatch_user_death_notice ${EBUILD_DEATH_HOOKS} || \
+				EBUILD_DEATH_HOOKS+=" epatch_user_death_notice"
 		fi
+		return 0
 	done
 	echo "none" > "${applied}"
 	return 1