diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index ac64e959f..aee1130fa 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -422,54 +422,7 @@ if (UNIX AND NOT APPLE)
     find_package(gamemode 1.7 MODULE)
 endif()
 
-# Apply patches to submodules before they are added
-# =======================================================================
-
-# Apply a patch to sirit's CMakeLists.txt to fix SPIRV-Headers duplication
-message(STATUS "Applying custom patch to sirit's CMakeLists.txt...")
-
-set(SIRIT_PATCH_FILE "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/patches/sirit-spirv-headers-fix.patch")
-set(SIRIT_PATCH_TARGET_DIR "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/externals/sirit")
-
-if(EXISTS "${SIRIT_PATCH_TARGET_DIR}")
-    # Check if the patch can be applied or is already applied
-    execute_process(
-        COMMAND git apply --ignore-whitespace --check "${SIRIT_PATCH_FILE}"
-        WORKING_DIRECTORY "${SIRIT_PATCH_TARGET_DIR}"
-        RESULT_VARIABLE PATCH_CHECK_RESULT
-        OUTPUT_QUIET
-        ERROR_QUIET
-    )
-
-    if(PATCH_CHECK_RESULT EQUAL 0)
-        execute_process(
-            COMMAND git apply --ignore-whitespace "${SIRIT_PATCH_FILE}"
-            WORKING_DIRECTORY "${SIRIT_PATCH_TARGET_DIR}"
-            RESULT_VARIABLE PATCH_RESULT
-            OUTPUT_QUIET
-            ERROR_QUIET
-        )
-
-        if(NOT PATCH_RESULT EQUAL 0)
-            message(WARNING "Failed to apply sirit CMakeLists.txt patch!")
-        endif()
-    else()
-        # Check if already applied
-        execute_process(
-            COMMAND git apply --ignore-whitespace --check --reverse "${SIRIT_PATCH_FILE}"
-            WORKING_DIRECTORY "${SIRIT_PATCH_TARGET_DIR}"
-            RESULT_VARIABLE PATCH_REVERSE_CHECK_RESULT
-            OUTPUT_QUIET
-            ERROR_QUIET
-        )
-        if(NOT PATCH_REVERSE_CHECK_RESULT EQUAL 0)
-            message(WARNING "sirit patch is not applicable and not already applied.")
-        endif()
-    endif()
-else()
-    message(WARNING "Could not find sirit directory to patch. It may not have been downloaded yet.")
-endif()
-
+add_subdirectory(externals)
 if(USE_DISCORD_PRESENCE)
     message(STATUS "Applying custom patch to submodule's rapidjson for Discord presence...")
 
@@ -477,16 +430,8 @@ if(USE_DISCORD_PRESENCE)
     set(PATCH_FILE "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/patches/rapidjson-compiler-fix.patch")
     set(PATCH_TARGET_DIR "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/externals/discord-rpc/thirdparty/rapidjson-1.1.0")
 
-    # Check if the patch can be applied or is already applied
-    execute_process(
-        COMMAND git apply --ignore-whitespace --check "${PATCH_FILE}"
-        WORKING_DIRECTORY "${PATCH_TARGET_DIR}"
-        RESULT_VARIABLE PATCH_CHECK_RESULT
-        OUTPUT_QUIET
-        ERROR_QUIET
-    )
-
-    if(PATCH_CHECK_RESULT EQUAL 0)
+    # Check if the target directory exists before trying to patch
+    if(EXISTS "${PATCH_TARGET_DIR}")
         execute_process(
             COMMAND git apply --ignore-whitespace "${PATCH_FILE}"
             WORKING_DIRECTORY "${PATCH_TARGET_DIR}"
@@ -496,23 +441,11 @@ if(USE_DISCORD_PRESENCE)
         )
 
         if(NOT PATCH_RESULT EQUAL 0)
-            message(WARNING "Failed to apply rapidjson compiler fix patch!")
+            message(WARNING "Failed to apply rapidjson compiler fix patch! This might be okay if it's already applied.")
         endif()
     else()
-        # Check if already applied
-        execute_process(
-            COMMAND git apply --ignore-whitespace --check --reverse "${PATCH_FILE}"
-            WORKING_DIRECTORY "${PATCH_TARGET_DIR}"
-            RESULT_VARIABLE PATCH_REVERSE_CHECK_RESULT
-            OUTPUT_QUIET
-            ERROR_QUIET
-        )
-        if(NOT PATCH_REVERSE_CHECK_RESULT EQUAL 0)
-            message(WARNING "rapidjson patch is not applicable and not already applied.")
-        endif()
+        message(WARNING "Could not find rapidjson directory to patch. It may not have been downloaded yet.")
     endif()
-else()
-    message(WARNING "Could not find rapidjson directory to patch. It may not have been downloaded yet.")
 endif()
 
