diff --git a/dev-support/test-patch.d/shellcheck.sh b/dev-support/test-patch.d/shellcheck.sh
index b60da36f3c..c1084a2e5b 100755
--- a/dev-support/test-patch.d/shellcheck.sh
+++ b/dev-support/test-patch.d/shellcheck.sh
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ add_plugin shellcheck
 
 SHELLCHECK_TIMER=0
 
-SHELLCHECK=${SHELLCHECK:-$(which shellcheck)}
+SHELLCHECK=${SHELLCHECK:-$(which shellcheck 2>/dev/null)}
 
 SHELLCHECK_SPECIFICFILES=""
 
@@ -64,8 +64,9 @@ function shellcheck_preapply
 
   big_console_header "shellcheck plugin: prepatch"
 
-  if [[ -z "${SHELLCHECK}" ]]; then
+  if [[ ! -x "${SHELLCHECK}" ]]; then
     hadoop_error "shellcheck is not available."
+    return 0
   fi
 
   start_clock
@@ -97,8 +98,10 @@ function shellcheck_postapply
 
   big_console_header "shellcheck plugin: postpatch"
 
-  if [[ -z "${SHELLCHECK}" ]]; then
+  if [[ ! -x "${SHELLCHECK}" ]]; then
     hadoop_error "shellcheck is not available."
+    add_jira_table 0 shellcheck "Shellcheck was not available."
+    return 0
   fi
 
   start_clock
@@ -126,7 +129,8 @@ function shellcheck_postapply
   # shellcheck disable=SC2016
   diffPostpatch=$(wc -l "${PATCH_DIR}/diffpatchshellcheck.txt" | ${AWK} '{print $1}')
 
-  if [[ ${diffPostpatch} -gt 0 ]] ; then
+  if [[ ${diffPostpatch} -gt 0
+    && ${numPostpatch} -gt ${numPrepatch} ]] ; then
     add_jira_table -1 shellcheck "The applied patch generated "\
       "${diffPostpatch} new shellcheck (v${SHELLCHECK_VERSION}) issues (total was ${numPrepatch}, now ${numPostpatch})."
     add_jira_footer shellcheck "@@BASE@@/diffpatchshellcheck.txt"
diff --git a/dev-support/test-patch.sh b/dev-support/test-patch.sh
index 6e8679e49c..2537e8572d 100755
--- a/dev-support/test-patch.sh
+++ b/dev-support/test-patch.sh
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ function setup_defaults
   ISSUE=""
   ISSUE_RE='^(HADOOP|YARN|MAPREDUCE|HDFS)-[0-9]+$'
   TIMER=$(date +"%s")
+  PATCHURL=""
 
   OSTYPE=$(uname -s)
 
