diff --git a/.pre-commit-config.yaml b/.pre-commit-config.yaml
index 946f57c..ca2cf1f 100644
--- a/.pre-commit-config.yaml
+++ b/.pre-commit-config.yaml
@@ -64,8 +64,9 @@ repos:
       rev: v6.0.0
       hooks:
           - id: trailing-whitespace
-            # exclude autogenerated files
-            exclude: /README\.rst$|\.pot?$
+            # exclude autogenerated files, and patches: the blank context
+            # lines of a diff are a single space, stripping it breaks them
+            exclude: /README\.rst$|\.pot?$|\.patch$
           - id: end-of-file-fixer
             # exclude autogenerated files
             exclude: /README\.rst$|\.pot?$