diff --git a/repos/ports/ports/gcc.mk b/repos/ports/ports/gcc.mk
index 8a82a88e6..a0299773a 100644
--- a/repos/ports/ports/gcc.mk
+++ b/repos/ports/ports/gcc.mk
@@ -49,7 +49,10 @@ endif
 $(CONTRIB_DIR)/$(GCC): $(DOWNLOAD_DIR)/$(GCC_TGZ).verified
 	$(VERBOSE)tar xfz $(<:.verified=) -C $(CONTRIB_DIR)
 
-include ../../tool/tool_chain_gcc_patches.inc
+# needed in 'tool_chain_gcc_patches.inc'
+GENODE_DIR := $(abspath ../..)
+
+include $(GENODE_DIR)/tool/tool_chain_gcc_patches.inc
 
 $(CONTRIB_DIR)/$(GCC)/configure:: $(CONTRIB_DIR)/$(GCC)
 	@#
diff --git a/repos/ports/ports/gdb.mk b/repos/ports/ports/gdb.mk
index 02a1f6519..ed78f5416 100644
--- a/repos/ports/ports/gdb.mk
+++ b/repos/ports/ports/gdb.mk
@@ -68,7 +68,10 @@ $(DOWNLOAD_DIR)/$(GDB_TBZ2).verified: $(DOWNLOAD_DIR)/$(GDB_TBZ2) \
 $(CONTRIB_DIR)/$(GDB): $(DOWNLOAD_DIR)/$(GDB_TBZ2).verified
 	$(VERBOSE)tar xfj $(<:.verified=) -C $(CONTRIB_DIR)
 
-include ../../tool/tool_chain_gdb_patches.inc
+# needed in 'tool_chain_gdb_patches.inc'
+GENODE_DIR := $(abspath ../..)
+
+include $(GENODE_DIR)/tool/tool_chain_gdb_patches.inc
 
 $(CONTRIB_DIR)/$(GDB)/configure:: $(CONTRIB_DIR)/$(GDB)
 	@#
diff --git a/tool/patches/gcc-4.7.2/cpp_for_target.patch b/tool/patches/gcc-4.7.2/cpp_for_target.patch
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b55ff412f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tool/patches/gcc-4.7.2/cpp_for_target.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+cpp_for_target.patch
+
+From: Christian Prochaska <christian.prochaska@genode-labs.com>
+
+Fix the handling of CPP_FOR_TARGET. Without the fix, the configure script
+of libgcc tries to use the normal 'cpp' for executing preprocessor tests,
+which produces bogus results.
+---
+ Makefile.def |    1 +
+ Makefile.tpl |    3 +++
+ configure.ac |    1 +
+ 3 files changed, 5 insertions(+)
+
+diff --git a/Makefile.def b/Makefile.def
+index 1838a21..ae2689d 100644
+--- a/Makefile.def
++++ b/Makefile.def
+@@ -242,6 +242,7 @@ flags_to_pass = { flag= GNATMAKE ; };
+ // Target tools
+ flags_to_pass = { flag= AR_FOR_TARGET ; };
+ flags_to_pass = { flag= AS_FOR_TARGET ; };
++flags_to_pass = { flag= CPP_FOR_TARGET ; };
+ flags_to_pass = { flag= CC_FOR_TARGET ; };
+ flags_to_pass = { flag= CFLAGS_FOR_TARGET ; };
+ flags_to_pass = { flag= CPPFLAGS_FOR_TARGET ; };
+diff --git a/Makefile.tpl b/Makefile.tpl
+index 5cbd6e6..685756c 100644
+--- a/Makefile.tpl
++++ b/Makefile.tpl
+@@ -275,6 +275,7 @@ BASE_TARGET_EXPORTS = \
+ 	$(BASE_EXPORTS) \
+ 	AR="$(AR_FOR_TARGET)"; export AR; \
+ 	AS="$(COMPILER_AS_FOR_TARGET)"; export AS; \
++	CPP="$(CPP_FOR_TARGET) $(XGCC_FLAGS_FOR_TARGET) $$TFLAGS"; export CPP; \
+ 	CC="$(CC_FOR_TARGET) $(XGCC_FLAGS_FOR_TARGET) $$TFLAGS"; export CC; \
+ 	CFLAGS="$(CFLAGS_FOR_TARGET)"; export CFLAGS; \
+ 	CONFIG_SHELL="$(SHELL)"; export CONFIG_SHELL; \
+@@ -478,6 +479,7 @@ do-compare3 = $(do-compare)
+ 
+ AR_FOR_TARGET=@AR_FOR_TARGET@
+ AS_FOR_TARGET=@AS_FOR_TARGET@
++CPP_FOR_TARGET=$(STAGE_CC_WRAPPER) @CPP_FOR_TARGET@
+ CC_FOR_TARGET=$(STAGE_CC_WRAPPER) @CC_FOR_TARGET@
+ 
+ # If GCC_FOR_TARGET is not overriden on the command line, then this
+@@ -643,6 +645,7 @@ POSTSTAGE1_FLAGS_TO_PASS = \
+ EXTRA_TARGET_FLAGS = \
+ 	'AR=$$(AR_FOR_TARGET)' \
+ 	'AS=$(COMPILER_AS_FOR_TARGET)' \
++	'CPP=$$(CPP_FOR_TARGET) $$(XGCC_FLAGS_FOR_TARGET) $$(TFLAGS)' \
+ 	'CC=$$(CC_FOR_TARGET) $$(XGCC_FLAGS_FOR_TARGET) $$(TFLAGS)' \
+ 	'CFLAGS=$$(CFLAGS_FOR_TARGET)' \
+ 	'CXX=$$(CXX_FOR_TARGET) $$(XGCC_FLAGS_FOR_TARGET) $$(TFLAGS)' \
+diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
+index a44a000..b763e18 100644
+--- a/configure.ac
++++ b/configure.ac
+@@ -3114,6 +3114,7 @@ RAW_CXX_FOR_TARGET="$CXX_FOR_TARGET"
+ 
+ GCC_TARGET_TOOL(ar, AR_FOR_TARGET, AR, [binutils/ar])
+ GCC_TARGET_TOOL(as, AS_FOR_TARGET, AS, [gas/as-new])
++GCC_TARGET_TOOL(cpp, CPP_FOR_TARGET, CPP, [gcc/cpp -B$$r/$(HOST_SUBDIR)/gcc/])
+ GCC_TARGET_TOOL(cc, CC_FOR_TARGET, CC, [gcc/xgcc -B$$r/$(HOST_SUBDIR)/gcc/])
+ dnl see comments for CXX_FOR_TARGET_FLAG_TO_PASS
+ GCC_TARGET_TOOL(c++, CXX_FOR_TARGET, CXX,
diff --git a/tool/patches/gcc-4.7.2/cppflags_for_target.patch b/tool/patches/gcc-4.7.2/cppflags_for_target.patch
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4dda97877
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tool/patches/gcc-4.7.2/cppflags_for_target.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+cppflags_for_target.patch
+
+From: Christian Prochaska <christian.prochaska@genode-labs.com>
+
+Allow customization of CPPFLAGS_FOR_TARGET, not supported by the original
+GCC config and build system.
