diff --git a/build.xml b/build.xml
index 06d161593..078b3c022 100644
--- a/build.xml
+++ b/build.xml
@@ -23,7 +23,8 @@
     <property name="release" value="release"/>
     <property name="log" value="log"/>
     <property name="release.src" value="${release}/install"/>
-    <property name="inst.resrc" value="resources/install"/>
+    <property name="resources" value="resources"/>
+    <property name="inst.resrc" value="${resources}/install"/>
 
     <!-- Put here the release directory -->
     <property name="macosx.app.dir" value="${release}/macosx"/>
@@ -34,6 +35,13 @@
     <!-- Put here the Application version -->
     <property name="macosx.app.ver" value="1.0.rc1"/>
 
+    <!-- The release directory for Debian packages -->
+    <property name="debian.dir" value="${release}/debian"/>
+    <!-- Can we build debian packages? -->
+    <condition property="dpkg.present">
+      <available file="/usr/bin/dpkg-buildpackage"/>
+    </condition>
+
     <!-- load properties needed for running the automated tests (e.g. test.list)-->
     <property file="${basedir}/lib/testing.properties"/>
 
@@ -334,6 +342,28 @@
       </exec>
     </target>
 
+    <!-- Create a Debian package - This needs dpkg utilities -->
+	<target name="deb" depends="make"
+            if="dpkg.present"
+            description="Create a .deb package for Debian (needs dpkg utilities)">
+
+      <exec executable="/usr/bin/dpkg-buildpackage" dir="${inst.resrc}">
+        <arg value="-rfakeroot"/>
+        <arg value="-tc"/>
+        <arg value="-us"/>
+        <arg value="-uc"/>
+        <arg value="-b"/>
+      </exec>
+
+      <mkdir dir="${debian.dir}"/>
+      <move todir="${debian.dir}">
+        <fileset dir="${resources}">
+          <include name="sip-communicator*"/>
+        </fileset>
+      </move>
+
+    </target>
+
     <!-- - - - - - - - - - - - - - UNIT TESTING - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -->
 
     <!--PREPARE-TESTS-->
diff --git a/release/.cvsignore b/release/.cvsignore
index 9e275ffa9..47cf1a47b 100644
--- a/release/.cvsignore
+++ b/release/.cvsignore
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
 generic
 linux
 windows
+debian
+macosx
diff --git a/resources/install/debian/rules b/resources/install/debian/rules
index 9cd6bc975..6b291e03c 100755
--- a/resources/install/debian/rules
+++ b/resources/install/debian/rules
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ build-stamp: configure-stamp
 	dh_testdir
 
 	# Add here commands to compile the package.
-	-$(ANT) -file $(BASEDIR)/build.xml rebuild
+	#-$(ANT) -file $(BASEDIR)/build.xml rebuild
 
 	touch $@
 
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ clean:
 	rm -f build-stamp configure-stamp
 
 	# Add here commands to clean up after the build process.
-	-$(ANT) -file $(BASEDIR)/build.xml clean
+	#-$(ANT) -file $(BASEDIR)/build.xml clean
 
 	dh_clean