diff -up patch-2.7.1/src/patch.c.remove-empty-dir patch-2.7.1/src/patch.c
--- patch-2.7.1/src/patch.c.remove-empty-dir	2012-10-18 17:57:41.708586721 +0100
+++ patch-2.7.1/src/patch.c	2013-03-11 11:35:54.607901400 +0000
@@ -646,8 +646,8 @@ main (int argc, char **argv)
     if (outstate.ofp && (ferror (outstate.ofp) || fclose (outstate.ofp) != 0))
       write_fatal ();
     output_files (NULL);
-    delete_files ();
     cleanup ();
+    delete_files ();
     if (somefailed)
       exit (1);
     return 0;
diff -up patch-2.7.1/tests/Makefile.am.remove-empty-dir patch-2.7.1/tests/Makefile.am
--- patch-2.7.1/tests/Makefile.am.remove-empty-dir	2012-09-14 10:15:22.000000000 +0100
+++ patch-2.7.1/tests/Makefile.am	2013-03-11 11:35:54.619901466 +0000
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ TESTS = \
 	reject-format \
 	remember-backup-files \
 	remember-reject-files \
+	remove-directories \
 	symlinks \
 	unmodified-files
 
diff -up patch-2.7.1/tests/remove-directories.remove-empty-dir patch-2.7.1/tests/remove-directories
--- patch-2.7.1/tests/remove-directories.remove-empty-dir	2013-03-11 11:35:54.619901466 +0000
+++ patch-2.7.1/tests/remove-directories	2013-03-11 11:35:54.619901466 +0000
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+# Copyright (C) 2013 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
+#
+# Copying and distribution of this file, with or without modification,
+# in any medium, are permitted without royalty provided the copyright
+# notice and this notice are preserved.
+
+. $srcdir/test-lib.sh
+
+require_cat
+use_local_patch
+use_tmpdir
+
+# ==============================================================
+# Remove empty parent diectories when removing a file
+
+mkdir dir
+echo foobar > dir/file
+cat > apatch <<EOF
+--- dir/file
++++ /dev/null
+@@ -1 +0,0 @@
+-foobar
+EOF
+
+check 'patch -p0 -E < apatch' <<EOF
+patching file dir/file
+EOF
+
+ncheck '! test -e dir'