+---
+ Makefile.tpl |    1 +
+ configure.ac |    1 +
+ 2 files changed, 2 insertions(+)
+
+diff --git a/Makefile.tpl b/Makefile.tpl
+index 371c3b6..5cbd6e6 100644
+--- a/Makefile.tpl
++++ b/Makefile.tpl
+@@ -507,6 +507,7 @@ COMPILER_LD_FOR_TARGET=@COMPILER_LD_FOR_TARGET@
+ COMPILER_NM_FOR_TARGET=@COMPILER_NM_FOR_TARGET@
+ 
+ CFLAGS_FOR_TARGET = @CFLAGS_FOR_TARGET@
++CPPFLAGS_FOR_TARGET = @CPPFLAGS_FOR_TARGET@
+ CXXFLAGS_FOR_TARGET = @CXXFLAGS_FOR_TARGET@
+ 
+ LIBCFLAGS_FOR_TARGET = $(CFLAGS_FOR_TARGET)
+diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
+index 40aeeee..a44a000 100644
+--- a/configure.ac
++++ b/configure.ac
+@@ -2142,6 +2142,7 @@ if test "x$CFLAGS_FOR_TARGET" = x; then
+     *) CFLAGS_FOR_TARGET="-g $CFLAGS" ;;
+   esac
+ fi
++AC_SUBST(CPPFLAGS_FOR_TARGET)
+ AC_SUBST(CFLAGS_FOR_TARGET)
+ 
+ if test "x$CXXFLAGS_FOR_TARGET" = x; then
diff --git a/tool/patches/gcc-4.7.2/host_target_combination.patch b/tool/patches/gcc-4.7.2/host_target_combination.patch
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c6423c5c9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tool/patches/gcc-4.7.2/host_target_combination.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,140 @@
+host_target_combination.patch
+
+From: Christian Prochaska <christian.prochaska@genode-labs.com>
+
+Remove sanity check for host/target combination in configure script of
+libstdc++. An alternative fix would be the addition of a new host or
+the use of an existing one. However, adding a new host would require
+us to maintain a larger patch to the GCC build system, and using an
+existing host comes with all the (possibly unwanted) policies associated
+with the respective host platform. We want to stick with the bare-bone
+compiler as much as possible.
+---
+ libstdc++-v3/configure      |   24 +++++++++++-------------
+ libstdc++-v3/crossconfig.m4 |    1 -
+ 2 files changed, 11 insertions(+), 14 deletions(-)
+
+diff --git a/libstdc++-v3/configure b/libstdc++-v3/configure
+index 0e9e28a..5a9f1ee 100755
+--- a/libstdc++-v3/configure
++++ b/libstdc++-v3/configure
+@@ -3025,8 +3025,7 @@ test -n "$target_alias" &&
+ target_alias=${target_alias-$host_alias}
+ 
+ # Handy for debugging:
+-{ $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: $build / $host / $target / $host_alias / $target_alias" >&5
+-$as_echo "$as_me: $build / $host / $target / $host_alias / $target_alias" >&6;}; sleep 5
++#AC_MSG_NOTICE($build / $host / $target / $host_alias / $target_alias); sleep 5
+ 
+ if test "$build" != "$host"; then
+   # We are being configured with some form of cross compiler.
+@@ -11498,7 +11497,7 @@ else
+   lt_dlunknown=0; lt_dlno_uscore=1; lt_dlneed_uscore=2
+   lt_status=$lt_dlunknown
+   cat > conftest.$ac_ext <<_LT_EOF
+-#line 11501 "configure"
++#line 11500 "configure"
+ #include "confdefs.h"
+ 
+ #if HAVE_DLFCN_H
+@@ -11604,7 +11603,7 @@ else
+   lt_dlunknown=0; lt_dlno_uscore=1; lt_dlneed_uscore=2
+   lt_status=$lt_dlunknown
+   cat > conftest.$ac_ext <<_LT_EOF
+-#line 11607 "configure"
++#line 11606 "configure"
+ #include "confdefs.h"
+ 
+ #if HAVE_DLFCN_H
+@@ -14962,7 +14961,7 @@ fi
+     #
+     # Fake what AC_TRY_COMPILE does.  XXX Look at redoing this new-style.
+     cat > conftest.$ac_ext << EOF
+-#line 14965 "configure"
++#line 14964 "configure"
+ struct S { ~S(); };
+ void bar();
+ void foo()
+@@ -15297,7 +15296,7 @@ $as_echo "$glibcxx_cv_atomic_long_long" >&6; }
+   # Fake what AC_TRY_COMPILE does.
+ 
+     cat > conftest.$ac_ext << EOF
+-#line 15300 "configure"
++#line 15299 "configure"
+ int main()
+ {
+   typedef bool atomic_type;
+@@ -15332,7 +15331,7 @@ $as_echo "$glibcxx_cv_atomic_bool" >&6; }
+     rm -f conftest*
+ 
+     cat > conftest.$ac_ext << EOF
+-#line 15335 "configure"
++#line 15334 "configure"
+ int main()
+ {
+   typedef short atomic_type;
+@@ -15367,7 +15366,7 @@ $as_echo "$glibcxx_cv_atomic_short" >&6; }
+     rm -f conftest*
+ 
+     cat > conftest.$ac_ext << EOF
+-#line 15370 "configure"
++#line 15369 "configure"
+ int main()
+ {
+   // NB: _Atomic_word not necessarily int.
+@@ -15403,7 +15402,7 @@ $as_echo "$glibcxx_cv_atomic_int" >&6; }
+     rm -f conftest*
+ 
+     cat > conftest.$ac_ext << EOF
+-#line 15406 "configure"
++#line 15405 "configure"
+ int main()
+ {
+   typedef long long atomic_type;
+@@ -15482,7 +15481,7 @@ $as_echo "$as_me: WARNING: Performance of certain classes will degrade as a resu
+   # unnecessary for this test.
+ 
+     cat > conftest.$ac_ext << EOF
+-#line 15485 "configure"
++#line 15484 "configure"
+ int main()
+ {
+   _Decimal32 d1;
+@@ -15524,7 +15523,7 @@ ac_compiler_gnu=$ac_cv_cxx_compiler_gnu
+   # unnecessary for this test.
+ 
+     cat > conftest.$ac_ext << EOF
+-#line 15527 "configure"
++#line 15526 "configure"
+ template<typename T1, typename T2>
+   struct same
+   { typedef T2 type; };
+@@ -15558,7 +15557,7 @@ $as_echo "$enable_int128" >&6; }
+     rm -f conftest*
+ 
+     cat > conftest.$ac_ext << EOF
+-#line 15561 "configure"
++#line 15560 "configure"
+ template<typename T1, typename T2>
+   struct same
+   { typedef T2 type; };
+@@ -64099,7 +64098,6 @@ $as_echo "$ac_ld_relro" >&6; }
+ 
+     ;;
+   *)
+-    as_fn_error "No support for this host/target combination." "$LINENO" 5
+    ;;
+ esac
+ 
+diff --git a/libstdc++-v3/crossconfig.m4 b/libstdc++-v3/crossconfig.m4
+index 361ed0b..98d68ec 100644
+--- a/libstdc++-v3/crossconfig.m4
++++ b/libstdc++-v3/crossconfig.m4
+@@ -264,7 +264,6 @@ case "${host}" in
+     AC_DEFINE(HAVE_TANHF)
+     ;;
+   *)
+-    AC_MSG_ERROR([No support for this host/target combination.])
+    ;;
+ esac
+ ])
diff --git a/tool/patches/gcc-4.7.2/inhibit_libc.patch b/tool/patches/gcc-4.7.2/inhibit_libc.patch
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8ffabcd81
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tool/patches/gcc-4.7.2/inhibit_libc.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+inhibit_libc.patch
+
+From: Christian Prochaska <christian.prochaska@genode-labs.com>
+
+Make sure to disable the 'inhibit_libc' flag, which is evaluated when
+compiling libgcc. When libc is inhibited, the 'unwind-dw2-fde-glibc.c'
+is not using the "new" glibc exception handling mechanism. However,
+Genode's dynamic linker relies on this mechanism.
