diff --git a/debian/rules b/debian/rules
index 757740d954e3..40c967e02473 100755
--- a/debian/rules
+++ b/debian/rules
@@ -28,8 +28,13 @@ CMAKE_OPTS := \
 	-D CMAKE_SKIP_RPATH=TRUE \
 	-D BINDINGS_GLOBAL_INSTALL=TRUE \
 	-D PEDANTIC=TRUE \
-	-D WITH_SPATIALITE=TRUE \
-	-D WITH_INTERNAL_SPATIALITE=TRUE
+	-D WITH_SPATIALITE=TRUE
+
+ifeq (,$(findstring $(DISTRIBUTION),"sid"))
+	CMAKE_OPTS += -D WITH_INTERNAL_SPATIALITE=TRUE
+else
+	CMAKE_OPTS += -D WITH_INTERNAL_SPATIALITE=FALSE
+endif
 
 ifneq (,$(findstring $(DISTRIBUTION),"hardy intrepid"))
 LDFLAGS += -Wl,--as-needed -Wl,--no-undefined