diff --git a/meta/lib/oe/patch.py b/meta/lib/oe/patch.py
index b2dc8d0a90..d047b3b947 100644
--- a/meta/lib/oe/patch.py
+++ b/meta/lib/oe/patch.py
@@ -499,6 +499,36 @@ class GitApplyTree(PatchTree):
         finally:
             shutil.rmtree(tempdir)
 
+    def _need_dirty_check(self):
+        fetch = bb.fetch2.Fetch([], self.d)
+        check_dirtyness = False
+        for url in fetch.urls:
+            url_data = fetch.ud[url]
+            parm = url_data.parm
+            # a git url with subpath param will surely be dirty
+            # since the git tree from which we clone will be emptied
+            # from all files that are not in the subpath
+            if url_data.type == 'git' and parm.get('subpath'):
+                check_dirtyness = True
+        return check_dirtyness
+
+    def _commitpatch(self, patch, patchfilevar):
+        output = ""
+        # Add all files
+        shellcmd = ["git", "add", "-f", "-A", "."]
+        output += runcmd(["sh", "-c", " ".join(shellcmd)], self.dir)
+        # Exclude the patches directory
+        shellcmd = ["git", "reset", "HEAD", self.patchdir]
+        output += runcmd(["sh", "-c", " ".join(shellcmd)], self.dir)
+        # Commit the result
+        (tmpfile, shellcmd) = self.prepareCommit(patch['file'], self.commituser, self.commitemail)
+        try:
+            shellcmd.insert(0, patchfilevar)
+            output += runcmd(["sh", "-c", " ".join(shellcmd)], self.dir)
+        finally:
+            os.remove(tmpfile)
+        return output
+
     def _applypatch(self, patch, force = False, reverse = False, run = True):
         import shutil
 
@@ -534,6 +564,19 @@ class GitApplyTree(PatchTree):
         shutil.copy2(commithook, applyhook)
         try:
             patchfilevar = 'PATCHFILE="%s"' % os.path.basename(patch['file'])
+            if self._need_dirty_check():
+                # Check dirtyness of the tree
+                try:
+                    output = runcmd(["git", "--work-tree=%s" % reporoot, "status", "--short"])
+                except CmdError:
+                    pass
+                else:
+                    if output:
+                        # The tree is dirty, not need to try to apply patches with git anymore
+                        # since they fail, fallback directly to patch
+                        output = PatchTree._applypatch(self, patch, force, reverse, run)
+                        output += self._commitpatch(patch, patchfilevar)
+                        return output
             try:
                 shellcmd = [patchfilevar, "git", "--work-tree=%s" % reporoot]
                 self.gitCommandUserOptions(shellcmd, self.commituser, self.commitemail)
@@ -560,19 +603,7 @@ class GitApplyTree(PatchTree):
                 except CmdError:
                     # Fall back to patch
                     output = PatchTree._applypatch(self, patch, force, reverse, run)
-                # Add all files
-                shellcmd = ["git", "add", "-f", "-A", "."]
-                output += runcmd(["sh", "-c", " ".join(shellcmd)], self.dir)
-                # Exclude the patches directory
-                shellcmd = ["git", "reset", "HEAD", self.patchdir]
-                output += runcmd(["sh", "-c", " ".join(shellcmd)], self.dir)
-                # Commit the result
-                (tmpfile, shellcmd) = self.prepareCommit(patch['file'], self.commituser, self.commitemail)
-                try:
-                    shellcmd.insert(0, patchfilevar)
-                    output += runcmd(["sh", "-c", " ".join(shellcmd)], self.dir)
-                finally:
-                    os.remove(tmpfile)
+                output += self._commitpatch(patch, patchfilevar)
                 return output
         finally:
             shutil.rmtree(hooks_dir)