diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 8b1e53b6..146a4337 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -50,10 +50,12 @@ $ npm run package
 To build for one platform:
 
 ```
-$ npm run package -- [platform]
+$ npm run package -- [platform] [package-type]
 ```
 
-Where `[platform]` is `darwin`, `linux`, or `win32`.
+Where `[platform]` is `darwin`, `linux`, or `win32`
+
+and `[package-type]` is `all` (default), `deb` or `zip` (`linux` platform only)
 
 #### Windows build notes
 
@@ -75,4 +77,3 @@ brew install wine
 ## License
 
 MIT. Copyright (c) [Feross Aboukhadijeh](http://feross.org).
-
diff --git a/bin/package.js b/bin/package.js
index 94d6e5ea..c5cb56d3 100755
--- a/bin/package.js
+++ b/bin/package.js
@@ -16,18 +16,19 @@ var BUILD_NAME = config.APP_NAME + '-v' + config.APP_VERSION
 
 function build () {
   var platform = process.argv[2]
+  var packageType = process.argv.length > 3 ? process.argv[3] : 'all'
   if (platform === 'darwin') {
     buildDarwin(printDone)
   } else if (platform === 'win32') {
     buildWin32(printDone)
   } else if (platform === 'linux') {
-    buildLinux(printDone)
+    buildLinux(packageType, printDone)
   } else {
     buildDarwin(function (err, buildPath) {
       printDone(err, buildPath)
       buildWin32(function (err, buildPath) {
         printDone(err, buildPath)
-        buildLinux(printDone)
+        buildLinux(packageType, printDone)
       })
     })
   }
@@ -285,16 +286,45 @@ function buildWin32 (cb) {
   })
 }
 
-function buildLinux (cb) {
+function buildLinux (packageType, cb) {
   electronPackager(Object.assign({}, all, linux), function (err, buildPath) {
     if (err) return cb(err)
 
-    // Create .zip file for Linux
     var distPath = path.join(config.ROOT_PATH, 'dist')
-    var zipPath = path.join(config.ROOT_PATH, 'dist', BUILD_NAME + '-linux.zip')
-    var appFolderName = path.basename(buildPath[0])
-    cp.execSync(`cd ${distPath} && zip -r -y ${zipPath} ${appFolderName}`)
-    console.log('Created Linux .zip file.')
+    var filesPath = buildPath[0]
+
+    if (packageType === 'deb' || packageType === 'all') {
+      // Create .deb file for debian based platforms
+      var deb = require('nobin-debian-installer')()
+      var destPath = path.join('/opt', pkg.name)
+
+      deb.pack({
+        package: pkg,
+        info: {
+          arch: 'amd64',
+          targetDir: distPath,
+          scripts: {
+            postinst: path.join(config.STATIC_PATH, 'linux', 'postinst'),
+            postrm: path.join(config.STATIC_PATH, 'linux', 'postrm')
+          }
+        }
+      }, [{
+        src: ['./**'],
+        dest: destPath,
+        expand: true,
+        cwd: filesPath
+      }], function (err, done) {
+        console.log(err || 'Created Linux .deb file.')
+      })
+    }
+
+    if (packageType === 'zip' || packageType === 'all') {
+      // Create .zip file for Linux
+      var zipPath = path.join(config.ROOT_PATH, 'dist', BUILD_NAME + '-linux.zip')
+      var appFolderName = path.basename(filesPath)
+      cp.execSync(`cd ${distPath} && zip -r -y ${zipPath} ${appFolderName}`)
+      console.log('Created Linux .zip file.')
+    }
   })
 }
 
diff --git a/main/handlers.js b/main/handlers.js
index 1a54a828..d585fce2 100644
--- a/main/handlers.js
+++ b/main/handlers.js
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ function initLinux () {
   installIconFile()
 
   function installDesktopFile () {
-    var templatePath = path.join(config.STATIC_PATH, 'webtorrent.desktop')
+    var templatePath = path.join(config.STATIC_PATH, 'linux', 'webtorrent-desktop.desktop')
     fs.readFile(templatePath, 'utf8', writeDesktopFile)
   }
 
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ function initLinux () {
       '.local',
       'share',
       'applications',
-      'webtorrent.desktop'
+      'webtorrent-desktop.desktop'
     )
     mkdirp(path.dirname(desktopFilePath))
     fs.writeFile(desktopFilePath, desktopFile, function (err) {
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ function initLinux () {
       '.local',
       'share',
       'icons',
-      'webtorrent.png'
+      'webtorrent-desktop.png'
     )
     mkdirp(path.dirname(iconFilePath))
     fs.writeFile(iconFilePath, iconFile, function (err) {
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 8b46d3bc..78aaeb81 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@
     "electron-packager": "^6.0.0",
     "electron-winstaller": "^2.0.5",
     "gh-release": "^2.0.3",
+    "nobin-debian-installer": "^0.0.5",
     "plist": "^1.2.0",
     "rimraf": "^2.5.2",
     "standard": "^6.0.5"
diff --git a/static/linux/postinst b/static/linux/postinst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..19145082
--- /dev/null
+++ b/static/linux/postinst
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+set -e
+chmod +x /opt/webtorrent-desktop/WebTorrent
+ln -s /opt/webtorrent-desktop/WebTorrent /usr/bin/webtorrent-desktop
diff --git a/static/linux/postrm b/static/linux/postrm
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..dec86c69
--- /dev/null
+++ b/static/linux/postrm
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+set -e
+rm /usr/bin/webtorrent-desktop
diff --git a/static/webtorrent.desktop b/static/linux/webtorrent-desktop.desktop
similarity index 96%
rename from static/webtorrent.desktop
rename to static/linux/webtorrent-desktop.desktop
index ea956dea..ac37a056 100644
--- a/static/webtorrent.desktop
+++ b/static/linux/webtorrent-desktop.desktop
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ X-GNOME-FullName=$APP_NAME
 Comment=Download and share files over BitTorrent
 Encoding=UTF-8
 Type=Application
-Icon=webtorrent
+Icon=webtorrent-desktop
 Terminal=false
 Path=$APP_PATH
 Exec=$EXEC_PATH %U