+---
+ gcc/configure.ac |    2 +-
+ 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-)
+
+diff --git a/gcc/configure.ac b/gcc/configure.ac
+index b7604d6..75bb2b5 100644
+--- a/gcc/configure.ac
++++ b/gcc/configure.ac
+@@ -1862,7 +1862,7 @@ fi
+ if { { test x$host != x$target && test "x$with_sysroot" = x ; } ||
+        test x$with_newlib = xyes ; } &&
+      { test "x$with_headers" = x || test "x$with_headers" = xno ; } ; then
+-       inhibit_libc=true
++       inhibit_libc=false # was true
+ fi
+ AC_SUBST(inhibit_libc)
+ 
diff --git a/tool/patches/gcc-4.7.2/link_spec.patch b/tool/patches/gcc-4.7.2/link_spec.patch
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e07fb825d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tool/patches/gcc-4.7.2/link_spec.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+link_spec.patch
+
+From: Christian Prochaska <christian.prochaska@genode-labs.com>
+
+Enable LINK_SPEC customization via configure arguments
+
+We add a hook for sneaking our custom LINK_SPEC definition into the GCC
+configure process by uncommentig the 'host_xm_include_list'. This enables us
+to supply a custom header file to be included into 'gcc/config.h' defining
+the 'LINK_SPEC' macro. This macro expresses the policy of how the GCC
+frontend invokes 'ld' on multiarch platforms. I.e., on x86, we need to pass
+'-melf_i386' to 'ld' when building in '-m32' mode.
+---
+ gcc/configure.ac |    2 +-
+ 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-)
+
+diff --git a/gcc/configure.ac b/gcc/configure.ac
+index 2d1876f..b7604d6 100644
+--- a/gcc/configure.ac
++++ b/gcc/configure.ac
+@@ -1759,7 +1759,7 @@ for f in $xm_file; do
+ done
+ 
+ host_xm_file_list=
+-host_xm_include_list=
++#host_xm_include_list=
+ for f in $host_xm_file; do
+   case $f in
+     ansidecl.h )
diff --git a/tool/patches/gcc-4.7.2/misc.patch b/tool/patches/gcc-4.7.2/misc.patch
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2f70f3622
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tool/patches/gcc-4.7.2/misc.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+misc.patch
+
+From: Christian Prochaska <christian.prochaska@genode-labs.com>
+
+Changes lacking documentation
+---
+ libgcc/Makefile.in            |    2 +-
+ libgcc/config/t-libunwind-elf |    2 +-
+ libgcc/config/t-slibgcc       |    2 +-
+ 3 files changed, 3 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-)
+
+diff --git a/libgcc/Makefile.in b/libgcc/Makefile.in
+index f38d5b4..d64c9e0 100644
+--- a/libgcc/Makefile.in
++++ b/libgcc/Makefile.in
+@@ -858,7 +858,7 @@ LIBGCOV = _gcov _gcov_merge_add _gcov_merge_single _gcov_merge_delta \
+     _gcov_indirect_call_profiler _gcov_average_profiler _gcov_ior_profiler \
+     _gcov_merge_ior
+ 
+-libgcov-objects = $(patsubst %,%$(objext),$(LIBGCOV))
++libgcov-objects = 
+ 
+ $(libgcov-objects): %$(objext): $(srcdir)/libgcov.c
+ 	$(gcc_compile) -DL$* -c $(srcdir)/libgcov.c
+diff --git a/libgcc/config/t-libunwind-elf b/libgcc/config/t-libunwind-elf
+index 47a460b..cd6e291 100644
+--- a/libgcc/config/t-libunwind-elf
++++ b/libgcc/config/t-libunwind-elf
+@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ SHLIBUNWIND_SONAME = @shlib_base_name@.so.$(SHLIBUNWIND_SOVERSION)
+ SHLIBUNWIND_LINK = $(CC) $(LIBGCC2_CFLAGS) -shared \
+ 	-nodefaultlibs -Wl,-h,$(SHLIBUNWIND_SONAME) \
+ 	-Wl,-z,text -Wl,-z,defs -o $(SHLIB_DIR)/$(SHLIBUNWIND_SONAME).tmp \
+-	@multilib_flags@ $(SHLIB_OBJS) -lc && \
++	@multilib_flags@ $(SHLIB_OBJS)  && \
+ 	rm -f $(SHLIB_DIR)/$(SHLIB_SOLINK) && \
+ 	if [ -f $(SHLIB_DIR)/$(SHLIBUNWIND_SONAME) ]; then \
+ 	  mv -f $(SHLIB_DIR)/$(SHLIBUNWIND_SONAME) \
+diff --git a/libgcc/config/t-slibgcc b/libgcc/config/t-slibgcc
+index 3727244..89c8e9b 100644
+--- a/libgcc/config/t-slibgcc
++++ b/libgcc/config/t-slibgcc
+@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ SHLIB_MAP = @shlib_map_file@
+ SHLIB_OBJS = @shlib_objs@
+ SHLIB_DIR = @multilib_dir@
+ SHLIB_SLIBDIR_QUAL = @shlib_slibdir_qual@
+-SHLIB_LC = -lc
++SHLIB_LC = 
+ SHLIB_MAKE_SOLINK = $(LN_S) $(SHLIB_SONAME) $(SHLIB_DIR)/$(SHLIB_SOLINK)
+ SHLIB_INSTALL_SOLINK = $(LN_S) $(SHLIB_SONAME) \
+ 	$(DESTDIR)$(slibdir)$(SHLIB_SLIBDIR_QUAL)/$(SHLIB_SOLINK)
diff --git a/tool/patches/gcc-4.7.2/no_short_enums.patch b/tool/patches/gcc-4.7.2/no_short_enums.patch
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e6d7768cb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tool/patches/gcc-4.7.2/no_short_enums.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+no_short_enums.patch
+
+From: Christian Prochaska <christian.prochaska@genode-labs.com>
+
+Ensure -fno-short-enums as default.
+---
+ gcc/config/arm/arm.c |    2 +-
+ 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-)
+
+diff --git a/gcc/config/arm/arm.c b/gcc/config/arm/arm.c
+index 35b73c5..52370a8 100644
+--- a/gcc/config/arm/arm.c
++++ b/gcc/config/arm/arm.c
+@@ -23384,7 +23384,7 @@ arm_promote_function_mode (const_tree type ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED,
+ static bool
+ arm_default_short_enums (void)
+ {
+-  return TARGET_AAPCS_BASED && arm_abi != ARM_ABI_AAPCS_LINUX;
++  return false;
+ }
+ 
+ 
diff --git a/tool/patches/gcc-4.7.2/pic_cxxflags.patch b/tool/patches/gcc-4.7.2/pic_cxxflags.patch
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..24001a151
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tool/patches/gcc-4.7.2/pic_cxxflags.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+pic_cxxflags.patch
+
+From: Christian Prochaska <christian.prochaska@genode-labs.com>
+
+Allow passing of PIC_CXXFLAGS to the configure script of libstdc++.
+Without this change, libsupc++ would be compiled w/o PICFLAGS, resulting
+in text relocations. Because for base tool chains, no 'dynamic_linker'
+is defined (see 'libtool.m4'), 'dynamic_linker' is set to 'no', which
+results in 'can_build_shared = no', which, in turn , results
+in 'enable_shared = no', which, in turn, sets 'PIC_CXXFLAGS' to
+nothing rather then '-prefer-pic'.