@@ -389,6 +390,69 @@ function find_java_home
   return 0
 }
 
+## @description Write the contents of a file to jenkins
+## @params filename
+## @stability stable
+## @audience public
+## @returns ${JIRACLI} exit code
+function write_to_jira
+{
+  local -r commentfile=${1}
+  shift
+
+  local retval
+
+  if [[ ${OFFLINE} == false
+     && ${JENKINS} == true ]]; then
+    export USER=hudson
+    # shellcheck disable=SC2086
+    ${JIRACLI} --comment "$(cat ${commentfile})" \
+               -s https://issues.apache.org/jira \
+               -a addcomment -u hadoopqa \
+               -p "${JIRA_PASSWD}" \
+               --issue "${ISSUE}"
+    retval=$?
+    ${JIRACLI} -s https://issues.apache.org/jira \
+               -a logout -u hadoopqa \
+               -p "${JIRA_PASSWD}"
+  fi
+  return ${retval}
+}
+
+## @description Verify that the patch directory is still in working order
+## @description since bad actors on some systems wipe it out. If not,
+## @description recreate it and then exit
+## @audience    private
+## @stability   evolving
+## @replaceable yes
+## @returns     may exit on failure
+function verify_patchdir_still_exists
+{
+  local -r commentfile=/tmp/testpatch.$$.${RANDOM}
+  local extra=""
+
+  if [[ ! -d ${PATCH_DIR} ]]; then
+      rm "${commentfile}" 2>/dev/null
+
+      echo "(!) The patch artifact directory on has been removed! " > "${commentfile}"
+      echo "This is a fatal error for test-patch.sh.  Aborting. " >> "${commentfile}"
+      echo
+      cat ${commentfile}
+      echo
+      if [[ ${JENKINS} == true ]]; then
+        if [[ -n ${NODE_NAME} ]]; then
+          extra=" (node ${NODE_NAME})"
+        fi
+        echo "Jenkins${extra} information at ${BUILD_URL} may provide some hints. " >> "${commentfile}"
+
+        write_to_jira ${commentfile}
+      fi
+
+      rm "${commentfile}"
+      cleanup_and_exit ${RESULT}
+    fi
+}
+
 ## @description  Print the command to be executing to the screen. Then
 ## @description  run the command, sending stdout and stderr to the given filename
 ## @description  This will also ensure that any directories in ${BASEDIR} have
@@ -404,6 +468,9 @@ function echo_and_redirect
 {
   logfile=$1
   shift
+
+  verify_patchdir_still_exists
+
   find "${BASEDIR}" -type d -exec chmod +x {} \;
   echo "${*} > ${logfile} 2>&1"
   "${@}" > "${logfile}" 2>&1
@@ -426,6 +493,7 @@ function hadoop_usage
   echo
   echo "Options:"
   echo "--basedir=<dir>        The directory to apply the patch to (default current directory)"
+  echo "--branch=<dir>         Forcibly set the branch"
   echo "--build-native=<bool>  If true, then build native components (default 'true')"
   echo "--debug                If set, then output some extra stuff to stderr"
   echo "--dirty-workspace      Allow the local git workspace to have uncommitted changes"
@@ -475,6 +543,9 @@ function parse_args
       --basedir=*)
         BASEDIR=${i#*=}
       ;;
+      --branch=*)
+        PATCH_BRANCH=${i#*=}
+      ;;
       --build-native=*)
         BUILD_NATIVE=${i#*=}
       ;;
@@ -722,6 +793,16 @@ function git_checkout
       cleanup_and_exit 1
     fi
 
+    # we need to explicitly fetch in case the
+    # git ref hasn't been brought in tree yet
+    if [[ ${OFFLINE} == false ]]; then
+      ${GIT} pull --rebase
+      if [[ $? != 0 ]]; then
+        hadoop_error "ERROR: git pull is failing"
+        cleanup_and_exit 1
+      fi
+    fi
+
   else
     cd "${BASEDIR}"
     if [[ ! -d .git ]]; then
@@ -888,38 +969,45 @@ function determine_branch
 
   allbranches=$(${GIT} branch -r | tr -d ' ' | ${SED} -e s,origin/,,g)
 
-  # shellcheck disable=SC2016
-  patchnamechunk=$(echo "${PATCH_OR_ISSUE}" | ${AWK} -F/ '{print $NF}')
+  for j in "${PATCHURL}" "${PATCH_OR_ISSUE}"; do
+    hadoop_debug "Determine branch: starting with ${j}"
+    # shellcheck disable=SC2016
+    patchnamechunk=$(echo "${j}" | ${AWK} -F/ '{print $NF}')
 
-  # ISSUE.branch.##.patch
-  PATCH_BRANCH=$(echo "${patchnamechunk}" | cut -f2 -d. )
-  verify_valid_branch "${allbranches}" "${PATCH_BRANCH}"
-  if [[ $? == 0 ]]; then
-    return
-  fi
+    # ISSUE.branch.##.patch
+    hadoop_debug "Determine branch: ISSUE.branch.##.patch"
+    PATCH_BRANCH=$(echo "${patchnamechunk}" | cut -f2 -d. )
+    verify_valid_branch "${allbranches}" "${PATCH_BRANCH}"
+    if [[ $? == 0 ]]; then
+      return
+    fi
 
-  # ISSUE-branch-##.patch
-  PATCH_BRANCH=$(echo "${patchnamechunk}" | cut -f3- -d- | cut -f1,2 -d-)
-  verify_valid_branch "${allbranches}" "${PATCH_BRANCH}"
-  if [[ $? == 0 ]]; then
-    return
-  fi
+    # ISSUE-branch-##.patch
+    hadoop_debug "Determine branch: ISSUE-branch-##.patch"
+    PATCH_BRANCH=$(echo "${patchnamechunk}" | cut -f3- -d- | cut -f1,2 -d-)
+    verify_valid_branch "${allbranches}" "${PATCH_BRANCH}"
+    if [[ $? == 0 ]]; then
+      return
+    fi
 
