diff --git a/gnu/local.mk b/gnu/local.mk
index f51b9fbfe2..45fa7d2007 100644
--- a/gnu/local.mk
+++ b/gnu/local.mk
@@ -794,8 +794,6 @@ dist_patch_DATA =						\
   %D%/packages/patches/gcc-6-source-date-epoch-1.patch		\
   %D%/packages/patches/gcc-6-source-date-epoch-2.patch		\
   %D%/packages/patches/gcc-8-strmov-store-file-names.patch	\
-  %D%/packages/patches/gcr-disable-failing-tests.patch		\
-  %D%/packages/patches/gcr-fix-collection-tests-to-work-with-gpg-21.patch	\
   %D%/packages/patches/gd-CVE-2018-5711.patch			\
   %D%/packages/patches/gd-CVE-2018-1000222.patch		\
   %D%/packages/patches/gd-CVE-2019-6977.patch			\
diff --git a/gnu/packages/gnome.scm b/gnu/packages/gnome.scm
index 4d4c831448..aa6e95456a 100644
--- a/gnu/packages/gnome.scm
+++ b/gnu/packages/gnome.scm
@@ -587,36 +587,43 @@ and keep up to date translations of documentation.")
 (define-public gcr
   (package
     (name "gcr")
-    (version "3.20.0")
+    (version "3.28.0")
     (source (origin
-             (method url-fetch)
-             (uri (string-append "mirror://gnome/sources/" name "/"
-                                 (version-major+minor version)  "/"
-                                 name "-" version ".tar.xz"))
-             (sha256
-              (base32
-               "0ydk9dzxx6snxza7j5ps8x932hbr3x1b8hhcaqjq4w4admi2qmwh"))
-             (patches
-              (search-patches "gcr-disable-failing-tests.patch"
-                              "gcr-fix-collection-tests-to-work-with-gpg-21.patch"))))
+              (method url-fetch)
+              (uri (string-append "mirror://gnome/sources/" name "/"
+                                  (version-major+minor version)  "/"
+                                  name "-" version ".tar.xz"))
+              (sha256
+               (base32
+                "02xgky22xgvhgd525khqh64l5i21ca839fj9jzaqdi3yvb8pbq8m"))))
     (build-system gnu-build-system)
     (arguments
-     '(#:phases (modify-phases %standard-phases
-                  (add-before
-                   'check 'pre-check
-                   (lambda* (#:key inputs #:allow-other-keys)
-                     (substitute* "build/tap-driver"
-                       (("/usr/bin/env python") (which "python"))))))))
+     '(#:phases
+       (modify-phases %standard-phases
+         ;; These fail because /var/lib/dbus/machine-id is not present in the
+         ;; build environment.
+         (add-after 'unpack 'disable-failing-tests
+           (lambda _
+             (substitute* "gcr/test-system-prompt.c"
+               (("g_test_add") "//")
+               (("return.*") "return 0;"))
+             #t))
+         (add-before 'check 'pre-check
+           (lambda _
+             ;; Some tests expect to write to $HOME.
+             (setenv "HOME" "/tmp")
+             #t)))))
     (inputs
      `(("dbus" ,dbus)
-       ("gnupg" ,gnupg) ;called as a child process during tests
+       ("gnupg" ,gnupg)                ;called as a child process during tests
        ("libgcrypt" ,libgcrypt)))
     (native-inputs
-     `(("python" ,python-2) ;for tests
+     `(("python" ,python-2)             ;for tests
        ("pkg-config" ,pkg-config)
        ("glib" ,glib "bin")
        ("gobject-introspection" ,gobject-introspection)
        ("intltool" ,intltool)
+       ("libxml2" ,libxml2)
        ("xsltproc" ,libxslt)))
     ;; mentioned in gck.pc, gcr.pc and gcr-ui.pc
     (propagated-inputs
diff --git a/gnu/packages/patches/gcr-disable-failing-tests.patch b/gnu/packages/patches/gcr-disable-failing-tests.patch
deleted file mode 100644
index 862c51faf0..0000000000
--- a/gnu/packages/patches/gcr-disable-failing-tests.patch
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,126 +0,0 @@
-This patch removes a group of tests that fail because /var/lib/dbus/machine-id
-is not present in the build environment.