+---
+ libstdc++-v3/configure.ac |    2 +-
+ 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-)
+
+diff --git a/libstdc++-v3/configure.ac b/libstdc++-v3/configure.ac
+index f04563e..238097d 100644
+--- a/libstdc++-v3/configure.ac
++++ b/libstdc++-v3/configure.ac
+@@ -424,7 +424,7 @@ GLIBCXX_EXPORT_FLAGS
+ if test "$enable_shared" = yes; then
+   PIC_CXXFLAGS="-prefer-pic"
+ else
+-  PIC_CXXFLAGS=
++  __PIC_CXXFLAGS=
+ fi
+ AC_SUBST(PIC_CXXFLAGS)
+ 
diff --git a/tool/patches/gcc-4.7.2/series b/tool/patches/gcc-4.7.2/series
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..619a0a2f2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tool/patches/gcc-4.7.2/series
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+tmake_file_extra_parts.patch
+misc.patch
+tmake_file_arm.patch
+link_spec.patch
+inhibit_libc.patch
+cppflags_for_target.patch
+cpp_for_target.patch
+no_short_enums.patch
+host_target_combination.patch
+pic_cxxflags.patch
diff --git a/tool/patches/gcc-4.7.2/tmake_file_arm.patch b/tool/patches/gcc-4.7.2/tmake_file_arm.patch
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b51246b61
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tool/patches/gcc-4.7.2/tmake_file_arm.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+tmake_file_arm.patch
+
+From: Christian Prochaska <christian.prochaska@genode-labs.com>
+
+Let 'config.gcc' expand our already populated 'tmake_file' variable rather
+than making a hard assignment. This is needed for the ARM platform because
+the target 'arm-elf-eabi' actually matches the pattern 'arm-*-*-eabi' in
+the 'config.gcc' file.
+---
+ gcc/config.gcc |   12 ++++++------
+ 1 file changed, 6 insertions(+), 6 deletions(-)
+
+diff --git a/gcc/config.gcc b/gcc/config.gcc
+index 653e5d9..9dacfd0 100644
+--- a/gcc/config.gcc
++++ b/gcc/config.gcc
+@@ -875,7 +875,7 @@ arm*-*-linux*)			# ARM GNU/Linux with ELF
+ 	;;
+ arm*-*-uclinux*)		# ARM ucLinux
+ 	tm_file="dbxelf.h elfos.h arm/unknown-elf.h arm/elf.h arm/linux-gas.h arm/uclinux-elf.h glibc-stdint.h"
+-	tmake_file="arm/t-arm arm/t-arm-elf"
++	tmake_file="${tmake_file} arm/t-arm arm/t-arm-elf"
+ 	case ${target} in
+ 	arm*-*-uclinux*eabi)
+ 	    tm_file="$tm_file arm/bpabi.h arm/uclinux-eabi.h"
+@@ -891,7 +891,7 @@ arm*-*-uclinux*)		# ARM ucLinux
+ 	;;
+ arm*-*-ecos-elf)
+ 	tm_file="dbxelf.h elfos.h newlib-stdint.h arm/unknown-elf.h arm/elf.h arm/aout.h arm/arm.h arm/ecos-elf.h"
+-	tmake_file="arm/t-arm arm/t-arm-elf"
++	tmake_file="${tmake_file} arm/t-arm arm/t-arm-elf"
+ 	;;
+ arm*-*-eabi* | arm*-*-symbianelf* | arm*-*-rtemseabi*)
+ 	# The BPABI long long divmod functions return a 128-bit value in
+@@ -900,7 +900,7 @@ arm*-*-eabi* | arm*-*-symbianelf* | arm*-*-rtemseabi*)
+ 	need_64bit_hwint=yes
+ 	default_use_cxa_atexit=yes
+ 	tm_file="dbxelf.h elfos.h arm/unknown-elf.h arm/elf.h arm/bpabi.h"
+-	tmake_file="arm/t-arm arm/t-arm-elf"
++	tmake_file="${tmake_file} arm/t-arm arm/t-arm-elf"
+ 	case ${target} in
+ 	arm*-*-eabi*)
+ 	  tm_file="$tm_file newlib-stdint.h"
+@@ -922,15 +922,15 @@ arm*-*-eabi* | arm*-*-symbianelf* | arm*-*-rtemseabi*)
+ 	;;
+ arm*-*-rtems*)
+ 	tm_file="dbxelf.h elfos.h arm/unknown-elf.h arm/elf.h arm/aout.h arm/arm.h arm/rtems-elf.h rtems.h newlib-stdint.h"
+-	tmake_file="arm/t-arm arm/t-arm-elf t-rtems arm/t-rtems"
++	tmake_file="${tmake_file} arm/t-arm arm/t-arm-elf t-rtems arm/t-rtems"
+ 	;;
+ arm*-*-elf)
+ 	tm_file="dbxelf.h elfos.h newlib-stdint.h arm/unknown-elf.h arm/elf.h arm/aout.h arm/arm.h"
+-	tmake_file="arm/t-arm arm/t-arm-elf"
++	tmake_file="${tmake_file} arm/t-arm arm/t-arm-elf"
+ 	;;
+ arm*-wince-pe*)
+ 	tm_file="arm/semi.h arm/aout.h arm/arm.h arm/coff.h dbxcoff.h arm/pe.h arm/wince-pe.h"
+-	tmake_file="arm/t-arm arm/t-wince-pe"
++	tmake_file="${tmake_file} arm/t-arm arm/t-wince-pe"
+ 	extra_options="${extra_options} arm/pe.opt"
+ 	extra_objs="pe.o"
+ 	;;
diff --git a/tool/patches/gcc-4.7.2/tmake_file_extra_parts.patch b/tool/patches/gcc-4.7.2/tmake_file_extra_parts.patch
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3304c2012
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tool/patches/gcc-4.7.2/tmake_file_extra_parts.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,212 @@
+tmake_file_extra_parts.patch
+
+From: Christian Prochaska <christian.prochaska@genode-labs.com>
+
+Enable support for passing custom 'tmake_file' and 'extra_parts' to the
+GCC configure process uncommenting the default initialization of the
+respective variables. The 'extra_parts' variable is used to carry the
+information about which crtN files are to be created.
+---
+ gcc/config.gcc     |    2 +-
+ libgcc/config.host |   44 ++++++++++++++++++++++----------------------
+ 2 files changed, 23 insertions(+), 23 deletions(-)
+
+diff --git a/gcc/config.gcc b/gcc/config.gcc
+index 5fcd192..653e5d9 100644
+--- a/gcc/config.gcc
++++ b/gcc/config.gcc
+@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@
+ 
+ out_file=
+ common_out_file=
+-tmake_file=
++#tmake_file=
+ extra_headers=
+ user_headers_inc_next_pre=
+ user_headers_inc_next_post=
+diff --git a/libgcc/config.host b/libgcc/config.host
+index ef9791b..b11d221 100644
+--- a/libgcc/config.host
++++ b/libgcc/config.host
+@@ -69,8 +69,8 @@
+ 
+ asm_hidden_op=.hidden
+ enable_execute_stack=
+-extra_parts=
+-tmake_file=
++#extra_parts=
++#tmake_file=
+ tm_file=
+ tm_define=
+ md_unwind_header=no-unwind.h
+@@ -172,14 +172,14 @@ case ${host} in
+ *-*-darwin*)
+   asm_hidden_op=.private_extern
+   tmake_file="$tmake_file t-darwin ${cpu_type}/t-darwin t-libgcc-pic t-slibgcc-darwin"
+-  extra_parts="crt3.o crttms.o crttme.o"
++#  extra_parts="crt3.o crttms.o crttme.o"
+   ;;
+ *-*-freebsd*)
+   # This is the generic ELF configuration of FreeBSD.  Later
+   # machine-specific sections may refine and add to this
+   # configuration.
