diff --git a/packaging/debian/control b/packaging/debian/control
index 4e9ff3ca..076e5f1b 100644
--- a/packaging/debian/control
+++ b/packaging/debian/control
@@ -15,8 +15,8 @@ Package: solaar
 Architecture: all
 Depends: ${misc:Depends}, udev (>= 175), passwd | adduser,
  ${python:Depends}, python-pyudev (>= 0.13), python-gi (>= 3.2), gir1.2-gtk-3.0 (>= 3.4),
- ${DesktopIconTheme}
-Recommends: gir1.2-notify-0.7
+ ${DesktopIconTheme}, ${DistroDepends}
+Recommends: gir1.2-notify-0.7, ${DistroRecommends}
 Suggests: gir1.2-gtk-3.0 (>= 3.6.4)
 Description: Logitech Unifying Receiver peripherals manager for Linux
  Solaar is a Linux device manager for Logitech's Unifying Receiver peripherals.
diff --git a/packaging/debian/substvars.extra b/packaging/debian/substvars.extra
index d167b749..8361315a 100644
--- a/packaging/debian/substvars.extra
+++ b/packaging/debian/substvars.extra
@@ -1 +1,3 @@
 DesktopIconTheme=gnome-icon-theme | oxygen-icon-theme
+DistroDepends=
+DistroRecommends=
diff --git a/packaging/ubuntu/substvars.extra b/packaging/ubuntu/substvars.extra
index 5a1d234e..944bab09 100644
--- a/packaging/ubuntu/substvars.extra
+++ b/packaging/ubuntu/substvars.extra
@@ -1 +1,3 @@
 DesktopIconTheme=gnome-icon-theme-full | oxygen-icon-theme-complete
+DistroDepends=gir1.2-appindicator3-0.1
+DistroRecommends=