diff --git a/playbooks/dib-functests/run.yaml b/playbooks/dib-functests/run.yaml
index 37fbe80a4..05af88d4e 100644
--- a/playbooks/dib-functests/run.yaml
+++ b/playbooks/dib-functests/run.yaml
@@ -5,5 +5,6 @@
     - bindep
     - dib-setup-gate-mirrors
     - ensure-podman
+    - dib-ensure-debootstrap
     - dib-functests
 
diff --git a/roles/dib-ensure-debootstrap/README.rst b/roles/dib-ensure-debootstrap/README.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..abaad3440
--- /dev/null
+++ b/roles/dib-ensure-debootstrap/README.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+Update debootstap from debian unstable. This ensures debootstrap is new
+enough to recognize Noble.
diff --git a/roles/dib-ensure-debootstrap/tasks/main.yaml b/roles/dib-ensure-debootstrap/tasks/main.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1eeef7a17
--- /dev/null
+++ b/roles/dib-ensure-debootstrap/tasks/main.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+- name: Install debootstrap/unstable
+  # This is shell because doing it with native ansible modules went nowhere
+  become: yes
+  shell: |
+    set -ex
+    echo "APT::Default-Release: 'stable';" > /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/default-release
+    echo "deb http://deb.debian.org/debian unstable main" > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/unstable-debian.list
+    apt-get update
+    apt-get install -y debootstrap
+    # Remove the use of unstable as it seems to interfere with other tasks
+    rm /etc/apt/sources.list.d/unstable-debian.list
+    apt-get --assume-yes update