+   tmake_file="$tmake_file t-freebsd t-crtstuff-pic t-libgcc-pic t-eh-dw2-dip t-slibgcc t-slibgcc-gld t-slibgcc-elf-ver"
+-  extra_parts="crtbegin.o crtend.o crtbeginS.o crtendS.o"
++#  extra_parts="crtbegin.o crtend.o crtbeginS.o crtendS.o"
+   case ${target_thread_file} in
+     posix)
+       tmake_file="${tmake_file} t-freebsd-thread"
+@@ -195,11 +195,11 @@ case ${host} in
+   ;;
+ *-*-linux* | frv-*-*linux* | *-*-kfreebsd*-gnu | *-*-knetbsd*-gnu | *-*-gnu* | *-*-kopensolaris*-gnu)
+   tmake_file="$tmake_file t-crtstuff-pic t-libgcc-pic t-eh-dw2-dip t-slibgcc t-slibgcc-gld t-slibgcc-elf-ver t-linux"
+-  extra_parts="crtbegin.o crtbeginS.o crtbeginT.o crtend.o crtendS.o"
++#  extra_parts="crtbegin.o crtbeginS.o crtbeginT.o crtend.o crtendS.o"
+   ;;
+ *-*-lynxos*)
+   tmake_file="$tmake_file t-lynx $cpu_type/t-crtstuff t-crtstuff-pic t-libgcc-pic"
+-  extra_parts="crtbegin.o crtbeginS.o crtend.o crtendS.o"
++#  extra_parts="crtbegin.o crtbeginS.o crtend.o crtendS.o"
+   ;;
+ *-*-netbsd*)
+   tmake_file="$tmake_file t-crtstuff-pic t-libgcc-pic t-slibgcc t-slibgcc-gld t-slibgcc-elf-ver"
+@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ case ${host} in
+   # a.out configurations.
+   case ${host} in
+     *-*-netbsd*1.[7-9]* | *-*-netbsd[2-9]* | *-*-netbsdelf[2-9]*)
+-      extra_parts="crtbegin.o crtend.o crtbeginS.o crtendS.o crtbeginT.o"
++#      extra_parts="crtbegin.o crtend.o crtbeginS.o crtendS.o crtbeginT.o"
+       ;;
+   esac
+   ;;
+@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ case ${host} in
+   ;;
+ *-*-rtems*)
+   tmake_file="$tmake_file t-rtems"
+-  extra_parts="crtbegin.o crtend.o"
++#  extra_parts="crtbegin.o crtend.o"
+   ;;
+ *-*-solaris2*)
+   # Unless linker support and dl_iterate_phdr are present,
+@@ -251,7 +251,7 @@ case ${host} in
+   esac
+   ;;
+ *-*-uclinux*)
+-  extra_parts="crtbegin.o crtend.o"
++#  extra_parts="crtbegin.o crtend.o"
+   ;;
+ *-*-*vms*)
+   tmake_file="vms/t-vms"
+@@ -261,7 +261,7 @@ case ${host} in
+   tmake_file=t-vxworks
+   ;;
+ *-*-elf)
+-  extra_parts="crtbegin.o crtend.o"
++#  extra_parts="crtbegin.o crtend.o"
+   ;;
+ esac
+ 
+@@ -360,7 +360,7 @@ arm*-*-eabi* | arm*-*-symbianelf* | arm*-*-rtemseabi*)
+ 	case ${host} in
+ 	arm*-*-eabi* | arm*-*-rtemseabi*)
+ 	  tmake_file="${tmake_file} arm/t-bpabi"
+-	  extra_parts="crtbegin.o crtend.o crti.o crtn.o"
++#	  extra_parts="crtbegin.o crtend.o crti.o crtn.o"
+ 	  ;;
+ 	arm*-*-symbianelf*)
+ 	  tmake_file="${tmake_file} arm/t-symbian t-slibgcc-nolc-override"
+@@ -409,7 +409,7 @@ bfin*-linux-uclibc*)
+ 	tmake_file="$tmake_file bfin/t-bfin bfin/t-crtstuff t-libgcc-pic t-fdpbit bfin/t-linux"
+ 	# No need to build crtbeginT.o on uClibc systems.  Should probably
+ 	# be moved to the OS specific section above.
+-	extra_parts="crtbegin.o crtbeginS.o crtend.o crtendS.o"
++#	extra_parts="crtbegin.o crtbeginS.o crtend.o crtendS.o"
+ 	md_unwind_header=bfin/linux-unwind.h
+ 	;;
+ bfin*-rtems*)
+@@ -418,7 +418,7 @@ bfin*-rtems*)
+ 	;;
+ bfin*-*)
+ 	tmake_file="$tmake_file bfin/t-bfin t-fdpbit"
+-	extra_parts="crtbegin.o crtend.o crti.o crtn.o"
++#	extra_parts="crtbegin.o crtend.o crti.o crtn.o"
+         ;;
+ cr16-*-elf)
+ 	tmake_file="${tmake_file} cr16/t-cr16 cr16/t-crtlibid t-fdpbit"
+@@ -579,7 +579,7 @@ i[34567]86-*-solaris2* | x86_64-*-solaris2.1[0-9]*)
+ i[4567]86-wrs-vxworks|i[4567]86-wrs-vxworksae)
+ 	;;
+ i[34567]86-*-cygwin*)
+-	extra_parts="crtbegin.o crtend.o crtfastmath.o"
++#	extra_parts="crtbegin.o crtend.o crtfastmath.o"
+ 	# This has to match the logic for DWARF2_UNWIND_INFO in gcc/config/i386/cygming.h
+ 	if test x$enable_sjlj_exceptions = xyes; then
+ 		tmake_eh_file="i386/t-sjlj-eh"
+@@ -595,7 +595,7 @@ i[34567]86-*-cygwin*)
+ 	tmake_file="${tmake_file} ${tmake_eh_file} ${tmake_dlldir_file} i386/t-slibgcc-cygming i386/t-cygming i386/t-cygwin i386/t-crtfm i386/t-chkstk t-dfprules"
+ 	;;
+ i[34567]86-*-mingw*)
+-	extra_parts="crtbegin.o crtend.o crtfastmath.o"
++#	extra_parts="crtbegin.o crtend.o crtfastmath.o"
+ 	case ${target_thread_file} in
+ 	  win32)
+ 	    tmake_file="$tmake_file i386/t-gthr-win32"
+@@ -656,7 +656,7 @@ ia64*-*-freebsd*)
+ 	;;
+ ia64*-*-linux*)
+ 	# Don't use crtbeginT.o from *-*-linux* default.
+-	extra_parts="crtbegin.o crtend.o crtbeginS.o crtendS.o crtfastmath.o"
++#	extra_parts="crtbegin.o crtend.o crtbeginS.o crtendS.o crtfastmath.o"
+ 	tmake_file="$tmake_file ia64/t-ia64 ia64/t-ia64-elf t-crtfm t-softfp-tf ia64/t-softfp t-softfp ia64/t-softfp-compat ia64/t-eh-ia64 t-libunwind ia64/t-linux"
+ 	if test x$with_system_libunwind != xyes ; then
+ 		tmake_file="${tmake_file} t-libunwind-elf ia64/t-linux-libunwind"
+@@ -738,11 +738,11 @@ microblaze*-linux*)
+ 	;;
+ microblaze*-*-*)
+         tmake_file="microblaze/t-microblaze t-fdpbit"
+-	extra_parts="crtbegin.o crtend.o crti.o crtn.o"
++#	extra_parts="crtbegin.o crtend.o crti.o crtn.o"
+ 	;;
+ mips-sgi-irix6.5*)
+ 	tmake_file="$tmake_file mips/t-irix6 t-crtfm mips/t-tpbit t-slibgcc mips/t-slibgcc-irix"
+-	extra_parts="crtbegin.o crtend.o crtfastmath.o irix-crti.o irix-crtn.o"
++#	extra_parts="crtbegin.o crtend.o crtfastmath.o irix-crti.o irix-crtn.o"
+ 	md_unwind_header=mips/irix6-unwind.h
+ 	;;
+ mips*-*-netbsd*)			# NetBSD/mips, either endian.
