diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index fceb9c156..b391776ee 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@ option(KAHYPAR_ENABLE_TESTING "Enables tests, which requires dowloading googlete
 option(KAHYPAR_STATIC_LINK_DEPENDENCIES "In static build, also link dependencies (other than TBB) statically." OFF)
 option(KAHYPAR_STATIC_LINK_TBB "In static build, also link TBB statically. Note that this is not officially supported!" OFF)
 option(KAHYPAR_INSTALL_CLI "Provide a target to install an executable binary `mtkahypar`." OFF)
+option(KAHYPAR_BUILD_PACKAGE "Provide a target to build a debian package." OFF)
 
 # dependencies
 option(KAHYPAR_DOWNLOAD_BOOST "Download boost automatically and compile required libraries." OFF)
@@ -515,6 +516,11 @@ if(${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR} STREQUAL ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR})
     include(SetupInstallation)
   endif()
 
+  if(KAHYPAR_BUILD_PACKAGE)
+    # packaging via CPack
+    include(SetupCPack)
+  endif()
+
   if(KAHYPAR_SETUP_PYTHON AND DEFINED KAHYPAR_TBB_DIR)
     # preparation for python wheel
     configure_file(${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/pyproject.toml.in ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/pyproject.toml @ONLY)
diff --git a/cmake/modules/SetupCPack.cmake b/cmake/modules/SetupCPack.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2e82778c2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmake/modules/SetupCPack.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+# Setup for packaging via cpack
+# Based on https://decovar.dev/blog/2021/09/23/cmake-cpack-package-deb-apt/
+
+set(CPACK_VERBATIM_VARIABLES ON)
+
+set(CPACK_PACKAGING_INSTALL_PREFIX ${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX} CACHE STRING "")
+set(CPACK_PACKAGE_DIRECTORY "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/packages" CACHE STRING "")
+
+
+# metadata
+set(CPACK_PACKAGE_NAME "mtkahypar" CACHE STRING "")
+set(CPACK_PACKAGE_DESCRIPTION_SUMMARY ${PROJECT_DESCRIPTION} CACHE STRING "")
+# set(CPACK_PACKAGE_VENDOR "")
+
+set(CPACK_PACKAGE_VERSION_MAJOR ${PROJECT_VERSION_MAJOR})
+set(CPACK_PACKAGE_VERSION_MINOR ${PROJECT_VERSION_MINOR})
+set(CPACK_PACKAGE_VERSION_PATCH ${PROJECT_VERSION_PATCH})
+
+set(CPACK_RESOURCE_FILE_LICENSE "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/LICENSE")
+set(CPACK_RESOURCE_FILE_README "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/README.md")
+
+set(CPACK_PACKAGE_CONTACT "nikolai.maas@kit.edu")
+set(CPACK_DEBIAN_PACKAGE_MAINTAINER "Nikolai Maas <${CPACK_PACKAGE_CONTACT}>")
+
+
+# installation options
+set(CPACK_DEBIAN_FILE_NAME DEB-DEFAULT)
+set(CPACK_COMPONENTS_GROUPING ALL_COMPONENTS_IN_ONE)
+set(CPACK_DEB_COMPONENT_INSTALL ON)
+set(CPACK_STRIP_FILES ON)
+set(
+    CPACK_INSTALL_DEFAULT_DIRECTORY_PERMISSIONS
+    OWNER_READ OWNER_WRITE OWNER_EXECUTE
+    GROUP_READ GROUP_EXECUTE
+    WORLD_READ WORLD_EXECUTE
+)
+
+# determine debian dependencies automatically
+set(CPACK_DEBIAN_PACKAGE_SHLIBDEPS ON)
+set(CPACK_DEBIAN_PACKAGE_GENERATE_SHLIBS ON)
+
+
+include(CPack)
+message(STATUS "Package components: ${CPACK_COMPONENTS_ALL}")
+
+# custom command for actually building the package
+find_program(CPACK_COMMAND cpack REQUIRED)
+add_custom_target(package-mtkahypar-deb
+  ${CPACK_COMMAND} -G=DEB
+  DEPENDS MtKaHyPar-CLI mtkahypar)