-
---- gcr-3.20.0.old/Makefile.in	2017-07-03 18:05:10.742595317 -0400
-+++ gcr-3.20.0/Makefile.in	2017-07-03 18:08:26.379565428 -0400
-@@ -482,8 +482,7 @@
- 	test-openssh$(EXEEXT) test-secure-memory$(EXEEXT) \
- 	test-trust$(EXEEXT) test-parser$(EXEEXT) test-record$(EXEEXT) \
- 	test-memory-icon$(EXEEXT) test-gnupg-key$(EXEEXT) \
--	test-gnupg-collection$(EXEEXT) test-gnupg-process$(EXEEXT) \
--	test-system-prompt$(EXEEXT)
-+	test-gnupg-collection$(EXEEXT) test-gnupg-process$(EXEEXT)
- @WITH_GTK_TRUE@am__EXEEXT_4 = frob-certificate$(EXEEXT) \
- @WITH_GTK_TRUE@	frob-combo-selector$(EXEEXT) \
- @WITH_GTK_TRUE@	frob-gnupg-selector$(EXEEXT) \
-@@ -882,14 +881,6 @@
- am_test_symkey_OBJECTS = egg/test-symkey.$(OBJEXT)
- test_symkey_OBJECTS = $(am_test_symkey_OBJECTS)
- test_symkey_DEPENDENCIES = $(am__DEPENDENCIES_4)
--am_test_system_prompt_OBJECTS =  \
--	gcr/test_system_prompt-test-system-prompt.$(OBJEXT)
--test_system_prompt_OBJECTS = $(am_test_system_prompt_OBJECTS)
--test_system_prompt_DEPENDENCIES = $(am__DEPENDENCIES_3)
--test_system_prompt_LINK = $(LIBTOOL) $(AM_V_lt) --tag=CC \
--	$(AM_LIBTOOLFLAGS) $(LIBTOOLFLAGS) --mode=link $(CCLD) \
--	$(test_system_prompt_CFLAGS) $(CFLAGS) $(AM_LDFLAGS) \
--	$(LDFLAGS) -o $@
- am_test_trust_OBJECTS = gcr/test_trust-test-trust.$(OBJEXT)
- test_trust_OBJECTS = $(am_test_trust_OBJECTS)
- test_trust_DEPENDENCIES = $(am__DEPENDENCIES_3)
-@@ -974,8 +965,7 @@
- 	$(test_secret_exchange_SOURCES) $(test_secure_memory_SOURCES) \
- 	$(test_simple_certificate_SOURCES) \
- 	$(test_subject_public_key_SOURCES) $(test_symkey_SOURCES) \
--	$(test_system_prompt_SOURCES) $(test_trust_SOURCES) \
--	$(test_util_SOURCES)
-+	$(test_trust_SOURCES) $(test_util_SOURCES)
- DIST_SOURCES = $(libegg_asn1x_la_SOURCES) $(libegg_hex_la_SOURCES) \
- 	$(libegg_secmem_la_SOURCES) $(libegg_test_la_SOURCES) \
- 	$(libegg_la_SOURCES) $(libgck_@GCK_MAJOR@_la_SOURCES) \
-@@ -1016,8 +1006,7 @@
- 	$(test_secret_exchange_SOURCES) $(test_secure_memory_SOURCES) \
- 	$(test_simple_certificate_SOURCES) \
- 	$(test_subject_public_key_SOURCES) $(test_symkey_SOURCES) \
--	$(test_system_prompt_SOURCES) $(test_trust_SOURCES) \
--	$(test_util_SOURCES)
-+	$(test_trust_SOURCES) $(test_util_SOURCES)
- RECURSIVE_TARGETS = all-recursive check-recursive cscopelist-recursive \
- 	ctags-recursive dvi-recursive html-recursive info-recursive \
- 	install-data-recursive install-dvi-recursive \
-@@ -2117,8 +2106,7 @@
- 	test-memory-icon \
- 	test-gnupg-key \
- 	test-gnupg-collection \
--	test-gnupg-process \