+@@ -811,7 +811,7 @@ mipstx39-*-elf* | mipstx39el-*-elf*)
+ 	tmake_file="$tmake_file mips/t-crtstuff mips/t-mips16"
+ 	;;
+ mmix-knuth-mmixware)
+-	extra_parts="crti.o crtn.o crtbegin.o crtend.o"
++#	extra_parts="crti.o crtn.o crtbegin.o crtend.o"
+ 	tmake_file="${tmake_file} ${cpu_type}/t-${cpu_type}"
+ 	;;
+ mn10300-*-*)
+@@ -946,7 +946,7 @@ s390x-*-linux*)
+ 	;;
+ s390x-ibm-tpf*)
+ 	tmake_file="${tmake_file} s390/t-crtstuff t-libgcc-pic t-eh-dw2-dip"
+-	extra_parts="crtbeginS.o crtendS.o"
++#	extra_parts="crtbeginS.o crtendS.o"
+ 	md_unwind_header=s390/tpf-unwind.h
+ 	;;
+ score-*-elf)
+@@ -1128,7 +1128,7 @@ xtensa*-*-linux*)
+ 	;;
+ am33_2.0-*-linux*)
+ 	# Don't need crtbeginT.o from *-*-linux* default.
+-	extra_parts="crtbegin.o crtend.o crtbeginS.o crtendS.o"
++#	extra_parts="crtbegin.o crtend.o crtbeginS.o crtendS.o"
+ 	tmake_file="$tmake_file t-fdpbit"
+ 	;;
+ m32c-*-elf*|m32c-*-rtems*)
+@@ -1136,7 +1136,7 @@ m32c-*-elf*|m32c-*-rtems*)
+  	;;
+ mep*-*-*)
+ 	tmake_file="mep/t-mep t-fdpbit"
+-	extra_parts="crtbegin.o crtend.o"
++#	extra_parts="crtbegin.o crtend.o"
+ 	;;
+ *)
+ 	echo "*** Configuration ${host} not supported" 1>&2
diff --git a/tool/patches/gdb-7.3.1/arm_single_step.patch b/tool/patches/gdb-7.3.1/arm_single_step.patch
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..cb5560d5a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tool/patches/gdb-7.3.1/arm_single_step.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+arm_single_step.patch
+
+From: Christian Prochaska <christian.prochaska@genode-labs.com>
+
+Enable software single-stepping on ARM.
+---
+ gdb/arm-tdep.c |    2 ++
+ 1 file changed, 2 insertions(+)
+
+diff --git a/gdb/arm-tdep.c b/gdb/arm-tdep.c
+index 155208e..91537d6 100644
+--- a/gdb/arm-tdep.c
++++ b/gdb/arm-tdep.c
+@@ -8467,6 +8467,8 @@ arm_gdbarch_init (struct gdbarch_info info, struct gdbarch_list *arches)
+   tdep = xcalloc (1, sizeof (struct gdbarch_tdep));
+   gdbarch = gdbarch_alloc (&info, tdep);
+ 
++  set_gdbarch_software_single_step(gdbarch, arm_software_single_step);
++
+   set_solib_svr4_fetch_link_map_offsets(gdbarch, svr4_ilp32_fetch_link_map_offsets);
+ 
+   /* Record additional information about the architecture we are defining.
diff --git a/tool/patches/gdb-7.3.1/series b/tool/patches/gdb-7.3.1/series
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..33f20803b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tool/patches/gdb-7.3.1/series
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+shared_library.patch
+arm_single_step.patch
diff --git a/tool/patches/gdb-7.3.1/shared_library.patch b/tool/patches/gdb-7.3.1/shared_library.patch
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3a3683c12
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tool/patches/gdb-7.3.1/shared_library.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,101 @@
+shared_library.patch
+
+From: Christian Prochaska <christian.prochaska@genode-labs.com>
+
+Enable shared library support.
+---
+ gdb/amd64-tdep.c  |    4 ++++
+ gdb/arm-tdep.c    |    4 ++++
+ gdb/configure.tgt |    5 ++++-
+ gdb/i386-tdep.c   |    4 ++++
+ 4 files changed, 16 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)
+
+diff --git a/gdb/amd64-tdep.c b/gdb/amd64-tdep.c
+index 9b5d5bb..db3821a 100644
+--- a/gdb/amd64-tdep.c
++++ b/gdb/amd64-tdep.c
+@@ -45,6 +45,8 @@
+ #include "features/i386/amd64.c"
+ #include "features/i386/amd64-avx.c"
+ 
++#include "solib-svr4.h"
++
+ /* Note that the AMD64 architecture was previously known as x86-64.
+    The latter is (forever) engraved into the canonical system name as
+    returned by config.guess, and used as the name for the AMD64 port
+@@ -2465,6 +2467,8 @@ amd64_init_abi (struct gdbarch_info info, struct gdbarch *gdbarch)
+   struct gdbarch_tdep *tdep = gdbarch_tdep (gdbarch);
+   const struct target_desc *tdesc = info.target_desc;
+ 
++  set_solib_svr4_fetch_link_map_offsets(gdbarch, svr4_lp64_fetch_link_map_offsets);
++
+   /* AMD64 generally uses `fxsave' instead of `fsave' for saving its
+      floating-point registers.  */
+   tdep->sizeof_fpregset = I387_SIZEOF_FXSAVE;
+diff --git a/gdb/arm-tdep.c b/gdb/arm-tdep.c
+index bb52ad4..155208e 100644
+--- a/gdb/arm-tdep.c
++++ b/gdb/arm-tdep.c
+@@ -57,6 +57,8 @@
+ 
+ #include "features/arm-with-m.c"
+ 
++#include "solib-svr4.h"
++
+ static int arm_debug;
+ 
+ /* Macros for setting and testing a bit in a minimal symbol that marks
+@@ -8465,6 +8467,8 @@ arm_gdbarch_init (struct gdbarch_info info, struct gdbarch_list *arches)
+   tdep = xcalloc (1, sizeof (struct gdbarch_tdep));
+   gdbarch = gdbarch_alloc (&info, tdep);
+ 
++  set_solib_svr4_fetch_link_map_offsets(gdbarch, svr4_ilp32_fetch_link_map_offsets);
++
+   /* Record additional information about the architecture we are defining.
+      These are gdbarch discriminators, like the OSABI.  */
+   tdep->arm_abi = arm_abi;
+diff --git a/gdb/configure.tgt b/gdb/configure.tgt
+index 5ab1554..ae57017 100644
+--- a/gdb/configure.tgt
++++ b/gdb/configure.tgt
+@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ arm*-*-symbianelf*)
+ 	;;
+ arm*-*-* | thumb*-*-* | strongarm*-*-* | xscale-*-*)
+ 	# Target: ARM embedded system
+-	gdb_target_obs="arm-tdep.o"
++	gdb_target_obs="arm-tdep.o solib.o solib-svr4.o"
+ 	gdb_sim=../sim/arm/libsim.a
+ 	;;
+ 
+@@ -623,6 +623,9 @@ x86_64-*-openbsd*)
+ 			i387-tdep.o i386bsd-tdep.o i386obsd-tdep.o \
+ 			bsd-uthread.o corelow.o solib.o solib-svr4.o"
+ 	;;
++x86_64-*-*)
++	gdb_target_obs="amd64-tdep.o i386-tdep.o i387-tdep.o solib.o solib-svr4.o"
++	;;
+ xtensa*-*-linux*)	gdb_target=linux
+ 	# Target: GNU/Linux Xtensa
+ 	gdb_target_obs="xtensa-tdep.o xtensa-config.o xtensa-linux-tdep.o \
+diff --git a/gdb/i386-tdep.c b/gdb/i386-tdep.c
+index 5f4089b..3c13bea 100644
+--- a/gdb/i386-tdep.c
++++ b/gdb/i386-tdep.c
+@@ -60,6 +60,8 @@
+ #include "features/i386/i386-avx.c"
+ #include "features/i386/i386-mmx.c"
+ 
++#include "solib-svr4.h"
++
+ /* Register names.  */
+ 
+ static const char *i386_register_names[] =
+@@ -7051,6 +7053,8 @@ i386_gdbarch_init (struct gdbarch_info info, struct gdbarch_list *arches)
+   tdep = XCALLOC (1, struct gdbarch_tdep);
+   gdbarch = gdbarch_alloc (&info, tdep);
+ 
++  set_solib_svr4_fetch_link_map_offsets(gdbarch, svr4_ilp32_fetch_link_map_offsets);
++
+   /* General-purpose registers.  */
+   tdep->gregset = NULL;
+   tdep->gregset_reg_offset = NULL;
diff --git a/tool/tool_chain_gcc_patches.inc b/tool/tool_chain_gcc_patches.inc
index 7ed81415c..e7bd7806e 100755
--- a/tool/tool_chain_gcc_patches.inc
+++ b/tool/tool_chain_gcc_patches.inc
@@ -1,93 +1,10 @@
+GCC_PATCHES_DIR = $(GENODE_DIR)/tool/patches/gcc-$(GCC_VERSION)
+GCC_PATCHES = $(shell cat $(GCC_PATCHES_DIR)/series)
+
 $(CONTRIB_DIR)/gcc-$(GCC_VERSION)/configure:: $(CONTRIB_DIR)/gcc-$(GCC_VERSION)
 	$(ECHO) "$(BRIGHT_COL)patching gcc build system...$(DEFAULT_COL)"
-	@#
-	@# Enable support for passing custom 'tmake_file' and 'extra_parts' to the
-	@# GCC configure process uncommenting the default initialization of the
-	@# respective variables. The 'extra_parts' variable is used to carry the
-	@# information about which crtN files are to be created.