-  # ISSUE-##.patch.branch
-  # shellcheck disable=SC2016
-  PATCH_BRANCH=$(echo "${patchnamechunk}" | ${AWK} -F. '{print $NF}')
-  verify_valid_branch "${allbranches}" "${PATCH_BRANCH}"
-  if [[ $? == 0 ]]; then
-    return
-  fi
+    # ISSUE-##.patch.branch
+    hadoop_debug "Determine branch: ISSUE-##.patch.branch"
+    # shellcheck disable=SC2016
+    PATCH_BRANCH=$(echo "${patchnamechunk}" | ${AWK} -F. '{print $NF}')
+    verify_valid_branch "${allbranches}" "${PATCH_BRANCH}"
+    if [[ $? == 0 ]]; then
+      return
+    fi
 
-  # ISSUE-branch.##.patch
-  # shellcheck disable=SC2016
-  PATCH_BRANCH=$(echo "${patchnamechunk}" | cut -f3- -d- | ${AWK} -F. '{print $(NF-2)}' 2>/dev/null)
-  verify_valid_branch "${allbranches}" "${PATCH_BRANCH}"
-  if [[ $? == 0 ]]; then
-    return
-  fi
+    # ISSUE-branch.##.patch
+    hadoop_debug "Determine branch: ISSUE-branch.##.patch"
+    # shellcheck disable=SC2016
+    PATCH_BRANCH=$(echo "${patchnamechunk}" | cut -f3- -d- | ${AWK} -F. '{print $(NF-2)}' 2>/dev/null)
+    verify_valid_branch "${allbranches}" "${PATCH_BRANCH}"
+    if [[ $? == 0 ]]; then
+      return
+    fi
+  done
 
   PATCH_BRANCH=trunk
 
@@ -1070,7 +1158,7 @@ function locate_patch
   else
     if [[ ${PATCH_OR_ISSUE} =~ ^http ]]; then
       echo "Patch is being downloaded at $(date) from"
-      patchURL="${PATCH_OR_ISSUE}"
+      PATCHURL="${PATCH_OR_ISSUE}"
     else
       ${WGET} -q -O "${PATCH_DIR}/jira" "http://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/${PATCH_OR_ISSUE}"
 
@@ -1089,17 +1177,17 @@ function locate_patch
       fi
 
       relativePatchURL=$(${GREP} -o '"/jira/secure/attachment/[0-9]*/[^"]*' "${PATCH_DIR}/jira" | ${GREP} -v -e 'htm[l]*$' | sort | tail -1 | ${GREP} -o '/jira/secure/attachment/[0-9]*/[^"]*')
-      patchURL="http://issues.apache.org${relativePatchURL}"
-      if [[ ! ${patchURL} =~ \.patch$ ]]; then
-        hadoop_error "ERROR: ${patchURL} is not a patch file."
+      PATCHURL="http://issues.apache.org${relativePatchURL}"
+      if [[ ! ${PATCHURL} =~ \.patch$ ]]; then
+        hadoop_error "ERROR: ${PATCHURL} is not a patch file."
         cleanup_and_exit 1
       fi
-      patchNum=$(echo "${patchURL}" | ${GREP} -o '[0-9]*/' | ${GREP} -o '[0-9]*')
+      patchNum=$(echo "${PATCHURL}" | ${GREP} -o '[0-9]*/' | ${GREP} -o '[0-9]*')
       echo "${ISSUE} patch is being downloaded at $(date) from"
     fi
-    echo "${patchURL}"
-    add_jira_footer "Patch URL" "${patchURL}"
-    ${WGET} -q -O "${PATCH_DIR}/patch" "${patchURL}"
+    echo "${PATCHURL}"
+    add_jira_footer "Patch URL" "${PATCHURL}"
+    ${WGET} -q -O "${PATCH_DIR}/patch" "${PATCHURL}"
     if [[ $? != 0 ]];then
       hadoop_error "ERROR: ${PATCH_OR_ISSUE} could not be downloaded."
       cleanup_and_exit 1
@@ -1196,22 +1284,10 @@ function check_reexec
 
     echo "(!) A patch to test-patch or smart-apply-patch has been detected. " > "${commentfile}"
     echo "Re-executing against the patched versions to perform further tests. " >> "${commentfile}"
-    echo "The console is at ${BUILD_URL}/console in case of problems." >> "${commentfile}"
+    echo "The console is at ${BUILD_URL}console in case of problems." >> "${commentfile}"
 
