2 files changed, 11 insertions, 2 deletions
diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index 6b819d201d..601036ef56 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -1,3 +1,10 @@
+matrix-synapse-py3 (1.24.0+nmu1) UNRELEASED; urgency=medium
+
+  * Update dependencies to account for the removal of the transitional
+    dh-systemd package from Debian Bullseye.
+
+ -- Dan Callahan <danc@element.io>  Tue, 12 Jan 2021 12:08:33 +0000
+
 matrix-synapse-py3 (1.24.0) stable; urgency=medium
 
   * New synapse release 1.24.0.
diff --git a/debian/control b/debian/control
index bae14b41e4..b10401be43 100644
--- a/debian/control
+++ b/debian/control
@@ -3,9 +3,11 @@ Section: contrib/python
 Priority: extra
 Maintainer: Synapse Packaging team <packages@matrix.org>
 # keep this list in sync with the build dependencies in docker/Dockerfile-dhvirtualenv.
+# TODO: Remove the dependency on dh-systemd after dropping support for Ubuntu xenial
+#       On all other supported releases, it's merely a transitional package which
+#       does nothing but depends on debhelper (> 9.20160709)
 Build-Depends:
- debhelper (>= 9),
- dh-systemd,
+ debhelper (>= 9.20160709) | dh-systemd,
  dh-virtualenv (>= 1.1),
  libsystemd-dev,
  libpq-dev,