-	@#
-	$(VERBOSE)sed -i "/^tmake_file=$$/s/^/#/" $(CONTRIB_DIR)/gcc-$(GCC_VERSION)/gcc/config.gcc
-	$(VERBOSE)sed -i "/^extra_parts=$$/s/^/#/" $(CONTRIB_DIR)/gcc-$(GCC_VERSION)/gcc/config.gcc
-	$(VERBOSE)sed -i "/^tmake_file=$$/s/^/#/" $(CONTRIB_DIR)/gcc-$(GCC_VERSION)/libgcc/config.host
-	$(VERBOSE)sed -i "/^extra_parts=$$/s/^/#/" $(CONTRIB_DIR)/gcc-$(GCC_VERSION)/libgcc/config.host
-	$(VERBOSE)sed -i "/extra_parts=\"crt.*\"/s/^/#/g" $(CONTRIB_DIR)/gcc-$(GCC_VERSION)/libgcc/config.host
-	@#
-	@# /* TODO: add documentation */
-	@#
-	$(VERBOSE)sed -i "s/^libgcov-objects = .*/libgcov-objects = /" $(CONTRIB_DIR)/gcc-$(GCC_VERSION)/libgcc/Makefile.in
-	$(VERBOSE)sed -i "s/-lc//" $(CONTRIB_DIR)/gcc-$(GCC_VERSION)/libgcc/config/t-{libunwind-elf,slibgcc}
-	@#
-	@# Let 'config.gcc' expand our already populated 'tmake_file' variable rather
-	@# than making a hard assignment. This is needed for the ARM platform because
-	@# the target 'arm-elf-eabi' actually matches the pattern 'arm-*-*-eabi' in
-	@# the 'config.gcc' file.
-	@#
-	$(VERBOSE)sed -i "/tmake_file=\"arm/s/=\"/=\"\$${tmake_file} /" $(CONTRIB_DIR)/gcc-$(GCC_VERSION)/gcc/config.gcc
-	@#
-	@# Enable LINK_SPEC customization via configure arguments
-	@#
-	@# We add a hook for sneaking our custom LINK_SPEC definition into the GCC
-	@# configure process by uncommentig the 'host_xm_include_list'. This enables us
-	@# to supply a custom header file to be included into 'gcc/config.h' defining
-	@# the 'LINK_SPEC' macro. This macro expresses the policy of how the GCC
-	@# frontend invokes 'ld' on multiarch platforms. I.e., on x86, we need to pass
-	@# '-melf_i386' to 'ld' when building in '-m32' mode.
-	@#
-	$(VERBOSE)sed -i "/^host_xm_include_list=$$/s/^/#/" $(CONTRIB_DIR)/gcc-$(GCC_VERSION)/gcc/configure.ac
-	@#
-	@# Make sure to disable the 'inhibit_libc' flag, which is evaluated when
-	@# compiling libgcc. When libc is inhibited, the 'unwind-dw2-fde-glibc.c'
-	@# is not using the "new" glibc exception handling mechanism. However,
-	@# Genode's dynamic linker relies on this mechanism.
-	@#
-	$(VERBOSE)sed -i "/inhibit_libc=true/s/true/false # was true/" $(CONTRIB_DIR)/gcc-$(GCC_VERSION)/gcc/configure.ac
-	@#
-	@# Accept prepopulation of 'host_configargs' and 'target_configargs' as
-	@# configure argument (only needed for gcc-4.4.5, fixed with later versions)
-	@#
-	$(VERBOSE)sed -i "/host_configargs=.--cache-file/s/=./=\"\$$host_configargs /" $(CONTRIB_DIR)/gcc-$(GCC_VERSION)/configure.ac
-	$(VERBOSE)sed -i "/target_configargs=..baseargs/s/=.*/=\"\$$target_configargs \$${baseargs}\"/" $(CONTRIB_DIR)/gcc-$(GCC_VERSION)/configure.ac
-	@#
-	@# Allow customization of CPPFLAGS_FOR_TARGET, not supported by the original
-	@# GCC config and build system.
-	@#
-	$(VERBOSE)sed -i "/^CXXFLAGS_FOR_TARGET =/s/^/CPPFLAGS_FOR_TARGET = @CPPFLAGS_FOR_TARGET@\n/" $(CONTRIB_DIR)/gcc-$(GCC_VERSION)/Makefile.tpl
-	$(VERBOSE)sed -i "/AC_SUBST(CFLAGS_FOR_TARGET)/s/^/AC_SUBST(CPPFLAGS_FOR_TARGET)\n/"          $(CONTRIB_DIR)/gcc-$(GCC_VERSION)/configure.ac
-	@#
-	@# Fix the handling of CPP_FOR_TARGET. Without the fix, the configure script
-	@# of libgcc tries to use the normal 'cpp' for executing preprocessor tests,
-	@# which produces bogus results.
-	@#
-	$(VERBOSE)sed -i "/CC=.*XGCC.*export CC/s/^/	CPP=\"\$$(CPP_FOR_TARGET) \$$(XGCC_FLAGS_FOR_TARGET) \$$\$$TFLAGS\"; export CPP; \\\\\n/"  $(CONTRIB_DIR)/gcc-$(GCC_VERSION)/Makefile.tpl
-	$(VERBOSE)sed -i "/^CC_FOR_TARGET=/s/^/CPP_FOR_TARGET=\$$(STAGE_CC_WRAPPER) @CPP_FOR_TARGET@\n/"                                           $(CONTRIB_DIR)/gcc-$(GCC_VERSION)/Makefile.tpl
-	$(VERBOSE)sed -i "/CC=.*XGCC.*TFLAGS....$$/s/^/	'CPP=\$$\$$(CPP_FOR_TARGET) \$$\$$(XGCC_FLAGS_FOR_TARGET) \$$\$$(TFLAGS)' \\\\\n/"         $(CONTRIB_DIR)/gcc-$(GCC_VERSION)/Makefile.tpl
-	$(VERBOSE)sed -i "/flag= CC_FOR_TARGET/s/^/flags_to_pass = { flag= CPP_FOR_TARGET ; };\n/"                                                 $(CONTRIB_DIR)/gcc-$(GCC_VERSION)/Makefile.def
-	$(VERBOSE)sed -i "/^GCC_TARGET_TOOL.cc,/s/^/GCC_TARGET_TOOL(cpp, CPP_FOR_TARGET, CPP, \[gcc\/cpp -B\$$\$$r\/\$$(HOST_SUBDIR)\/gcc\/\])\n/" $(CONTRIB_DIR)/gcc-$(GCC_VERSION)/configure.ac
-	@#
-	@# Ensure -fno-short-enums as default.
