diff --git a/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix b/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
index a161dee933f..2bca61029b6 100644
--- a/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
+++ b/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
@@ -23093,7 +23093,11 @@ in
 
   dwl = callPackage ../applications/window-managers/dwl { };
 
-  dwm = callPackage ../applications/window-managers/dwm { };
+  dwm = callPackage ../applications/window-managers/dwm {
+    # dwm is configured entirely through source modification. Allow users to
+    # specify patches through nixpkgs.config.dwm.patches
+    patches = config.dwm.patches or [];
+  };
 
   dwmblocks = callPackage ../applications/misc/dwmblocks { };