diff --git a/ietf/checks.py b/ietf/checks.py
index 7cd8402f8..118375317 100644
--- a/ietf/checks.py
+++ b/ietf/checks.py
@@ -351,10 +351,21 @@ def check_svn_import(app_configs, **kwargs):
     return errors
 
 @checks.register('files')
-def maybe_patch_django_db_model_fields_unicode_comparison(app_configs, **kwargs):
+def maybe_patch_django(app_configs, **kwargs):
     errors = []
-    for patch_file in settings.CHECKS_PATCHES_TO_APPLY:
-        patch_set = patch.fromfile(patch_file)
+    # Change path to our copy of django (this assumes we're running in a
+    # virtualenv, which we should)
+    import os, django
+    django_path = os.path.dirname(django.__file__)
+    parent_path = os.path.dirname(django_path)
+    saved_cwd = os.getcwd()
+    os.chdir(parent_path)
+    # All patches in settings.CHECKS_DJANGO_PATCHES_TO_APPLY must have a
+    # relative file path rooted in the django dir, for instance
+    # 'django/db/models/fields/__init__.py'
+    for patch_file in settings.CHECKS_DJANGO_PATCHES_TO_APPLY:
+        patch_path = os.path.join(saved_cwd, patch_file)
+        patch_set = patch.fromfile(patch_path)
         if patch_set:
             if not patch_set.apply():
                 errors.append(checks.Warning(
@@ -368,6 +379,7 @@ def maybe_patch_django_db_model_fields_unicode_comparison(app_configs, **kwargs)
                 hint="Make sure that the patch file contains a unified diff",
                 id="datatracker.W0001",
                 ))
+    os.chdir(saved_cwd)
     return errors
 
 @checks.register('security')
diff --git a/ietf/settings.py b/ietf/settings.py
index f1b3dcf5e..b3706abb9 100644
--- a/ietf/settings.py
+++ b/ietf/settings.py
@@ -927,7 +927,7 @@ SILENCED_SYSTEM_CHECKS = [
     "fields.W342",  # Setting unique=True on a ForeignKey has the same effect as using a OneToOneField.
 ]
 
-CHECKS_PATCHES_TO_APPLY = [
+CHECKS_DJANGO_PATCHES_TO_APPLY = [
     'patch/fix-django-unicode-comparison-bug.patch',
 ]
 
diff --git a/patch/fix-django-unicode-comparison-bug.patch b/patch/fix-django-unicode-comparison-bug.patch
index 800f99b58..32ee103d5 100644
--- a/patch/fix-django-unicode-comparison-bug.patch
+++ b/patch/fix-django-unicode-comparison-bug.patch
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
---- ./../yang/env/lib/python2.7/site-packages/django/db/models/fields/__init__.py	2017-06-14 08:43:21.665812000 -0700
-+++ env/lib/python2.7/site-packages/django/db/models/fields/__init__.py	2017-12-17 14:34:03.023976702 -0800
+--- django/db/models/fields/__init__.py.old	2017-06-14 08:43:21.665812000 -0700
++++ django/db/models/fields/__init__.py	2017-12-17 14:34:03.023976702 -0800
 @@ -2323,7 +2323,7 @@
          if self.has_default() and not callable(self.default):
              return self.default