diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 49a5e1e..f18d117 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -39,10 +39,13 @@ Compile kpatch:
 
     make
 
-Install kpatch to /usr/local:
+OPTIONAL: Install kpatch to /usr/local:
 
     sudo make install
 
+Alternatively, the kpatch and kpatch-build scripts can be run directly from the
+git tree.
+
 
 Quick start
 -----------
@@ -51,10 +54,6 @@ Quick start
 kernel on any distribution, the "kpatch-build" command currently
 only works on Fedora.*
 
-Load the kpatch core module:
-
-    sudo insmod /usr/local/lib/modules/$(uname -r)/kpatch/kpatch.ko
-
 Make a source patch against the kernel tree:
 
     # from a kernel git tree:
@@ -67,7 +66,7 @@ Build the patch module:
 This outputs a patch module named `kpatch-foo.ko` in the current
 directory.  Now apply it to the running kernel:
 
-    sudo insmod kpatch-foo.ko
+    sudo kpatch load kpatch-foo.ko
 
 Done!  The kernel is now patched.
 
diff --git a/kpatch/kpatch b/kpatch/kpatch
index 370d66c..ce3dc04 100755
--- a/kpatch/kpatch
+++ b/kpatch/kpatch
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 KERNELRELEASE="$(uname -r)"
 SYSDIR="/usr/lib/kpatch/$KERNELRELEASE"
 USERDIR="/var/lib/kpatch/$KERNELRELEASE"
+SCRIPTDIR="$(readlink -f $(dirname $(type -p $0)))"
 
 usage () {
 	echo "usage: kpatch <command> [<args>]" >&2
@@ -72,6 +73,9 @@ find_module () {
 }
 
 find_core_module() {
+	COREMOD="$SCRIPTDIR"/../kmod/core/kpatch.ko
+	[[ -f "$COREMOD" ]] && return
+
 	COREMOD="/usr/local/lib/modules/$(uname -r)/kpatch/kpatch.ko"
 	[[ -f "$COREMOD" ]] && return