diff --git a/config/alfresco/patch/patch-services-context.xml b/config/alfresco/patch/patch-services-context.xml
index 1007bebadd..fe1ac46655 100644
--- a/config/alfresco/patch/patch-services-context.xml
+++ b/config/alfresco/patch/patch-services-context.xml
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
         </property>
         <property name="transactionAttributes">
             <props>
+                <prop key="apply*">PROPAGATION_NOT_SUPPORTED</prop>
                 <prop key="get*">${server.transaction.mode.readOnly}</prop>
                 <prop key="*">${server.transaction.mode.default}</prop>
             </props>
@@ -37,6 +38,9 @@
         <property name="descriptorService">
             <ref bean="descriptorComponent" />
         </property>
+        <property name="transactionService">
+            <ref bean="transactionService" />
+        </property>
         <property name="ruleService">
             <ref bean="ruleService" />
         </property>
diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/action/executer/ImporterActionExecuter.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/action/executer/ImporterActionExecuter.java
index ac3032f8e9..44ca8e441e 100644
--- a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/action/executer/ImporterActionExecuter.java
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/action/executer/ImporterActionExecuter.java
@@ -348,7 +348,7 @@ public class ImporterActionExecuter extends ActionExecuterAbstractBase
 	            else
 	            {
 	                File newdir = new File(extractDir + entry.getName());
-	                newdir.mkdir();
+	                newdir.mkdirs();
 	            }
 	        }
 	    }
diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/admin/patch/AbstractPatch.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/admin/patch/AbstractPatch.java
index fad28d455f..1ba4553c96 100644
--- a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/admin/patch/AbstractPatch.java
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/admin/patch/AbstractPatch.java
@@ -335,6 +335,12 @@ public abstract class AbstractPatch implements Patch
         // execute in a transaction
         try
         {
+            if (logger.isDebugEnabled())
+            {
+                logger.debug("\n" +
+                        "Patch will be applied: \n" +
+                        "   patch: " + this);
+            }
             AuthenticationUtil.RunAsWork<String> authorisedPathWork = new AuthenticationUtil.RunAsWork<String>()
             {
                 public String doWork() throws Exception
@@ -361,7 +367,8 @@ public abstract class AbstractPatch implements Patch
             // done
             if (logger.isDebugEnabled())
             {
-                logger.debug("Patch successfully applied: \n" +
+                logger.debug("\n" +
+                        "Patch successfully applied: \n" +
                         "   patch: " + this + "\n" +
                         "   report: " + report);
             }
diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/admin/patch/PatchServiceImpl.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/admin/patch/PatchServiceImpl.java
index b8d3e88137..982850f173 100644
--- a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/admin/patch/PatchServiceImpl.java
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/admin/patch/PatchServiceImpl.java
@@ -34,10 +34,12 @@ import java.util.Map;
 
 import org.alfresco.i18n.I18NUtil;
 import org.alfresco.repo.domain.AppliedPatch;
+import org.alfresco.repo.transaction.RetryingTransactionHelper.RetryingTransactionCallback;
 import org.alfresco.service.cmr.admin.PatchException;
 import org.alfresco.service.cmr.rule.RuleService;
 import org.alfresco.service.descriptor.Descriptor;
 import org.alfresco.service.descriptor.DescriptorService;
+import org.alfresco.service.transaction.TransactionService;
 import org.apache.commons.logging.Log;
 import org.apache.commons.logging.LogFactory;
 
@@ -61,6 +63,7 @@ public class PatchServiceImpl implements PatchService
     private static Log logger = LogFactory.getLog(PatchServiceImpl.class);
     
     private DescriptorService descriptorService;
+    private TransactionService transactionService;
     private RuleService ruleService;
     private PatchDaoService patchDaoService;
     private List<Patch> patches;
@@ -75,6 +78,11 @@ public class PatchServiceImpl implements PatchService
         this.descriptorService = descriptorService;
     }
 
+    public void setTransactionService(TransactionService transactionService)
+    {
+        this.transactionService = transactionService;
+    }
+
     public void setPatchDaoService(PatchDaoService patchDaoService)
     {
         this.patchDaoService = patchDaoService;
@@ -156,7 +164,7 @@ public class PatchServiceImpl implements PatchService
      * @param appliedPatchesById already applied patches keyed by their ID
      * @return Returns true if the patch and all its dependencies were successfully applied.
      */
-    private boolean applyPatchAndDependencies(Patch patch, Map<String, AppliedPatch> appliedPatchesById)
+    private boolean applyPatchAndDependencies(final Patch patch, Map<String, AppliedPatch> appliedPatchesById)
     {
         String id = patch.getId();
         // check if it has already been done
@@ -183,7 +191,14 @@ public class PatchServiceImpl implements PatchService
             }
         }
         // all the dependencies were successful
-        appliedPatch = applyPatch(patch);
+        RetryingTransactionCallback<AppliedPatch> callback = new RetryingTransactionCallback<AppliedPatch>()
+        {
+            public AppliedPatch execute() throws Throwable
+            {
+                return applyPatch(patch);
+            }
+        };
+        appliedPatch = transactionService.getRetryingTransactionHelper().doInTransaction(callback, false, true);
         if (!appliedPatch.getSucceeded())
         {
             // this was a failure