diff --git a/debian/rules b/debian/rules
index cf6a7ed1ea..6bfd911f4d 100755
--- a/debian/rules
+++ b/debian/rules
@@ -20,6 +20,11 @@ export CFLAGS:=$(FS_CFLAGS)
 export CXXFLAGS:=$(FS_CXXFLAGS)
 export LDFLAGS:=$(FS_LDFLAGS)
 
+NJOBS=1
+ifneq (,$(filter parallel=%,$(DEB_BUILD_OPTIONS)))
+  NJOBS=$(patsubst parallel=%,%,$(filter parallel=%,$(DEB_BUILD_OPTIONS)))
+endif
+
 show_vars= \
 	echo; \
 	echo "Making target $@"; \
@@ -91,7 +96,7 @@ override_dh_auto_configure: .stamp-configure
 
 .stamp-build: .stamp-configure
 	@$(call show_vars)
-	make
+	make -j$(NJOBS)
 	touch $@
 
 override_dh_auto_build: .stamp-build