diff --git a/osc/commandline.py b/osc/commandline.py
index 72e18d56..4608dc9b 100644
--- a/osc/commandline.py
+++ b/osc/commandline.py
@@ -1529,9 +1529,9 @@ class Osc(cmdln.Cmdln):
 
         if opts.force or not filelist or '_patchinfo' not in filelist:
             print("Creating new patchinfo...")
-            query = 'cmd=createpatchinfo&name=' + patchinfo
+            query = {"cmd": "createpatchinfo", "name": patchinfo}
             if opts.force:
-                query += "&force=1"
+                query["force"] = 1
             url = makeurl(apiurl, ['source', project], query=query)
             f = http_POST(url)
             for p in meta_get_packagelist(apiurl, project):
@@ -1539,7 +1539,7 @@ class Osc(cmdln.Cmdln):
                     patchinfo = p
         else:
             print("Update existing _patchinfo file...")
-            query = 'cmd=updatepatchinfo'
+            query = {"cmd": "updatepatchinfo"}
             url = makeurl(apiurl, ['source', project, patchinfo], query=query)
             f = http_POST(url)
 
diff --git a/osc/core.py b/osc/core.py
index ba3525d5..321623dd 100644
--- a/osc/core.py
+++ b/osc/core.py
@@ -1521,12 +1521,12 @@ class Package:
 
     def delete_remote_source_file(self, n):
         """delete a remote source file (e.g. from the server)"""
-        query = 'rev=upload'
+        query = {"rev": "upload"}
         u = makeurl(self.apiurl, ['source', self.prjname, self.name, n], query=query)
         http_DELETE(u)
 
     def put_source_file(self, n, tdir, copy_only=False):
-        query = 'rev=repository'
+        query = {"rev": "repository"}
         tfilename = os.path.join(tdir, n)
         shutil.copyfile(os.path.join(self.dir, n), tfilename)
         # escaping '+' in the URL path (note: not in the URL query string) is