diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index 2c93610b7..3b7b17478 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -10,6 +10,9 @@ cmake (2.8.12-0r1) UNRELEASED; urgency=low
     (Closes: #716798)
   * Follow emacsen policy 5C and link cmake-mode.el source file next to
     compiled one. Thanks to Kevin Ryde. (Closes: #710570)
+  * Add compiled cmake-mode.elc to load-path and do not barf in emacs if
+    cmake-data was removed but not purged. Thanks to Kevin Ryde.
+    (Closes: #710573)
 
  -- Modestas Vainius <modax@debian.org>  Sun, 03 Nov 2013 12:28:06 +0200
 
diff --git a/debian/cmake-data.emacsen-startup b/debian/cmake-data.emacsen-startup
index fe223233a..96fa7bab1 100644
--- a/debian/cmake-data.emacsen-startup
+++ b/debian/cmake-data.emacsen-startup
@@ -2,9 +2,14 @@
 ;;
 ;; Emacs startup file for the Debian GNU/Linux cmake package
 
-(autoload 'cmake-mode "cmake-mode")
-
-(setq auto-mode-alist
-      (append '(("CMakeLists\\.txt\\'" . cmake-mode)
-                ("\\.cmake\\'" . cmake-mode))
-              auto-mode-alist))
+(if (file-exists-p "/usr/share/emacs/site-lisp/cmake-mode.el")
+ (progn
+  (debian-pkg-add-load-path-item (concat "/usr/share/"
+                                  (symbol-name debian-emacs-flavor)
+                                  "/site-lisp/cmake-data"))
+  (autoload 'cmake-mode "cmake-mode")
+  (setq auto-mode-alist
+   (append '(("CMakeLists\\.txt\\'" . cmake-mode)
+             ("\\.cmake\\'" . cmake-mode))
+    auto-mode-alist)))
+ (message "cmake-data removed but not purged, skipping setup"))