 if(CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_ID MATCHES "Clang")
@@ -522,39 +455,16 @@ if(CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_ID MATCHES "Clang")
     set(MCL_PATCH_TARGET_DIR "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/externals/dynarmic/externals/mcl")
 
     if(EXISTS "${MCL_PATCH_TARGET_DIR}")
-        # Check if the patch can be applied or is already applied
         execute_process(
-            COMMAND git apply --ignore-whitespace --check "${MCL_PATCH_FILE}"
+            COMMAND git apply --ignore-whitespace "${MCL_PATCH_FILE}"
             WORKING_DIRECTORY "${MCL_PATCH_TARGET_DIR}"
-            RESULT_VARIABLE PATCH_CHECK_RESULT
+            RESULT_VARIABLE MCL_PATCH_RESULT
             OUTPUT_QUIET
             ERROR_QUIET
         )
 
-        if(PATCH_CHECK_RESULT EQUAL 0)
-            execute_process(
-                COMMAND git apply --ignore-whitespace "${MCL_PATCH_FILE}"
-                WORKING_DIRECTORY "${MCL_PATCH_TARGET_DIR}"
-                RESULT_VARIABLE PATCH_RESULT
-                OUTPUT_QUIET
-                ERROR_QUIET
-            )
-
-            if(NOT PATCH_RESULT EQUAL 0)
-                message(WARNING "Failed to apply mcl Clang compatibility patch!")
-            endif()
-        else()
-            # Check if already applied
-            execute_process(
-                COMMAND git apply --ignore-whitespace --check --reverse "${MCL_PATCH_FILE}"
-                WORKING_DIRECTORY "${MCL_PATCH_TARGET_DIR}"
-                RESULT_VARIABLE PATCH_REVERSE_CHECK_RESULT
-                OUTPUT_QUIET
-                ERROR_QUIET
-            )
-            if(NOT PATCH_REVERSE_CHECK_RESULT EQUAL 0)
-                message(WARNING "mcl patch is not applicable and not already applied.")
-            endif()
+        if(NOT MCL_PATCH_RESULT EQUAL 0)
+            message(WARNING "Failed to apply mcl Clang compatibility patch! This might be okay if it's already applied.")
         endif()
     else()
         message(WARNING "Could not find mcl directory to patch. It may not have been downloaded yet.")
@@ -565,43 +475,21 @@ endif()
 message(STATUS "Applying custom patch to stb_image.h...")
 
 set(STB_PATCH_FILE "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/patches/stb_image-overflow-fix.patch")
+
 set(STB_PATCH_WORKING_DIR "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}")
 
 # Check if the file to be patched exists before trying to patch
 if(EXISTS "${STB_PATCH_WORKING_DIR}/externals/stb/stb_image.h")
-    # Check if the patch can be applied or is already applied
     execute_process(
-        COMMAND git apply -p0 --ignore-whitespace --check "${STB_PATCH_FILE}"
+        COMMAND git apply -p0 --ignore-whitespace "${STB_PATCH_FILE}"
         WORKING_DIRECTORY "${STB_PATCH_WORKING_DIR}"
-        RESULT_VARIABLE PATCH_CHECK_RESULT
+        RESULT_VARIABLE PATCH_RESULT
         OUTPUT_QUIET
         ERROR_QUIET
     )
 
