diff --git a/debian/rules b/debian/rules
index e9de7498d..041e54844 100755
--- a/debian/rules
+++ b/debian/rules
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ include /usr/share/dpkg/buildflags.mk
 export JAVA_HOME=/usr/lib/jvm/java-gcj
 
 # choose radius lib
-export FREERADIUS=$(shell dpkg --list libfreeradius-client-dev >/dev/null 2>&1 && echo 1 || echo 0)
+export FREERADIUS=$(shell test -f /usr/include/freeradius-client.h && echo 1 || echo 0)
 
 # modules not in the "main" kamailio package
 EXCLUDED_MODULES=