-    if [[ ${OFFLINE} == false ]]; then
-      export USER=hudson
-      # shellcheck disable=SC2086
-      ${JIRACLI} --comment "$(cat ${commentfile})" \
-                 -s https://issues.apache.org/jira \
-                 -a addcomment -u hadoopqa \
-                 -p "${JIRA_PASSWD}" \
-                 --issue "${ISSUE}"
-      ${JIRACLI} -s https://issues.apache.org/jira \
-                 -a logout -u hadoopqa \
-                 -p "${JIRA_PASSWD}"
-
-      rm "${commentfile}"
-    fi
+    write_to_jira "${commentfile}"
+    rm "${commentfile}"
   fi
 
   cd "${CWD}"
@@ -1223,12 +1299,11 @@ function check_reexec
 
   exec "${PATCH_DIR}/dev-support-test/test-patch.sh" \
     --reexec \
+    --branch ${PATCH_BRANCH} \
     --patch-dir="${PATCH_DIR}" \
       "${USER_PARAMS[@]}"
 }
 
-
-
 ## @description  Check the current directory for @author tags
 ## @audience     private
 ## @stability    evolving
@@ -1243,6 +1318,11 @@ function check_author
 
   start_clock
 
+  if [[ ${CHANGED_FILES} =~ dev-support/test-patch ]]; then
+    add_jira_table 0 @author "Skipping @author checks as test-patch has been patched."
+    return 0
+  fi
+
   authorTags=$("${GREP}" -c -i '@author' "${PATCH_DIR}/patch")
   echo "There appear to be ${authorTags} @author tags in the patch."
   if [[ ${authorTags} != 0 ]] ; then
@@ -1433,7 +1513,7 @@ function check_javac
 
   start_clock
 
-  echo_and_redirect "${PATCH_DIR}/patchJavacWarnings.txt" "${MVN}" clean test -DskipTests -D${PROJECT_NAME}PatchProcess "${NATIVE_PROFILE}" -Ptest-patch
+  echo_and_redirect "${PATCH_DIR}/patchJavacWarnings.txt" "${MVN}" clean test -DskipTests -D${PROJECT_NAME}PatchProcess ${NATIVE_PROFILE} -Ptest-patch
   if [[ $? != 0 ]] ; then
     add_jira_table -1 javac "The patch appears to cause the build to fail."
     return 2
@@ -1761,7 +1841,7 @@ function check_unittests
     ordered_modules="${ordered_modules} ${hdfs_modules}"
     if [[ ${building_common} -eq 0 ]]; then
       echo "  Building hadoop-common with -Pnative in order to provide libhadoop.so to the hadoop-hdfs unit tests."
-      echo_and_redirect "${PATCH_DIR}/testrun_native.txt" "${MVN}" compile "${NATIVE_PROFILE}" "-D${PROJECT_NAME}PatchProcess"
+      echo_and_redirect "${PATCH_DIR}/testrun_native.txt" "${MVN}" compile ${NATIVE_PROFILE} "-D${PROJECT_NAME}PatchProcess"
       if [[ $? != 0 ]]; then
         add_jira_table -1 "native" "Failed to build the native portion " \
           "of hadoop-common prior to running the unit tests in ${ordered_modules}"
@@ -1781,7 +1861,7 @@ function check_unittests
 
     test_logfile=${PATCH_DIR}/testrun_${module_suffix}.txt
     echo "  Running tests in ${module_suffix}"
-    echo_and_redirect "${test_logfile}" "${MVN}" clean install -fae "${NATIVE_PROFILE}" "${REQUIRE_TEST_LIB_HADOOP}" -D${PROJECT_NAME}PatchProcess
+    echo_and_redirect "${test_logfile}" "${MVN}" clean install -fae ${NATIVE_PROFILE} ${REQUIRE_TEST_LIB_HADOOP} -D${PROJECT_NAME}PatchProcess
     test_build_result=$?
 
     add_jira_footer "${module_suffix} test log" "@@BASE@@/testrun_${module_suffix}.txt"
@@ -1983,7 +2063,7 @@ function output_to_jira
 
   big_console_header "Adding comment to JIRA"
 
-  add_jira_footer "Console output" "${BUILD_URL}/console"
+  add_jira_footer "Console output" "${BUILD_URL}console"
 
   if [[ ${result} == 0 ]]; then
     add_jira_header "(/) *{color:green}+1 overall{color}*"
@@ -2035,18 +2115,7 @@ function output_to_jira
 
   printf "\n\nThis message was automatically generated.\n\n" >> "${commentfile}"
 
