diff --git a/mesonbuild/wrap/wrap.py b/mesonbuild/wrap/wrap.py
index 964ee88e2f29..870b121c6040 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/wrap/wrap.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/wrap/wrap.py
@@ -397,6 +397,7 @@ def wrap_from_crates_io(self, subp_name: str, dep: CargoDependency) -> T.Optiona
                 directory = f'{dep.package}-{version}'
                 filename = f'{directory}.tar.gz'
                 wrap_fname = os.path.join(self.subdir_root, f'{subp_name}.wrap')
+                patch_directory = os.path.join(self.subdir_root, 'packagefiles', dep.package)
                 os.makedirs(self.subdir_root, exist_ok=True)
                 with open(wrap_fname, 'w', encoding='utf-8') as f:
                     f.write(textwrap.dedent(f'''\
@@ -407,6 +408,8 @@ def wrap_from_crates_io(self, subp_name: str, dep: CargoDependency) -> T.Optiona
                         source_hash = {checksum}
                         method = cargo
                         '''))
+                    if os.path.exists(patch_directory):
+                        f.write(f'patch_directory = {patch_directory}\n')
                 return wrap_fname
         return None