-	@#
-	$(VERBOSE)sed -i "s/return TARGET_AAPCS_BASED && arm_abi != ARM_ABI_AAPCS_LINUX/return false/" $(CONTRIB_DIR)/gcc-$(GCC_VERSION)/gcc/config/arm/arm.c
-	@#
-	@# Remove sanity check for host/target combination in configure script of
-	@# libstdc++. An alternative fix would be the addition of a new host or
-	@# the use of an existing one. However, adding a new host would require
-	@# us to maintain a larger patch to the GCC build system, and using an
-	@# existing host comes with all the (possibly unwanted) policies associated
-	@# with the respective host platform. We want to stick with the bare-bone
-	@# compiler as much as possible.
-	@#
-	$(VERBOSE)sed -i "/No support for this host.target combination/d" $(CONTRIB_DIR)/gcc-$(GCC_VERSION)/libstdc++-v3/crossconfig.m4
-	$(VERBOSE)cd $(CONTRIB_DIR)/gcc-$(GCC_VERSION)/libstdc++-v3; $(AUTOCONF)
-	@#
-	@# Allow passing of PICFLAGS to the configure script of libstdc++.
-	@# Without this change, libsupc++ would be compiled w/o PICFLAGS, resulting
-	@# in text relocations. Because for base tool chains, no 'dynamic_linker'
-	@# is defined (see 'libtool.m4'), 'dynamic_linker' is set to 'no', which
-	@# results in 'can_build_shared = no', which, in turn , results
-	@# in 'enable_shared = no', which, in turn, sets 'PIC_CXXFLAGS' to
-	@# nothing rather then '-prefer-pic'.
-	@#
-	$(VERBOSE)sed -i "/PIC_CXXFLAGS=$$/s/PIC/__PIC/" $(CONTRIB_DIR)/gcc-$(GCC_VERSION)/libstdc++-v3/configure.ac
+	$(VERBOSE)for p in $(GCC_PATCHES); do \
+	            patch -d $(CONTRIB_DIR)/gcc-$(GCC_VERSION) -p1 -i $(GCC_PATCHES_DIR)/$$p; done;
 	@#
 	@# Re-generate configure scripts
 	@#
@@ -96,6 +13,7 @@ $(CONTRIB_DIR)/gcc-$(GCC_VERSION)/configure:: $(CONTRIB_DIR)/gcc-$(GCC_VERSION)
 	$(VERBOSE)cd $(CONTRIB_DIR)/gcc-$(GCC_VERSION)/libstdc++-v3; $(AUTOCONF)
 	$(VERBOSE)cd $(CONTRIB_DIR)/gcc-$(GCC_VERSION)/gcc; $(AUTOCONF)
 	$(VERBOSE)cd $(CONTRIB_DIR)/gcc-$(GCC_VERSION); $(AUTOCONF)
+	$(VERBOSE)touch $@
 	@#
 	@# Fix a bug in gcc 4.6.1 that causes compile errors when building Qt4 for ARM
 	@# More detailed description at and solution from http://gcc.gnu.org/ml/gcc-patches/2010-11/msg02245.html
diff --git a/tool/tool_chain_gdb_patches.inc b/tool/tool_chain_gdb_patches.inc
index d17f47fb7..8fcb52b8a 100755
--- a/tool/tool_chain_gdb_patches.inc
+++ b/tool/tool_chain_gdb_patches.inc
@@ -1,23 +1,8 @@
+GDB_PATCHES_DIR = $(GENODE_DIR)/tool/patches/gdb-$(GDB_VERSION)
+GDB_PATCHES = $(shell cat $(GDB_PATCHES_DIR)/series)
+
 $(CONTRIB_DIR)/gdb-$(GDB_VERSION)/configure:: $(CONTRIB_DIR)/gdb-$(GDB_VERSION)
 	$(ECHO) "$(BRIGHT_COL)patching gdb...$(DEFAULT_COL)"
-	@#
-	@# Include 'solib.o' and 'solib-svr4.o' in arm*-*-* (non-OS) target configuration for shared library support
-	@#
-	$(VERBOSE)sed -i "s/gdb_target_obs=\"arm-tdep\.o\"$$/gdb_target_obs=\"arm-tdep.o solib.o solib-svr4.o\"/" $(CONTRIB_DIR)/gdb-$(GDB_VERSION)/gdb/configure.tgt
-	@#
-	@# Add an x86_64-*-* (non-OS) target with shared library support
-	@#
-	$(VERBOSE)sed -i "/^xtensa\*-\*-linux\*/ s/^/x86_64-*-*)\n\tgdb_target_obs=\"amd64-tdep.o i386-tdep.o i387-tdep.o solib.o solib-svr4.o\"\n\t;;\n/" $(CONTRIB_DIR)/gdb-$(GDB_VERSION)/gdb/configure.tgt
-	@#
-	@# Enable shared library support
-	@#
-	$(VERBOSE)sed -i "/^#include \"features\/i386\/amd64-avx\.c\"$$/ s/$$/\n\n#include \"solib-svr4\.h\"/" $(CONTRIB_DIR)/gdb-$(GDB_VERSION)/gdb/amd64-tdep.c
-	$(VERBOSE)sed -i "/AMD64 generally uses/ s/^/  set_solib_svr4_fetch_link_map_offsets(gdbarch, svr4_lp64_fetch_link_map_offsets);\n\n/" $(CONTRIB_DIR)/gdb-$(GDB_VERSION)/gdb/amd64-tdep.c
-	$(VERBOSE)sed -i "/^#include \"features\/arm-with-m\.c\"$$/ s/$$/\n\n#include \"solib-svr4\.h\"/" $(CONTRIB_DIR)/gdb-$(GDB_VERSION)/gdb/arm-tdep.c
-	$(VERBOSE)sed -i "/gdbarch = gdbarch_alloc (&info, tdep);/ s/$$/\n\n  set_solib_svr4_fetch_link_map_offsets(gdbarch, svr4_ilp32_fetch_link_map_offsets);/" $(CONTRIB_DIR)/gdb-$(GDB_VERSION)/gdb/arm-tdep.c
-	$(VERBOSE)sed -i "/^#include \"features\/i386\/i386-mmx\.c\"$$/ s/$$/\n\n#include \"solib-svr4\.h\"/" $(CONTRIB_DIR)/gdb-$(GDB_VERSION)/gdb/i386-tdep.c
-	$(VERBOSE)sed -i "/gdbarch = gdbarch_alloc (&info, tdep);/ s/$$/\n\n  set_solib_svr4_fetch_link_map_offsets(gdbarch, svr4_ilp32_fetch_link_map_offsets);/" $(CONTRIB_DIR)/gdb-$(GDB_VERSION)/gdb/i386-tdep.c
-	@#
-	@# Enable software single-stepping on ARM
-	@#
-	$(VERBOSE)sed -i "/gdbarch = gdbarch_alloc (&info, tdep);/ s/$$/\n\n  set_gdbarch_software_single_step(gdbarch, arm_software_single_step);/" $(CONTRIB_DIR)/gdb-$(GDB_VERSION)/gdb/arm-tdep.c
+	$(VERBOSE)for p in $(GDB_PATCHES); do \
+	            patch -d $(CONTRIB_DIR)/gdb-$(GDB_VERSION) -p1 -i $(GDB_PATCHES_DIR)/$$p; done;
+	$(VERBOSE)touch $@