diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index 3845a55c5..f1bfa9c90 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ cmake (2.8.4-1) UNRELEASED; urgency=low
     - TARGET_VERSION;
     - TARGET_SOVERSION;
     - BUILD_DOXYGEN.
+  * Support parallel building at bootstrap phase.
 
  -- Kai Wasserbäch <debian@carbon-project.org>  Sun, 16 Jan 2011 11:40:34 +0100
 
diff --git a/debian/rules b/debian/rules
index 35db240af..358e7ab77 100755
--- a/debian/rules
+++ b/debian/rules
@@ -1,5 +1,11 @@
 #!/usr/bin/make -f
 
+ifneq (,$(filter parallel=%,$(DEB_BUILD_OPTIONS)))
+    NUMJOBS = $(patsubst parallel=%,%,$(filter parallel=%,$(DEB_BUILD_OPTIONS)))
+    BOOTSTRAP_PARALLEL = --parallel=$(NUMJOBS)
+endif
+
+
 BUILD_FLAGS_FILE = build-flags.cmake
 set_build_flag = echo 'set($(1) $(2) CACHE \
     $(if $(filter $(2),YES ON TRUE NO OFF FALSE),BOOL,STRING) \
@@ -27,8 +33,9 @@ verify-build-flags: flag_action := verify_build_flag
 
 override_dh_auto_configure: $(BUILD_FLAGS_FILE)
 	rm -rf Build && mkdir -p Build
-	+cd Build && ../bootstrap --prefix=/usr --docdir=/share/doc/cmake --mandir=/share/man \
-	                         --init=../$(BUILD_FLAGS_FILE) --system-libs $(CONFIGURE_PARALLEL)
+	cd Build && ../bootstrap --prefix=/usr --docdir=/share/doc/cmake --mandir=/share/man \
+	                         --init=../$(BUILD_FLAGS_FILE) --system-libs $(CONFIGURE_PARALLEL) \
+	                         $(BOOTSTRAP_PARALLEL)
 
 override_dh_auto_test:
 	HOME="`pwd`/Build" dh_auto_test