diff --git a/mercurial/commands.py b/mercurial/commands.py
--- a/mercurial/commands.py
+++ b/mercurial/commands.py
@@ -1173,18 +1173,7 @@ def import_(ui, repo, patch1, *patches, 
             message = "%s\n" % '\n'.join(message)
         ui.debug('message:\n%s\n' % message)
 
-        f = os.popen("patch -p%d < '%s'" % (strip, pf))
-        files = []
-        for l in f.read().splitlines():
-            l.rstrip('\r\n');
-            ui.status("%s\n" % l)
-            if l.startswith('patching file '):
-                pf = l[14:]
-                if pf not in files:
-                    files.append(pf)
-        patcherr = f.close()
-        if patcherr:
-            raise util.Abort("patch failed")
+        files = util.patch(strip, pf, ui)
 
         if len(files) > 0:
             addremove(ui, repo, *files)
diff --git a/mercurial/util.py b/mercurial/util.py
--- a/mercurial/util.py
+++ b/mercurial/util.py
@@ -30,6 +30,22 @@ def filter(s, cmd):
     w.join()
     return f
 
+def patch(strip, patchname, ui):
+    """apply the patch <patchname> to the working directory.
+    a list of patched files is returned"""
+    fp = os.popen('patch -p%d < "%s"' % (strip, patchname))
+    files = {}
+    for line in fp:
+        line = line.rstrip()
+        ui.status("%s\n" % line)
+        if line.startswith('patching file '):
+            pf = parse_patch_output(line)
+            files.setdefault(pf, 1)
+    code = fp.close()
+    if code:
+        raise Abort("patch command failed: exit status %s " % code)
+    return files.keys()
+    
 def binary(s):
     """return true if a string is binary data using diff's heuristic"""
     if s and '\0' in s[:4096]:
@@ -315,6 +331,13 @@ else:
 if os.name == 'nt':
     nulldev = 'NUL:'
 
+    def parse_patch_output(output_line):
+        """parses the output produced by patch and returns the file name"""
+        pf = output_line[14:]
+        if pf[0] == '`':
+            pf = pf[1:-1] # Remove the quotes
+        return pf
+
     try: # ActivePython can create hard links using win32file module
         import win32file
 
@@ -360,6 +383,10 @@ if os.name == 'nt':
 else:
     nulldev = '/dev/null'
 
+    def parse_patch_output(output_line):
+        """parses the output produced by patch and returns the file name"""
+        return output_line[14:]
+
     def is_exec(f, last):
         """check whether a file is executable"""
         return (os.stat(f).st_mode & 0100 != 0)