diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 4200629c9623d8460c6dc1c5385bffbe14ed83dd..bf68c189503036b8af7c6bf83aa3794d9b298f1f 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -14,13 +14,10 @@ PYTHON=$(shell which python)
 PYTHON26=$(shell $(PYTHON) -V 2>&1 | grep 2.6 -q && echo true || echo false)
 VERSION=$(shell $(PYTHON) setup.py --version 2>/dev/null)
 DESTDIR=/
-BUILDIR=$(CURDIR)/debian/avocado
-PROJECT=avocado
 AVOCADO_DIRNAME=$(shell echo $${PWD\#\#*/})
 AVOCADO_PLUGINS=$(filter-out ../$(AVOCADO_DIRNAME), $(wildcard ../*))
 RELEASE_COMMIT=$(shell git log --pretty=format:'%H' -n 1 $(VERSION))
 RELEASE_SHORT_COMMIT=$(shell git log --pretty=format:'%h' -n 1 $(VERSION))
-
 COMMIT=$(shell git log --pretty=format:'%H' -n 1)
 SHORT_COMMIT=$(shell git log --pretty=format:'%h' -n 1)
 
@@ -49,11 +46,6 @@ all:
 	@echo "srpm:  Generate a source RPM package (.srpm)"
 	@echo "rpm:   Generate binary RPMs"
 	@echo
-	@echo "Debian related targets:"
-	@echo "deb:      Generate both source and binary debian packages"
-	@echo "deb-src:  Generate a source debian package"
-	@echo "deb-bin:  Generate a binary debian package"
-	@echo
 	@echo "Release related targets:"
 	@echo "source-release:  Create source package for the latest tagged release"
 	@echo "srpm-release:    Generate a source RPM package (.srpm) for the latest tagged release"
@@ -83,25 +75,6 @@ pypi: source-pypi develop
 install:
 	$(PYTHON) setup.py install --root $(DESTDIR) $(COMPILE)
 
-deb-prepare-source:
-	# build the source package in the parent directory
-	# then rename it to project_version.orig.tar.gz
-	dch -D "vivid" -M -v "$(VERSION)" "Automated (make builddeb) build."
-	$(PYTHON) setup.py sdist $(COMPILE) --dist-dir=../
-	rename -f 's/$(PROJECT)-(.*)\.tar\.gz/$(PROJECT)_$$1\.orig\.tar\.gz/' ../*
-
-deb-src: deb-prepare-source
-	# build the source package
-	dpkg-buildpackage -S -elookkas@gmail.com -rfakeroot
-
-deb-bin: deb-prepare-source
-	# build binary package
-	dpkg-buildpackage -b -rfakeroot
-
-deb: deb-prepare-source
-	# build both source and binary packages
-	dpkg-buildpackage -i -I -rfakeroot
-
 srpm: source
 	if test ! -d BUILD/SRPM; then mkdir -p BUILD/SRPM; fi
 	mock --resultdir BUILD/SRPM -D "commit $(COMMIT)" --buildsrpm --spec avocado.spec --sources SOURCES
diff --git a/contrib/packages/debian/Makefile b/contrib/packages/debian/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..0fe9163863a17d2d84ccb9042b51b9600360b1e4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/contrib/packages/debian/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+BUILDIR=$(CURDIR)/debian/avocado
+PROJECT=avocado
+
+all:
+	@echo
+	@echo "Debian related targets:"
+	@echo "deb:      Generate both source and binary debian packages"
+	@echo "deb-src:  Generate a source debian package"
+	@echo "deb-bin:  Generate a binary debian package"
+	@echo
+
+deb-prepare-source:
+	# build the source package in the parent directory
+	# then rename it to project_version.orig.tar.gz
+	dch -D "vivid" -M -v "$(VERSION)" "Automated (make builddeb) build."
+	$(PYTHON) setup.py sdist $(COMPILE) --dist-dir=../
+	rename -f 's/$(PROJECT)-(.*)\.tar\.gz/$(PROJECT)_$$1\.orig\.tar\.gz/' ../*
+
+deb-src: deb-prepare-source
+	# build the source package
+	dpkg-buildpackage -S -elookkas@gmail.com -rfakeroot
+
+deb-bin: deb-prepare-source
+	# build binary package
+	dpkg-buildpackage -b -rfakeroot
+
+deb: deb-prepare-source
+	# build both source and binary packages
+	dpkg-buildpackage -i -I -rfakeroot
diff --git a/contrib/packages/debian/README b/contrib/packages/debian/README
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..eacb32b66897a1f55c12e976716796d9bd2bcb06
--- /dev/null
+++ b/contrib/packages/debian/README
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+This is a collection of files that are useful to generate packages for
+Debian(-like) systems.  Their "contrib" status mean that they should
+work, but there's no support for them.
+
+If there are users out there interested in keeping Debian(-like)
+packages update, please step up.
+
+The basic usage is to run the various targets defined in the Makefile,
+such as running `make deb` to have both source and binary packages
+generated.