diff --git a/packages/Makefile b/packages/Makefile
index 4ab832bb3..46e4b24ea 100644
--- a/packages/Makefile
+++ b/packages/Makefile
@@ -1,12 +1,46 @@
+DISTRIBUTION ?= jessie
+
+GIT_COMMIT=$(shell git log -n1 --format=format:%h)
+GIT_DATE=$(shell date +%Y%m%d --date="@$(shell git log -n1 --format=format:%ct)")
+
+ifeq ($(GIT_COMMIT),)
+	echo "Error: Failed to extract commit from git log"
+	exit 1
+endif
+ifeq ($(GIT_DATE),)
+	echo "Error: Failed to extract date from git log"
+	exit 1
+endif
+
+JESSIE_VERSION=$(shell dpkg-parsechangelog -S Version -l jessie/changelog 2> /dev/null)
+
+ifeq ($(JESSIE_VERSION),)
+	echo "Error: Failed to extract version from jessie changelog"
+	exit 1
+endif
+
+JESSIE_PKG_VERSION=$(JESSIE_VERSION)+$(GIT_DATE)+$(GIT_COMMIT)
+
+SQUEEZE_VERSION=$(shell dpkg-parsechangelog -S Version -l squeeze/changelog 2> /dev/null)
+
+ifeq ($(SQUEEZE_VERSION),)
+	echo "Error: Failed to extract version from squeeze changelog"
+	exit 1
+endif
+
+SQUEEZE_PKG_VERSION=$(SQUEEZE_VERSION)+$(GIT_DATE)+$(GIT_COMMIT)
+
 make deb:
 	cd ..;\
 	ln -sf packages/jessie debian ;\
+	dch -v "$(JESSIE_PKG_VERSION)" -m "Package build for git commit $(GIT_COMMIT) ($(GIT_DATE))." -D "$(DISTRIBUTION)" ;\
 	dpkg-buildpackage -rfakeroot -tc; \
 	rm debian
 
 make squeeze:
 	cd ..;\
 	ln -sf packages/squeeze debian ;\
+	dch -v "$(SQUEEZE_PKG_VERSION)" -m "Package build for git commit $(GIT_COMMIT) ($(GIT_DATE))." -D "$(DISTRIBUTION)" ;\
 	dpkg-buildpackage -rfakeroot -tc; \
 	rm debian