diff --git a/elements/debian/test-elements/build-succeeds/README.rst b/elements/debian/test-elements/build-succeeds/README.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8ef6b15b2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/elements/debian/test-elements/build-succeeds/README.rst
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Test that we can successfully build a debian image.
diff --git a/elements/debian/test-elements/build-succeeds/element-deps b/elements/debian/test-elements/build-succeeds/element-deps
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..df967b96a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/elements/debian/test-elements/build-succeeds/element-deps
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+base
diff --git a/tests/install_test_deps.sh b/tests/install_test_deps.sh
index ac665068a..26a906356 100755
--- a/tests/install_test_deps.sh
+++ b/tests/install_test_deps.sh
@@ -4,5 +4,5 @@ set -eux
 set -o pipefail
 
 sudo apt-get update || true
-sudo apt-get install -y qemu-utils kpartx || \
-    sudo yum -y install qemu-img kpartx
+sudo apt-get install -y qemu-utils kpartx debootstrap || \
+    sudo yum -y install qemu-img kpartx debootstrap