diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 727790e..d47d8de 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,6 +2,14 @@
 
 ## Version 1.1.19
 ### modulecmd
+* arguments to CMake and autotools can now be defined in the
+  YAML configuration file. (issue #249)
+* Required patches can now be defined in the YAML configuration
+  file (issue #249)
+* BUGFIX: parsing the version number and setting the variables
+  V_MAJOR, V_MINOR, V_PATCHLVL was broken in cases where the
+  version number consist of less then three numbers and plus a
+  suffix. (issue #248)
 
 ### build-system
 
diff --git a/Pmodules/libpbuild.bash b/Pmodules/libpbuild.bash
index 1a4b6ed..99b5d27 100644
--- a/Pmodules/libpbuild.bash
+++ b/Pmodules/libpbuild.bash
@@ -340,10 +340,9 @@ readonly -f pbuild::version_eq
 #       Default is all.
 #
 pbuild::supported_compilers() {
-	if [[ ${opt_yaml} == 'yes' ]]; then
+	[[ ${opt_yaml} == 'yes' ]] && \
 		std::info \
 			"Using ${FUNCNAME} is deprecated with YAML module configuration files."
-	fi
 	pbuild.supported_compilers "$@"
 }
 readonly -f pbuild::supported_compilers
@@ -363,10 +362,9 @@ readonly -f pbuild.supported_compilers
 #       Default is all.
 #
 pbuild::supported_systems() {
-	if [[ ${opt_yaml} == 'yes' ]]; then
+	[[ ${opt_yaml} == 'yes' ]] && \
 		std::info \
 			"Using ${FUNCNAME} is deprecated with YAML module configuration files."
-	fi
 	pbuild.supported_systems "$@"
 }
 readonly -f pbuild::supported_systems
@@ -375,6 +373,7 @@ declare SUPPORTED_SYSTEMS=()
 pbuild.supported_systems() {
 	SUPPORTED_SYSTEMS+=( "$@" )
 }
+readonly -f pbuild.supported_systems
 
 #..............................................................................
 #
@@ -424,10 +423,9 @@ pbuild.set_urls(){
 #	Maybe we should use a dictionary in the future.
 #
 pbuild::set_sha256sum() {
-	if [[ ${opt_yaml} == 'yes' ]]; then
+	[[ ${opt_yaml} == 'yes' ]] && \
 		std::info \
 			"Using ${FUNCNAME} is deprecated with YAML module configuration files."
-	fi
 	SOURCE_SHA256_SUMS+=("$1")
 }
 readonly -f pbuild::set_sha256sum
@@ -441,13 +439,16 @@ readonly -f pbuild::set_sha256sum
 #	$2	directory
 #
 pbuild::set_unpack_dir() {
-	SOURCE_UNPACK_DIRS[$1]=$2
+	SOURCE_UNPACK_DIRS[$1]="$2"
 }
 readonly -f pbuild::set_unpack_dir
 
 #..............................................................................
 #
 pbuild::add_patch() {
+	[[ ${opt_yaml} == 'yes' ]] && \
+		std::info \
+			"Using ${FUNCNAME} is deprecated with YAML module configuration files."
 	[[ -z "$1" ]] && \
 		std::die 1 \
 			 "%s " "${module_name}/${module_version}:" \
@@ -461,6 +462,22 @@ pbuild::add_patch() {
 }
 readonly -f pbuild::add_patch
 
+pbuild.add_patch_files(){
+	local -a args="$@"
+	local -- arg=''
+	for arg in "${args[@]}"; do
+		[[ -z "${arg}" ]] && continue
+ 		if [[ ${arg} == *:* ]]; then
+			PATCH_FILES+=( "${arg%%:*}" )
+			PATCH_STRIPS+=( "${arg##*:}" )
+		else
+			PATCH_FILES+=( "${arg}" )
+			PATCH_STRIPS+=( "${PATCH_STRIP_DEFAULT}" )
+		fi
+	done
+}
+readonly -f pbuild.add_patch_files
+
 #..............................................................................
 #
 pbuild::set_default_patch_strip() {
@@ -654,18 +671,24 @@ pbuild::prep() {
 #..............................................................................
 #
 pbuild::add_configure_args() {
+	[[ ${opt_yaml} == 'yes' ]] && \
+		std::info \
+			"Using ${FUNCNAME} is deprecated with YAML module configuration files."
 	CONFIGURE_ARGS+=( "$@" )
 }
 readonly -f pbuild::add_configure_args
 
