diff --git a/files/patch.py b/files/patch.py
index c1a61ce733f..22491ef6ac4 100644
--- a/files/patch.py
+++ b/files/patch.py
@@ -70,6 +70,12 @@ options:
     description:
       - passes --backup --version-control=numbered to patch, 
         producing numbered backup copies
+  binary:
+    version_added: "2.0"
+    description:
+      - Setting to true will disable patch's heuristic for transforming CRLF
+        line endings into LF. Line endings of src and dest must match. If set to
+        False, patch will replace CRLF in src files on POSIX.
     required: false
     type: "bool"
     default: "False"
@@ -98,10 +104,12 @@ class PatchError(Exception):
     pass
 
 
-def is_already_applied(patch_func, patch_file, basedir, dest_file=None, strip=0):
+def is_already_applied(patch_func, patch_file, basedir, dest_file=None, binary=False, strip=0):
     opts = ['--quiet', '--reverse', '--forward', '--dry-run',
             "--strip=%s" % strip, "--directory='%s'" % basedir,
             "--input='%s'" % patch_file]
+    if binary:
+        opts.append('--binary')
     if dest_file:
         opts.append("'%s'" % dest_file)
 
@@ -109,12 +117,14 @@ def is_already_applied(patch_func, patch_file, basedir, dest_file=None, strip=0)
     return rc == 0
 
 
-def apply_patch(patch_func, patch_file, basedir, dest_file=None, strip=0, dry_run=False, backup=False):
+def apply_patch(patch_func, patch_file, basedir, dest_file=None, binary=False, strip=0, dry_run=False, backup=False):
     opts = ['--quiet', '--forward', '--batch', '--reject-file=-',
             "--strip=%s" % strip, "--directory='%s'" % basedir,
             "--input='%s'" % patch_file]
     if dry_run:
         opts.append('--dry-run')
+    if binary:
+        opts.append('--binary')
     if dest_file:
         opts.append("'%s'" % dest_file)
     if backup:
@@ -136,7 +146,8 @@ def main():
             'remote_src': {'default': False, 'type': 'bool'},
             # NB: for 'backup' parameter, semantics is slightly different from standard
             #     since patch will create numbered copies, not strftime("%Y-%m-%d@%H:%M:%S~")
-            'backup': { 'default': False, 'type': 'bool' }
+            'backup': {'default': False, 'type': 'bool'},
+            'binary': {'default': False, 'type': 'bool'},
         },
         required_one_of=[['dest', 'basedir']],
         supports_check_mode=True
@@ -167,9 +178,9 @@ def main():
     p.src = os.path.abspath(p.src)
     
     changed = False
-    if not is_already_applied(patch_func, p.src, p.basedir, dest_file=p.dest, strip=p.strip):
+    if not is_already_applied(patch_func, p.src, p.basedir, dest_file=p.dest, binary=p.binary, strip=p.strip):
         try:
-            apply_patch( patch_func, p.src, p.basedir, dest_file=p.dest, strip=p.strip,
+            apply_patch( patch_func, p.src, p.basedir, dest_file=p.dest, binary=p.binary, strip=p.strip,
                          dry_run=module.check_mode, backup=p.backup )
             changed = True
         except PatchError, e: