diff --git a/README b/README
index 6829890a2..2d913aa4a 100644
--- a/README
+++ b/README
@@ -26,11 +26,18 @@ Fedora/RHEL users:
 
 Debian/Ubuntu users:
 
-  Take a look at the Debian source package:
+  Use:
+
+    apt-get build-dep libguestfs
+
+  to install all build dependencies.  If that doesn't work, take a
+  look at the Debian source package:
   http://packages.debian.org/source/libguestfs
   at the list of 'build-depends' and 'build-depends-indep', and
-  install everything listed there.  If that is successful, you don't
-  need to bother with the rest of this section.
+  install everything listed there.
+
+  If either of those techniques is successful, you don't need to
+  bother with the rest of this section.
 
 The full requirements are described below.