diff --git a/debian/rules b/debian/rules
index 799bf2e9f29..d1932a1144a 100755
--- a/debian/rules
+++ b/debian/rules
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ configure-stamp:
 	cd _debian && ( \
 		test -e Makefile || \
 		../configure --prefix=/usr --localstatedir=/var --enable-ssl \
-			--sysconfdir=/etc CFLAGS="$(CFLAGS)" \
+			--sysconfdir=/etc --host=$(DEB_HOST_GNU_TYPE) CFLAGS="$(CFLAGS)" \
 			$(buildflags) $(DATAPATH_CONFIGURE_OPTS))
 	touch configure-stamp