--	test-system-prompt
-+	test-gnupg-process
- 
- test_certificate_SOURCES = gcr/test-certificate.c
- test_certificate_CFLAGS = $(gcr_CFLAGS)
-@@ -2171,9 +2159,6 @@
- test_subject_public_key_SOURCES = gcr/test-subject-public-key.c
- test_subject_public_key_CFLAGS = $(gcr_CFLAGS)
- test_subject_public_key_LDADD = $(gcr_LIBS)
--test_system_prompt_SOURCES = gcr/test-system-prompt.c
--test_system_prompt_CFLAGS = $(gcr_CFLAGS)
--test_system_prompt_LDADD = $(gcr_LIBS)
- test_trust_SOURCES = gcr/test-trust.c
- test_trust_CFLAGS = $(gcr_CFLAGS)
- test_trust_LDADD = $(gcr_LIBS)
-@@ -3283,12 +3268,6 @@
- test-symkey$(EXEEXT): $(test_symkey_OBJECTS) $(test_symkey_DEPENDENCIES) $(EXTRA_test_symkey_DEPENDENCIES) 
- 	@rm -f test-symkey$(EXEEXT)
- 	$(AM_V_CCLD)$(LINK) $(test_symkey_OBJECTS) $(test_symkey_LDADD) $(LIBS)
--gcr/test_system_prompt-test-system-prompt.$(OBJEXT):  \
--	gcr/$(am__dirstamp) gcr/$(DEPDIR)/$(am__dirstamp)
--
--test-system-prompt$(EXEEXT): $(test_system_prompt_OBJECTS) $(test_system_prompt_DEPENDENCIES) $(EXTRA_test_system_prompt_DEPENDENCIES) 
--	@rm -f test-system-prompt$(EXEEXT)
--	$(AM_V_CCLD)$(test_system_prompt_LINK) $(test_system_prompt_OBJECTS) $(test_system_prompt_LDADD) $(LIBS)
- gcr/test_trust-test-trust.$(OBJEXT): gcr/$(am__dirstamp) \
- 	gcr/$(DEPDIR)/$(am__dirstamp)
- 
-@@ -3446,7 +3425,6 @@
- @AMDEP_TRUE@@am__include@ @am__quote@gcr/$(DEPDIR)/test_secure_memory-test-secure-memory.Po@am__quote@
- @AMDEP_TRUE@@am__include@ @am__quote@gcr/$(DEPDIR)/test_simple_certificate-test-simple-certificate.Po@am__quote@
- @AMDEP_TRUE@@am__include@ @am__quote@gcr/$(DEPDIR)/test_subject_public_key-test-subject-public-key.Po@am__quote@
--@AMDEP_TRUE@@am__include@ @am__quote@gcr/$(DEPDIR)/test_system_prompt-test-system-prompt.Po@am__quote@
- @AMDEP_TRUE@@am__include@ @am__quote@gcr/$(DEPDIR)/test_trust-test-trust.Po@am__quote@
- @AMDEP_TRUE@@am__include@ @am__quote@gcr/$(DEPDIR)/test_util-test-util.Po@am__quote@
- @AMDEP_TRUE@@am__include@ @am__quote@ui/$(DEPDIR)/frob_certificate-frob-certificate.Po@am__quote@
-@@ -4968,20 +4946,6 @@
- @AMDEP_TRUE@@am__fastdepCC_FALSE@	DEPDIR=$(DEPDIR) $(CCDEPMODE) $(depcomp) @AMDEPBACKSLASH@
- @am__fastdepCC_FALSE@	$(AM_V_CC@am__nodep@)$(CC) $(DEFS) $(DEFAULT_INCLUDES) $(INCLUDES) $(AM_CPPFLAGS) $(CPPFLAGS) $(test_subject_public_key_CFLAGS) $(CFLAGS) -c -o gcr/test_subject_public_key-test-subject-public-key.obj `if test -f 'gcr/test-subject-public-key.c'; then $(CYGPATH_W) 'gcr/test-subject-public-key.c'; else $(CYGPATH_W) '$(srcdir)/gcr/test-subject-public-key.c'; fi`
