diff --git a/templates/lxc-debian.in b/templates/lxc-debian.in
index 463d87f08..8ec0c290c 100644
--- a/templates/lxc-debian.in
+++ b/templates/lxc-debian.in
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 # Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307 USA
 
 SUITE=${SUITE:-squeeze}
+MIRROR=${MIRROR:-http://cdn.debian.net/debian}
 
 configure_debian()
 {
@@ -112,7 +113,7 @@ openssh-server
     echo "Downloading debian minimal ..."
     debootstrap --verbose --variant=minbase --arch=$arch \
 	--include $packages \
-	"$SUITE" "$cache/partial-$SUITE-$arch" http://ftp.debian.org/debian
+	"$SUITE" "$cache/partial-$SUITE-$arch" $MIRROR
     if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
 	echo "Failed to download the rootfs, aborting."
 	return 1