+pbuild.add_configure_args(){
+	CONFIGURE_ARGS+=( "$@" )
+}
+readonly -f pbuild.add_configure_args
+
 #..............................................................................
 #
 pbuild::use_autotools() {
-	if [[ ${opt_yaml} == 'yes' ]]; then
+	[[ ${opt_yaml} == 'yes' ]] && \
 		std::info \
 			"Using ${FUNCNAME} is deprecated with YAML module configuration files."
-	fi
-
 	configure_with='autotools'
 }
 readonly -f pbuild::use_autotools
@@ -673,10 +696,9 @@ readonly -f pbuild::use_autotools
 #..............................................................................
 #
 pbuild::use_cmake() {
-	if [[ ${opt_yaml} == 'yes' ]]; then
+	[[ ${opt_yaml} == 'yes' ]] && \
 		std::info \
 			"Using ${FUNCNAME} is deprecated with YAML module configuration files."
-	fi
 	configure_with='cmake'
 }
 readonly -f pbuild::use_cmake
@@ -711,10 +733,9 @@ readonly -f pbuild::use_cc
 declare -- compile_in_sourcetree='no'
 
 pbuild::compile_in_sourcetree() {
-	if [[ ${opt_yaml} == 'yes' ]]; then
+	[[ ${opt_yaml} == 'yes' ]] && \
 		std::info \
 			"Using ${FUNCNAME} is deprecated with YAML module configuration files."
-	fi
 	compile_in_sourcetree='yes'
 }
 readonly -f pbuild::compile_in_sourcetree
diff --git a/Pmodules/modbuild.in b/Pmodules/modbuild.in
index 8262924..53a264a 100755
--- a/Pmodules/modbuild.in
+++ b/Pmodules/modbuild.in
@@ -625,11 +625,13 @@ declare -A Yaml_default_config=(
 	["build_requires"]=''		# !!seq of strings
 	["compile_in_sourcetree"]='no'  # !!str
 	["configure_with"]='auto'	# !!str
+	["configure_args"]=''           # !!seq of strings
 	["default_variant"]=''          # !!str
 	["docfiles"]=''			# !!seq of strings
 	["group"]='Tools'		# !!str
 	["group_deps"]=''		# !!map
 	["overlay"]='base'		# !!str
+	["patch_files"]=''		# !!seq
 	["relstage"]='unstable'		# !!str
 	["runtime_deps"]=''		# !!seq of strings
 	["script"]='build'		# !!str
@@ -690,7 +692,6 @@ build_modules_yaml_v1(){
 		local -- yaml_input="$1"
 		local -n val="$2"
 		local -- key="$3"
-		local -- expected_type="$4"
 
 		local -- type=''
 		type=$( ${yq} ".${key} | type" 2>/dev/null <<<"${yaml_input}")
@@ -788,8 +789,8 @@ build_modules_yaml_v1(){
 					get_value "${yaml_input}" value "${key}" '!!seq'
 					cfg[${key,,}]="${value}"
 					;;
-				build_requires | docfiles | runtime_deps | systems | variant )
-					get_seq "${yaml_input}" value "${key}" '!!seq'
+				build_requires | configure_args | docfiles | patch_files | runtime_deps | systems | variant )
+					get_seq "${yaml_input}" value "${key}"
 					cfg[${key,,}]="${value}"
 					;;
 				* )
@@ -1103,6 +1104,18 @@ build_modules_yaml_v1(){
 		done
 	}
 
+	set_configure_args(){
+		local -a args=()
+		readarray -t args <<< "$1"
+		pbuild.add_configure_args "${args[@]}"
+	}
+
+	set_patch_files(){
+		local -a args=()
+		readarray -t args <<< "$1"
+		pbuild.add_patch_files "${args[@]}"
+	}
+
 	build_modules_variant(){
 		local -- module_name="$1"
 		local -- module_version="$2"
@@ -1156,7 +1169,9 @@ build_modules_yaml_v1(){
 		pbuild.add_to_group "${module_config['group']}"
 
 		set_urls "${module_config['urls']}"
-		
+		set_configure_args "${module_config['configure_args']}"
+		set_patch_files "${module_config['patch_files']}"
+
 		local -a runtime_deps=()
 		if [[ -n ${module_config['runtime_deps']} ]]; then
 			readarray -t runtime_deps <<<"${module_config['runtime_deps']}"
@@ -1230,6 +1245,7 @@ build_modules_yaml_v1(){
 	if [[ -v used_keys['shasums'] ]]; then
 		local yaml_input=$(${yq} '.shasums' <<<"${yaml_mod_config}" 2>/dev/null)
 		while read key value; do
+			[[ -z ${key} ]] && continue
 			SHASUMS[${key//:}]="${value}"
 		done <<<"${yaml_input}"
 	fi