diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/formula.rb b/Library/Homebrew/formula.rb
index 70f9af3109..ee32352063 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/formula.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/formula.rb
@@ -671,8 +671,8 @@ class Formula
       specs.each { |spec| spec.option(name, description) }
     end
 
-    def patch strip=:p1, io=nil, &block
-      specs.each { |spec| spec.patch(strip, io, &block) }
+    def patch strip=:p1, src=nil, &block
+      specs.each { |spec| spec.patch(strip, src, &block) }
     end
 
     def plist_options options
diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/patch.rb b/Library/Homebrew/patch.rb
index 477eb20a80..53ea0ac6d0 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/patch.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/patch.rb
@@ -1,24 +1,19 @@
 require 'resource'
-require 'stringio'
 require 'erb'
 
 module Patch
-  def self.create(strip, io, &block)
+  def self.create(strip, src, &block)
     case strip
     when :DATA
       DATAPatch.new(:p1)
-    when IO, StringIO
-      IOPatch.new(strip, :p1)
     when String
-      IOPatch.new(StringIO.new(strip), :p1)
+      StringPatch.new(:p1, strip)
     when Symbol
-      case io
+      case src
       when :DATA
         DATAPatch.new(strip)
-      when IO, StringIO
-        IOPatch.new(io, strip)
       when String
-        IOPatch.new(StringIO.new(io), strip)
+        StringPatch.new(strip, src)
       else
         ExternalPatch.new(strip, &block)
       end
@@ -53,31 +48,26 @@ module Patch
   end
 end
 
-class IOPatch
+class EmbeddedPatch
   attr_writer :owner
   attr_reader :strip
 
+  def initialize(strip)
+    @strip = strip
+  end
+
   def external?
     false
   end
 
-  def initialize(io, strip)
-    @io     = io
-    @strip  = strip
+  def contents
+    raise NotImplementedError
   end
 
   def apply
     data = contents.gsub("HOMEBREW_PREFIX", HOMEBREW_PREFIX)
     IO.popen("/usr/bin/patch -g 0 -f -#{strip}", "w") { |p| p.write(data) }
     raise ErrorDuringExecution, "Applying DATA patch failed" unless $?.success?
-  ensure
-    # IO and StringIO cannot be marshaled, so remove the reference
-    # in case we are indirectly referenced by an exception later.
-    @io = nil
-  end
-
-  def contents
-    @io.read
   end
 
   def inspect
@@ -85,11 +75,11 @@ class IOPatch
   end
 end
 
-class DATAPatch < IOPatch
+class DATAPatch < EmbeddedPatch
   attr_accessor :path
 
   def initialize(strip)
-    @strip = strip
+    super
     @path = nil
   end
 
@@ -105,6 +95,17 @@ class DATAPatch < IOPatch
   end
 end
 
+class StringPatch < EmbeddedPatch
+  def initialize(strip, str)
+    super(strip)
+    @str = str
+  end
+
+  def contents
+    @str
+  end
+end
+
 class ExternalPatch
   attr_reader :resource, :strip
 
diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/software_spec.rb b/Library/Homebrew/software_spec.rb
index fb29ad5a65..e173cb4766 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/software_spec.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/software_spec.rb
@@ -90,8 +90,8 @@ class SoftwareSpec
     dependency_collector.requirements
   end
 
-  def patch strip=:p1, io=nil, &block
-    patches << Patch.create(strip, io, &block)
+  def patch strip=:p1, src=nil, &block
+    patches << Patch.create(strip, src, &block)
   end
 
   def add_legacy_patches(list)
diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/test/test_patch.rb b/Library/Homebrew/test/test_patch.rb
index 4b8cdf53c1..a70d581d87 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/test/test_patch.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/test/test_patch.rb
@@ -9,28 +9,15 @@ class PatchTests < Homebrew::TestCase
     assert_equal :p2, patch.strip
   end
 
-  def test_create_io
-    patch = Patch.create(:p0, StringIO.new("foo"))
-    assert_kind_of IOPatch, patch
-    refute_predicate patch, :external?
-    assert_equal :p0, patch.strip
-  end
-
-  def test_create_io_without_strip
-    patch = Patch.create(StringIO.new("foo"), nil)
-    assert_kind_of IOPatch, patch
-    assert_equal :p1, patch.strip
-  end
-
   def test_create_string
     patch = Patch.create(:p0, "foo")
-    assert_kind_of IOPatch, patch
+    assert_kind_of StringPatch, patch
     assert_equal :p0, patch.strip
   end
 
   def test_create_string_without_strip
     patch = Patch.create("foo", nil)
-    assert_kind_of IOPatch, patch
+    assert_kind_of StringPatch, patch
     assert_equal :p1, patch.strip
   end