diff --git a/contrib/ci/debian.sh b/contrib/ci/debian.sh
index 0853b3a96..64d77c6ae 100755
--- a/contrib/ci/debian.sh
+++ b/contrib/ci/debian.sh
@@ -23,6 +23,14 @@ sed s/quilt/native/ debian/source/format -i
 #generate control file
 ./contrib/ci/generate_debian.py
 
+#check if we have all deps available
+#if some are missing, we're going to use subproject instead and
+#packaging CI will fail
+if ! dpkg-checkbuilddeps; then
+	./contrib/ci/ubuntu.sh
+	exit 0
+fi
+
 #clone test firmware
 if [ "$CI_NETWORK" = "true" ]; then
 	./contrib/ci/get_test_firmware.sh
diff --git a/contrib/ci/ubuntu.sh b/contrib/ci/ubuntu.sh
index a80464160..d5e8a191b 100755
--- a/contrib/ci/ubuntu.sh
+++ b/contrib/ci/ubuntu.sh
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ if [ "$CI_NETWORK" = "true" ]; then
 fi
 
 #evaluate using Ubuntu's buildflags
+#evaluate using Debian/Ubuntu's buildflags
 eval "$(dpkg-buildflags --export=sh)"
 #filter out -Bsymbolic-functions
 export LDFLAGS=$(dpkg-buildflags --get LDFLAGS | sed "s/-Wl,-Bsymbolic-functions\s//")