- 
--gcr/test_system_prompt-test-system-prompt.o: gcr/test-system-prompt.c
--@am__fastdepCC_TRUE@	$(AM_V_CC)$(CC) $(DEFS) $(DEFAULT_INCLUDES) $(INCLUDES) $(AM_CPPFLAGS) $(CPPFLAGS) $(test_system_prompt_CFLAGS) $(CFLAGS) -MT gcr/test_system_prompt-test-system-prompt.o -MD -MP -MF gcr/$(DEPDIR)/test_system_prompt-test-system-prompt.Tpo -c -o gcr/test_system_prompt-test-system-prompt.o `test -f 'gcr/test-system-prompt.c' || echo '$(srcdir)/'`gcr/test-system-prompt.c
--@am__fastdepCC_TRUE@	$(AM_V_at)$(am__mv) gcr/$(DEPDIR)/test_system_prompt-test-system-prompt.Tpo gcr/$(DEPDIR)/test_system_prompt-test-system-prompt.Po
--@AMDEP_TRUE@@am__fastdepCC_FALSE@	$(AM_V_CC)source='gcr/test-system-prompt.c' object='gcr/test_system_prompt-test-system-prompt.o' libtool=no @AMDEPBACKSLASH@
--@AMDEP_TRUE@@am__fastdepCC_FALSE@	DEPDIR=$(DEPDIR) $(CCDEPMODE) $(depcomp) @AMDEPBACKSLASH@
--@am__fastdepCC_FALSE@	$(AM_V_CC@am__nodep@)$(CC) $(DEFS) $(DEFAULT_INCLUDES) $(INCLUDES) $(AM_CPPFLAGS) $(CPPFLAGS) $(test_system_prompt_CFLAGS) $(CFLAGS) -c -o gcr/test_system_prompt-test-system-prompt.o `test -f 'gcr/test-system-prompt.c' || echo '$(srcdir)/'`gcr/test-system-prompt.c
--
--gcr/test_system_prompt-test-system-prompt.obj: gcr/test-system-prompt.c
--@am__fastdepCC_TRUE@	$(AM_V_CC)$(CC) $(DEFS) $(DEFAULT_INCLUDES) $(INCLUDES) $(AM_CPPFLAGS) $(CPPFLAGS) $(test_system_prompt_CFLAGS) $(CFLAGS) -MT gcr/test_system_prompt-test-system-prompt.obj -MD -MP -MF gcr/$(DEPDIR)/test_system_prompt-test-system-prompt.Tpo -c -o gcr/test_system_prompt-test-system-prompt.obj `if test -f 'gcr/test-system-prompt.c'; then $(CYGPATH_W) 'gcr/test-system-prompt.c'; else $(CYGPATH_W) '$(srcdir)/gcr/test-system-prompt.c'; fi`
--@am__fastdepCC_TRUE@	$(AM_V_at)$(am__mv) gcr/$(DEPDIR)/test_system_prompt-test-system-prompt.Tpo gcr/$(DEPDIR)/test_system_prompt-test-system-prompt.Po
--@AMDEP_TRUE@@am__fastdepCC_FALSE@	$(AM_V_CC)source='gcr/test-system-prompt.c' object='gcr/test_system_prompt-test-system-prompt.obj' libtool=no @AMDEPBACKSLASH@
--@AMDEP_TRUE@@am__fastdepCC_FALSE@	DEPDIR=$(DEPDIR) $(CCDEPMODE) $(depcomp) @AMDEPBACKSLASH@
--@am__fastdepCC_FALSE@	$(AM_V_CC@am__nodep@)$(CC) $(DEFS) $(DEFAULT_INCLUDES) $(INCLUDES) $(AM_CPPFLAGS) $(CPPFLAGS) $(test_system_prompt_CFLAGS) $(CFLAGS) -c -o gcr/test_system_prompt-test-system-prompt.obj `if test -f 'gcr/test-system-prompt.c'; then $(CYGPATH_W) 'gcr/test-system-prompt.c'; else $(CYGPATH_W) '$(srcdir)/gcr/test-system-prompt.c'; fi`
--
- gcr/test_trust-test-trust.o: gcr/test-trust.c
