diff --git a/backportpackage b/backportpackage
index b663800..b291582 100755
--- a/backportpackage
+++ b/backportpackage
@@ -247,7 +247,7 @@ def do_backport(workdir, pkg, suffix, release, release_pocket, build, builder,
                 '--distribution', bp_dist,
                 'No-change backport to %s' % release],
                cwd=srcdir)
-    check_call(['debuild', '--no-lintian', '-S', '-sa'], cwd=srcdir)
+    check_call(['debuild', '--no-lintian', '-S', '-nc', '-sa'], cwd=srcdir)
 
     fn_base = pkg.source + '_' + bp_version.split(':', 1)[-1]
 
diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index 12ff0e4..aa43eb7 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -1,3 +1,10 @@
+ubuntu-dev-tools (0.139) UNRELEASED; urgency=low
+
+  * syncpackage, backportpackage, sponsor-patch: Use -nc when building source
+    packages. Avoids needing build-deps on the build machine.
+
+ -- Stefano Rivera <stefanor@debian.org>  Fri, 23 Dec 2011 22:33:17 +0200
+
 ubuntu-dev-tools (0.138) unstable; urgency=low
 
   [ Benjamin Drung ]
diff --git a/syncpackage b/syncpackage
index 826d5f6..31d6132 100755
--- a/syncpackage
+++ b/syncpackage
@@ -265,7 +265,8 @@ def sync_dsc(src_pkg, debian_dist, release, name, email, bugs, ubuntu_mirror,
         subprocess.check_call(cmd)
 
         # Build source package
-        cmd = ["debuild", "--no-lintian", "-S", "-v" + cur_ver.full_version]
+        cmd = ["debuild", "--no-lintian", "-nc", "-S",
+               "-v" + cur_ver.full_version]
         if need_orig:
             cmd += ['-sa']
         if keyid:
diff --git a/ubuntutools/sponsor_patch/source_package.py b/ubuntutools/sponsor_patch/source_package.py
index a6cc4d4..20e2f9e 100644
--- a/ubuntutools/sponsor_patch/source_package.py
+++ b/ubuntutools/sponsor_patch/source_package.py
@@ -225,9 +225,9 @@ class SourcePackage(object):
         """
 
         if self._branch:
-            cmd = ['bzr', 'builddeb', '-S', '--', '--no-lintian']
+            cmd = ['bzr', 'builddeb', '-S', '--', '-nc', '--no-lintian']
         else:
-            cmd = ['debuild', '--no-lintian', '-S']
+            cmd = ['debuild', '--no-lintian', '-nc', '-S']
         cmd.append("-v" + previous_version.full_version)
         if previous_version.upstream_version == \
            self._changelog.upstream_version and upload == "ubuntu":