diff --git a/Shorewall-core/configure b/Shorewall-core/configure
index 470672ec4..adb4f1bad 100755
--- a/Shorewall-core/configure
+++ b/Shorewall-core/configure
@@ -169,6 +169,9 @@ else
     elif [ $vendor = default ]; then
 	params[HOST]=linux
 	vendor=linux
+    elif [[ $vendor == debian.* ]]; then
+	params[HOST]=debian
+	vendor=debian
     fi
 fi
 
diff --git a/Shorewall-core/configure.pl b/Shorewall-core/configure.pl
index 0e4d660e1..387d07b9c 100755
--- a/Shorewall-core/configure.pl
+++ b/Shorewall-core/configure.pl
@@ -102,6 +102,8 @@ if ( defined $vendor ) {
 	die qq("ERROR: $vendor" is not a recognized host type);
     } elsif ( $vendor eq 'default' ) {
 	$params{HOST} = $vendor = 'linux';
+    } elsif ( $vendor =~ /^debian\./ ) {
+	$params{HOST} = $vendor = 'debian';
     }
 } else {
     if ( -f '/etc/debian_version' ) {