- @am__fastdepCC_TRUE@	$(AM_V_CC)$(CC) $(DEFS) $(DEFAULT_INCLUDES) $(INCLUDES) $(AM_CPPFLAGS) $(CPPFLAGS) $(test_trust_CFLAGS) $(CFLAGS) -MT gcr/test_trust-test-trust.o -MD -MP -MF gcr/$(DEPDIR)/test_trust-test-trust.Tpo -c -o gcr/test_trust-test-trust.o `test -f 'gcr/test-trust.c' || echo '$(srcdir)/'`gcr/test-trust.c
- @am__fastdepCC_TRUE@	$(AM_V_at)$(am__mv) gcr/$(DEPDIR)/test_trust-test-trust.Tpo gcr/$(DEPDIR)/test_trust-test-trust.Po
-@@ -5808,13 +5772,6 @@
- 	$(am__check_pre) $(LOG_DRIVER) --test-name "$$f" \
- 	--log-file $$b.log --trs-file $$b.trs \
- 	$(am__common_driver_flags) $(AM_LOG_DRIVER_FLAGS) $(LOG_DRIVER_FLAGS) -- $(LOG_COMPILE) \
--	"$$tst" $(AM_TESTS_FD_REDIRECT)
--test-system-prompt.log: test-system-prompt$(EXEEXT)
--	@p='test-system-prompt$(EXEEXT)'; \
--	b='test-system-prompt'; \
--	$(am__check_pre) $(LOG_DRIVER) --test-name "$$f" \
--	--log-file $$b.log --trs-file $$b.trs \
--	$(am__common_driver_flags) $(AM_LOG_DRIVER_FLAGS) $(LOG_DRIVER_FLAGS) -- $(LOG_COMPILE) \
- 	"$$tst" $(AM_TESTS_FD_REDIRECT)
- .test.log:
- 	@p='$<'; \
diff --git a/gnu/packages/patches/gcr-fix-collection-tests-to-work-with-gpg-21.patch b/gnu/packages/patches/gcr-fix-collection-tests-to-work-with-gpg-21.patch
deleted file mode 100644
index 86a8ed1691..0000000000
--- a/gnu/packages/patches/gcr-fix-collection-tests-to-work-with-gpg-21.patch
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,31 +0,0 @@
-This patch comes from Debian.
-
-https://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=771052
-https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=835737
-
---- gcr-3.20.0.old/gcr/test-gnupg-collection.c	2017-06-29 14:26:33.810838197 -0400
-+++ gcr-3.20.0/gcr/test-gnupg-collection.c	2017-06-30 17:25:09.149383067 -0400
-@@ -115,6 +115,14 @@
-
-	g_object_unref (test->collection);
-
-+	/* remove potential gpg 2.1 extras, ignore any errors. */
-+	cmd = g_strdup_printf ("rm -rf %s/*.d", test->directory);
-+	system(cmd);
-+	g_free(cmd);
-+	cmd = g_strdup_printf ("rm -f %s/.gpg-v21-migrated", test->directory);
-+	system(cmd);
-+	g_free(cmd);
-+
-	cmd = g_strdup_printf ("rm -f %s/*", test->directory);
-	g_spawn_check_exit_status (system (cmd), &error);
-	g_assert_no_error (error);
-@@ -202,7 +210,7 @@
-	GcrGnupgKey *key;
-
-	_gcr_gnupg_collection_load_async (test->collection, NULL, on_async_ready, test);
--	egg_test_wait_until (500);
-+	egg_test_wait_until (2500);
-	g_assert (test->result);
-	_gcr_gnupg_collection_load_finish (test->collection, test->result, &error);
-	g_assert_no_error (error);