diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index d65388f8c8..c0f5ae7cbd 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+*~
 *.pyc
 *-min.js
 *-min.css
diff --git a/bin/patchComponent.sh b/bin/patchComponent.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..edca5e75ca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bin/patchComponent.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+usage()
+{
+    echo -ne "\nA simple script to facilitate component patching\n"
+    echo -ne "and to decrease the development && testing turnaround time.\n"
+    echo -ne "Usage: \n"
+    echo -ne "\t git diff --no-color | ./patchComponent.sh (reqmon | reqmgr2 | reqmgr2ms...)\n or:\n"
+    echo -ne "\t curl https://patch-diff.githubusercontent.com/raw/dmwm/deployment/pull/740.patch  | ./patchComponent.sh (reqmon | reqmgr2 | reqmgr2ms...)\n"
+    exit 1
+}
+
+# TODO: To check against a list of components
+component=$1
+[[ -z $component ]] && usage
+
+echo "Patching component: $component"
+
+# TODO: To fix path differences for wmagents and central services
+rootDir=/data/srv/current/apps/$component/lib/python2.7/site-packages/
+stripLevel=3
+
+patch --verbose -b --version-control=numbered -d $rootDir -p$stripLevel