diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 78e458600..2b05516b5 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -116,6 +116,22 @@ rpm: std
 	@ $(MAKE) rpm -s TOP=$(CURDIR) -f build/Makefile.rpm
 endif
 
+#-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# DEB
+#
+ifeq (mac,$(OS))
+#deb: std
+deb:
+	@ $(MAKE) deb -s TOP=$(CURDIR) -f build/Makefile.deb
+else
+deb:
+ifeq (Ubuntu,$(OS_DISTRIBUTOR))
+	@ $(MAKE) deb -s TOP=$(CURDIR) -f build/Makefile.deb
+else
+	@ echo "Not making Deb on $(OS_DISTRIBUTOR) $(OS)"
+endif
+endif
+
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # pass-through targets
 #
diff --git a/build/Makefile.deb b/build/Makefile.deb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9e2a8bfe7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/build/Makefile.deb
@@ -0,0 +1,93 @@
+# ===========================================================================
+#
+#                            PUBLIC DOMAIN NOTICE
+#               National Center for Biotechnology Information
+#
+#  This software/database is a "United States Government Work" under the
+#  terms of the United States Copyright Act.  It was written as part of
+#  the author's official duties as a United States Government employee and
+#  thus cannot be copyrighted.  This software/database is freely available
+#  to the public for use. The National Library of Medicine and the U.S.
+#  Government have not placed any restriction on its use or reproduction.
+#
+#  Although all reasonable efforts have been taken to ensure the accuracy
+#  and reliability of the software and data, the NLM and the U.S.
+#  Government do not and cannot warrant the performance or results that
+#  may be obtained by using this software or data. The NLM and the U.S.
+#  Government disclaim all warranties, express or implied, including
+#  warranties of performance, merchantability or fitness for any particular
+#  purpose.
+#
+#  Please cite the author in any work or product based on this material.
+#
+# ===========================================================================
+
+#VERBOSE=-v
+
+# determine shell environment ($CONFIG_FILE)
+include $(TOP)/build/Makefile.shell
+
+# load build configuration ($TARGDIR) ($VERSION)
+include $(CONFIG_FILE)
+
+# $TOOLS_TO_INSTALL
+include $(TOP)/build/Makefile.tools
+ifeq (1,$(HAVE_HDF5))
+	TOOLS_TO_INSTALL += pacbio-load
+endif
+TOOLS_TO_INSTALL += remote-fuser sra-kar
+
+PKGDIR=$(TARGDIR)/debbuild
+DST=$(PKGDIR)/sra-toolkit-$(VERSION)
+DEB=$(DST).deb
+
+deb: $(DEB)
+
+$(DEB): $(DST)/etc/ncbi $(DST)/usr/bin $(DST)/DEBIAN/control
+ifeq (mac,$(OS))
+	dpkg-deb --build $(DST)
+else
+	fakeroot dpkg-deb --build $(DST)
+endif
+
+$(DST):
+	mkdir $(VERBOSE) -p $@/DEBIAN
+	mkdir $(VERBOSE) -p $@/etc/ncbi
+
+$(DST)/etc/ncbi: $(DST) $(DST)/usr/share/ncbi/schema \
+	$(DST)/etc/ncbi/default.kfg  $(DST)/etc/ncbi/schema.kfg \
+	$(DST)/etc/ncbi/vdb-copy.kfg
+
+$(DST)/etc/ncbi/default.kfg:
+	rsync $(VERBOSE) -l --chmod=g-w $(VDB_LIBDIR)/ncbi/default.kfg $@
+
+$(DST)/etc/ncbi/schema.kfg:
+	echo '/vdb/schema/paths = "/usr/share/ncbi/schema"' > $@
+
+$(DST)/etc/ncbi/vdb-copy.kfg:
+	rsync $(VERBOSE) -l --chmod=g-w $(BINDIR)/ncbi/vdb-copy.kfg $@
+
+$(DST)/usr/bin:
+	mkdir $(VERBOSE) -p $@
+	$(MAKE) -s --no-print-directory -f $(TOP)/build/Makefile.deb \
+		$(TOOLS_TO_INSTALL)
+
+$(DST)/usr/share/ncbi/schema: $(DST)
+	mkdir $(VERBOSE) -p $@
+	rsync $(VERBOSE) -rmloptD --include '*.vschema' --include='*/' \
+		 --exclude '*' $(VDB_INCDIR)/* $@
+
+$(DST)/DEBIAN/control:
+	printf \
+"Package: sra-toolkit\n"\
+"Version: $(VERSION)\n"\
+"Architecture: all\n"\
+"Maintainer: SRA Toolkit Development Team <sra-tools@ncbi.nlm.nih.gov>\n"\
+"Description: SRA Toolkit package\n"\
+" The SRA Toolkit and SDK from NCBI is a collection of tools and libraries\n"\
+" for using data in the INSDC Sequence Read Archives.\n" > $@
+
+$(TOOLS_TO_INSTALL):
+	- ( test -f $(BINDIR)/$@ || ( echo "$@ not found" && false ) ) && \
+		rsync $(VERBOSE) -l $(BINDIR)/$@ $(BINDIR)/$@$(VERSION_EXEX) \
+			$(BINDIR)/$@$(MAJVERS_EXEX) $(DST)/usr/bin
diff --git a/build/Makefile.shell b/build/Makefile.shell
index d90b53edf..22c1d0092 100644
--- a/build/Makefile.shell
+++ b/build/Makefile.shell
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ ifeq (Darwin, $(UNAME))
 endif
 ifeq (Linux, $(UNAME))
 	HOST_OS = linux
+	OS_DISTRIBUTOR = $(shell lsb_release -si)
 endif
 ifeq (SunOS, $(UNAME))
 	HOST_OS = sun