-    if(PATCH_CHECK_RESULT EQUAL 0)
-        execute_process(
-            COMMAND git apply -p0 --ignore-whitespace "${STB_PATCH_FILE}"
-            WORKING_DIRECTORY "${STB_PATCH_WORKING_DIR}"
-            RESULT_VARIABLE PATCH_RESULT
-            OUTPUT_QUIET
-            ERROR_QUIET
-        )
-
-        if(NOT PATCH_RESULT EQUAL 0)
-            message(WARNING "Failed to apply stb_image.h compiler fix patch!")
-        endif()
-    else()
-        # Check if already applied
-        execute_process(
-            COMMAND git apply -p0 --ignore-whitespace --check --reverse "${STB_PATCH_FILE}"
-            WORKING_DIRECTORY "${STB_PATCH_WORKING_DIR}"
-            RESULT_VARIABLE PATCH_REVERSE_CHECK_RESULT
-            OUTPUT_QUIET
-            ERROR_QUIET
-        )
-        if(NOT PATCH_REVERSE_CHECK_RESULT EQUAL 0)
-            message(WARNING "stb_image.h patch is not applicable and not already applied.")
-        endif()
+    if(NOT PATCH_RESULT EQUAL 0)
+        message(WARNING "Failed to apply stb_image.h compiler fix patch! This might be okay if it's already applied.")
     endif()
 else()
     message(WARNING "Could not find stb_image.h to patch. It may not have been downloaded yet.")
@@ -616,47 +504,21 @@ set(DISCORD_RPC_PATCH_TARGET_DIR "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/externals/discord-
 
 # Check if the target directory exists before trying to patch
 if(EXISTS "${DISCORD_RPC_PATCH_TARGET_DIR}")
-    # Check if the patch can be applied or is already applied
     execute_process(
-        COMMAND git apply -p0 --ignore-whitespace --check "${DISCORD_RPC_PATCH_FILE}"
+        COMMAND git apply -p0 --ignore-whitespace "${DISCORD_RPC_PATCH_FILE}"
         WORKING_DIRECTORY "${DISCORD_RPC_PATCH_TARGET_DIR}"
-        RESULT_VARIABLE PATCH_CHECK_RESULT
+        RESULT_VARIABLE PATCH_RESULT
         OUTPUT_QUIET
         ERROR_QUIET
     )
 
-    if(PATCH_CHECK_RESULT EQUAL 0)
-        execute_process(
-            COMMAND git apply -p0 --ignore-whitespace "${DISCORD_RPC_PATCH_FILE}"
-            WORKING_DIRECTORY "${DISCORD_RPC_PATCH_TARGET_DIR}"
-            RESULT_VARIABLE PATCH_RESULT
-            OUTPUT_QUIET
-            ERROR_QUIET
-        )
-
-        if(NOT PATCH_RESULT EQUAL 0)
-            message(WARNING "Failed to apply discord-rpc CMakeLists.txt patch!")
-        endif()
-    else()
-        # Check if already applied
-        execute_process(
-            COMMAND git apply -p0 --ignore-whitespace --check --reverse "${DISCORD_RPC_PATCH_FILE}"
-            WORKING_DIRECTORY "${DISCORD_RPC_PATCH_TARGET_DIR}"
-            RESULT_VARIABLE PATCH_REVERSE_CHECK_RESULT
-            OUTPUT_QUIET
-            ERROR_QUIET
-        )
-        if(NOT PATCH_REVERSE_CHECK_RESULT EQUAL 0)
-            message(WARNING "discord-rpc patch is not applicable and not already applied.")
-        endif()
+    if(NOT PATCH_RESULT EQUAL 0)
+        message(WARNING "Failed to apply discord-rpc CMakeLists.txt patch! This might be okay if it's already applied.")
     endif()
 else()
     message(WARNING "Could not find discord-rpc directory to patch. It may not have been downloaded yet.")
 endif()
 
-add_subdirectory(externals)
-
-
 if (ENABLE_QT)
     if (NOT USE_SYSTEM_QT)
         download_qt(6.7.3)
diff --git a/patches/sirit-spirv-headers-fix.patch b/patches/sirit-spirv-headers-fix.patch
deleted file mode 100644
index 91b2d5951..000000000
--- a/patches/sirit-spirv-headers-fix.patch
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,16 +0,0 @@
-diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
---- a/CMakeLists.txt
-+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
-@@ -88,10 +88,12 @@
- if (SIRIT_USE_SYSTEM_SPIRV_HEADERS)
-     find_package(SPIRV-Headers REQUIRED)
- else()
--    if (NOT TARGET SPIRV-Headers)
-+    if (NOT TARGET SPIRV-Headers AND NOT TARGET SPIRV-Headers::SPIRV-Headers)
-         add_subdirectory(externals/SPIRV-Headers EXCLUDE_FROM_ALL)
--        add_library(SPIRV-Headers::SPIRV-Headers ALIAS SPIRV-Headers)
-+    endif()
-+    if (TARGET SPIRV-Headers AND NOT TARGET SPIRV-Headers::SPIRV-Headers)
-+        add_library(SPIRV-Headers::SPIRV-Headers ALIAS SPIRV-Headers)
-     endif()
- endif()