diff --git a/config b/config
index f30e2e6..949d1c0 100644
--- a/config
+++ b/config
@@ -26,6 +26,9 @@ vars+=(usercredentials rootcredentials)
 
 arrs+=(core_packages base_packages purge_packages blend_packages)
 
+## overrides the system's debootstrap if there is one
+export PATH="$LIBPATH/extra/debootstrap:$PATH"
+
 ## enable local apt cache
 APT_CACHE=${APT_CACHE:-0}
 aptcachedir="$LIBPATH/apt-cache"