diff --git a/cuvs-bench/cpu/Dockerfile b/cuvs-bench/cpu/Dockerfile
index ca0929b0..baf8dcfa 100644
--- a/cuvs-bench/cpu/Dockerfile
+++ b/cuvs-bench/cpu/Dockerfile
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ echo ". /opt/conda/etc/profile.d/conda.sh; conda activate base" >> /etc/bash.bas
 EOF
 
 # we need perl temporarily for the remaining benchmark perl scripts
-RUN apt-get install perl -y
+RUN apt-get install perl patch -y
 
 # update everything before other environment changes, to ensure mixing
 # an older conda with newer packages still works well
diff --git a/cuvs-bench/gpu/Dockerfile b/cuvs-bench/gpu/Dockerfile
index 7f785017..61af9035 100644
--- a/cuvs-bench/gpu/Dockerfile
+++ b/cuvs-bench/gpu/Dockerfile
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ echo ". /opt/conda/etc/profile.d/conda.sh; conda activate base" >> /etc/bash.bas
 EOF
 
 # we need perl temporarily for the remaining benchmark perl scripts
-RUN apt-get install perl -y
+RUN apt-get install perl patch -y
 
 RUN <<EOF
 mamba update --all -y -n base