-  if [[ ${OFFLINE} == false ]]; then
-    export USER=hudson
-    # shellcheck disable=SC2086
-    ${JIRACLI} --comment "$(cat "${commentfile}")" \
-               -s https://issues.apache.org/jira \
-               -a addcomment -u hadoopqa \
-               -p "${JIRA_PASSWD}" \
-               --issue "${ISSUE}"
-    ${JIRACLI} -s https://issues.apache.org/jira \
-               -a logout -u hadoopqa \
-               -p "${JIRA_PASSWD}"
-  fi
+  write_to_jira "${commentfile}"
 }
 
 ## @description  Clean the filesystem as appropriate and then exit
@@ -2061,7 +2130,9 @@ function cleanup_and_exit
   if [[ ${JENKINS} == "true" ]] ; then
     if [[ -e "${PATCH_DIR}" ]] ; then
       hadoop_debug "mv ${PATCH_DIR} ${BASEDIR} "
-      mv "${PATCH_DIR}" "${BASEDIR}"
+      if [[ -d "${PATCH_DIR}" ]]; then
+        mv "${PATCH_DIR}" "${BASEDIR}"
+      fi
     fi
   fi
   big_console_header "Finished build."
@@ -2081,6 +2152,8 @@ function postcheckout
 
   for routine in find_java_home verify_patch_file
   do
+    verify_patchdir_still_exists
+
     hadoop_debug "Running ${routine}"
     ${routine}
 
@@ -2093,6 +2166,8 @@ function postcheckout
   done
 
   for plugin in ${PLUGINS}; do
+    verify_patchdir_still_exists
+
     if declare -f ${plugin}_postcheckout >/dev/null 2>&1; then
 
       hadoop_debug "Running ${plugin}_postcheckout"
@@ -2122,6 +2197,7 @@ function preapply
   for routine in precheck_without_patch check_author \
                  check_modified_unittests
   do
+    verify_patchdir_still_exists
 
     hadoop_debug "Running ${routine}"
     ${routine}
@@ -2130,6 +2206,8 @@ function preapply
   done
 
   for plugin in ${PLUGINS}; do
+    verify_patchdir_still_exists
+
     if declare -f ${plugin}_preapply >/dev/null 2>&1; then
 
       hadoop_debug "Running ${plugin}_preapply"
@@ -2163,7 +2241,7 @@ function postapply
 
   for routine in check_javadoc check_apachelicense check_site
   do
-
+    verify_patchdir_still_exists
     hadoop_debug "Running ${routine}"
     $routine
 
@@ -2172,8 +2250,8 @@ function postapply
   done
 
   for plugin in ${PLUGINS}; do
+    verify_patchdir_still_exists
     if declare -f ${plugin}_postapply >/dev/null 2>&1; then
-
       hadoop_debug "Running ${plugin}_postapply"
       #shellcheck disable=SC2086
       ${plugin}_postapply
@@ -2193,12 +2271,14 @@ function postinstall
 
   for routine in check_mvn_eclipse check_findbugs
   do
+    verify_patchdir_still_exists
     hadoop_debug "Running ${routine}"
     ${routine}
     (( RESULT = RESULT + $? ))
   done
 
   for plugin in ${PLUGINS}; do
+    verify_patchdir_still_exists
     if declare -f ${plugin}_postinstall >/dev/null 2>&1; then
       hadoop_debug "Running ${plugin}_postinstall"
       #shellcheck disable=SC2086
@@ -2220,12 +2300,14 @@ function runtests
   ### Run tests for Jenkins or if explictly asked for by a developer
   if [[ ${JENKINS} == "true" || ${RUN_TESTS} == "true" ]] ; then
 
+    verify_patchdir_still_exists
     check_unittests
 
     (( RESULT = RESULT + $? ))
   fi
 
   for plugin in ${PLUGINS}; do
+    verify_patchdir_still_exists
     if declare -f ${plugin}_tests >/dev/null 2>&1; then
       hadoop_debug "Running ${plugin}_tests"
       #shellcheck disable=SC2086
diff --git a/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/CHANGES.txt b/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/CHANGES.txt
index 1410ce4252..8311b8be6e 100644
--- a/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/CHANGES.txt
+++ b/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/CHANGES.txt
@@ -542,6 +542,9 @@ Release 2.8.0 - UNRELEASED
     HADOOP-11848. Incorrect arguments to sizeof in DomainSocket.c (Malcolm
     Kavalsky via Colin P. McCabe)
 
+    HADOOP-11861. test-patch.sh rewrite addendum patch.
+    (Allen Wittenauer via cnauroth)
+
 Release 2.7.1 - UNRELEASED
 
   INCOMPATIBLE CHANGES