diff --git a/backportpackage b/backportpackage
index 5a3e06d..8fe2788 100755
--- a/backportpackage
+++ b/backportpackage
@@ -57,16 +57,6 @@ def check_call(cmd, *args, **kwargs):
         error('%s returned %d.' % (cmd[0], ret))
 
 
-def check_program_exists(name, package=None):
-    paths = set(os.environ['PATH'].split(':'))
-    paths |= set(('/sbin', '/usr/sbin', '/usr/local/sbin'))
-    if not any(os.path.exists(os.path.join(p, name)) for p in paths):
-        Logger.error('Could not find "%s". Please install the package "%s" '
-                     'to use this functionality.',
-                     name, package or name)
-        sys.exit(1)
-
-
 def parse(args):
     usage = 'Usage: %prog [options] <source package name or .dsc URL/file>'
     parser = optparse.OptionParser(usage)
@@ -166,8 +156,6 @@ def parse(args):
         parser.error('Please specify either a working dir or an upload target!')
     if opts.upload and opts.upload.startswith('ppa:'):
         opts.release_pocket = True
-    if opts.upload:
-        check_program_exists('dput')
 
     return opts, args, config
 
diff --git a/debian/control b/debian/control
index a5913ed..f82001a 100644
--- a/debian/control
+++ b/debian/control
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ Depends:
  diffstat,
  distro-info (>= 0.2~),
  dpkg-dev,
+ dput,
  lsb-release,
  python3,
  python3-apt,