diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 7d9151376..d89b996ba 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ DPKG_WITH_DIR([logdir], [${localstatedir}/log],
   [system logging directory [LOCALSTATEDIR/log]])
 
 # Set default dpkg-deb values
-DPKG_DEB_COMPRESSOR([xz])
+DPKG_DEB_COMPRESSOR([zstd])
 DPKG_DEB_PROG_TAR
 
 # Checks for programs.
diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index 8876a58d2..f3eb1f76b 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -1,3 +1,11 @@
+dpkg (1.20.9ubuntu2) impish; urgency=medium
+
+  * build: Switch default dpkg-deb compression from xz to zstd. (LP: #1923845)
+    Keep compressing dpkg.deb with xz to help bootstrapping on non-Ubuntu
+    systems.
+
+ -- Balint Reczey <balint@balintreczey.hu>  Mon, 14 Jun 2021 16:04:10 +0200
+
 dpkg (1.20.9ubuntu1) hirsute; urgency=medium
 
   * Merge with Debian; remaining changes:
diff --git a/debian/rules b/debian/rules
index 87c74bfee..a63583105 100755
--- a/debian/rules
+++ b/debian/rules
@@ -128,7 +128,10 @@ binary-arch: install
 	dh_shlibdeps -a
 	dh_gencontrol -a
 	dh_md5sums -a
-	dh_builddeb -a
+	# Make debootstrap life easier on non-Debian based systems by
+	# compressing dpkg.deb with xz instead of zstd.
+	dh_builddeb -pdpkg -- -Zxz
+	dh_builddeb -a -Ndpkg
 
 # Put together the dpkg-dev package
 binary-indep: install
diff --git a/debian/source/lintian-overrides b/debian/source/lintian-overrides
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..53cf5a5e1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/debian/source/lintian-overrides
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+# this intends to help bootstrapping
+dpkg source: debian-rules-should-not-use-custom-compression-settings
diff --git a/m4/dpkg-build.m4 b/m4/dpkg-build.m4
index 1cc149a8e..997f8dbf0 100644
--- a/m4/dpkg-build.m4
+++ b/m4/dpkg-build.m4
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ AC_DEFUN([DPKG_DEB_COMPRESSOR], [
       [change default dpkg-deb build compressor])],
     [with_dpkg_deb_compressor=$withval], [with_dpkg_deb_compressor=$1])
   AS_CASE([$with_dpkg_deb_compressor],
-    [gzip|xz], [:],
+    [gzip|xz|zstd], [:],
     [AC_MSG_ERROR([unsupported default compressor $with_dpkg_deb_compressor])])
   AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED([DPKG_DEB_DEFAULT_COMPRESSOR],
     [COMPRESSOR_TYPE_]AS_TR_CPP(${with_dpkg_deb_compressor}),
diff --git a/man/dpkg-deb.pod b/man/dpkg-deb.pod
index 95c43d795..4403c272b 100644
--- a/man/dpkg-deb.pod
+++ b/man/dpkg-deb.pod
@@ -269,8 +269,8 @@ gzip (since dpkg 1.17.0) and B<extreme> for xz.
 =item B<-Z>I<compress-type>
 
 Specify which compression type to use when building a package.
-Allowed values are B<gzip>, B<xz> (since dpkg 1.15.6),
-and B<none> (default is B<xz>).
+Allowed values are B<gzip>, B<xz> (since dpkg 1.15.6), B<zstd>
+(since dpkg 1.19.0.5ubuntu2) and B<none> (default is B<zstd>).
 
 =item B<--[no-]uniform-compression>
 
@@ -278,8 +278,7 @@ Specify that the same compression parameters should be used for all archive
 members (i.e. B<control.tar> and B<data.tar>; since dpkg 1.17.6).
 Otherwise only the
 B<data.tar> member will use those parameters. The only supported
-compression types allowed to be uniformly used are B<none>, B<gzip>
-and B<xz>.
+compression types allowed to be uniformly used are B<none>, B<gzip>, B<xz> and B<zstd>.
 The B<--no-uniform-compression> option disables uniform compression
 (since dpkg 1.19.0).
 Uniform compression is the default (since dpkg 1.19.0).