diff --git a/debian/rules b/debian/rules
index e1f4a2dce..b56054a6d 100755
--- a/debian/rules
+++ b/debian/rules
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ CONFFLAGS = \
 	-Ddbuspolicydir=/usr/share/dbus-1/system.d/ \
 	-Dsupport-url=$(SUPPORT_URL) \
 	-Ddefault-kill-user-processes=false \
-	-Ddefault-hierarchy=hybrid \
+	-Ddefault-hierarchy=unified \
 	-Ddefault-dnssec=no \
 	-Dpamconfdir=no \
 	-Drpmmacrosdir=no \
diff --git a/debian/systemd.NEWS b/debian/systemd.NEWS
index 010198be3..cc726430c 100644
--- a/debian/systemd.NEWS
+++ b/debian/systemd.NEWS
@@ -1,3 +1,17 @@
+systemd (247.2-2) unstable; urgency=medium
+
+  systemd now defaults to the "unified" cgroup hierarchy (i.e. cgroupv2).
+  This change reflects the fact that cgroupsv2 support has matured
+  substantially in both systemd and in the kernel.
+  All major container tools nowadays should support cgroupv2.
+  If you run into problems with cgroupv2, you can switch back to the previous,
+  hybrid setup by adding "systemd.unified_cgroup_hierarchy=false" to the
+  kernel command line.
+  You can read more about the benefits of cgroupv2 at
+  https://www.kernel.org/doc/html/latest/admin-guide/cgroup-v2.html
+
+ -- Michael Biebl <biebl@debian.org>  Mon, 21 Dec 2020 18:40:10 +0100
+
 systemd (247.2-1) unstable; urgency=medium
 
   KERNEL API INCOMPATIBILITY: Linux 4.14 introduced two new uevents