diff --git a/debian/rules b/debian/rules
index 6e71681cb..0f31bdcff 100755
--- a/debian/rules
+++ b/debian/rules
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ export version abiname ltver kbuildver flavours major uver
 patch: debian/patch-stamp
 debian/patch-stamp: debian/bin/apply
 	dh_testdir
+	chmod +x debian/bin/apply
 	override_version=$(release) home=debian/patches-debian debian/bin/apply
 #	make-kpkg does this when building kernel-source.
 	mv scripts/package/Makefile scripts/package/Makefile.dist