diff -ur samba-3.5.11~dfsg.orig/debian/samba.postrm samba-3.5.11~dfsg/debian/samba.postrm
--- samba-3.5.11~dfsg.orig/debian/samba.postrm	2011-07-28 09:21:03.000000000 +0000
+++ samba-3.5.11~dfsg/debian/samba.postrm	2011-10-07 11:53:34.407080692 +0000
@@ -1,5 +1,18 @@
 #!/bin/sh -e
 
+try_update_inetd() {
+	[ -x /usr/sbin/update-inetd ] || return 0
+	status=`dpkg-query '-f${Status}' -W update-inetd|awk '{print $3}'`
+	case "$status" in
+		installed)
+			update-inetd "$@"
+			;;
+
+		*)	echo Skipping update-inetd: not configured >&2
+			;;
+	esac
+}
+
 if [ "$1" = purge ]; then
 	rm -rf /var/cache/samba/browse.dat
 	rm -rf /var/lib/samba/printers/
@@ -11,12 +24,10 @@
 	rm -f /etc/default/samba
 
 	# Remove NetBIOS entries from /etc/inetd.conf
-	if [ -x /usr/sbin/update-inetd ]; then
-		update-inetd --remove netbios-ssn
-	fi
+	try_update_inetd --remove netbios-ssn
 else
 	# Not purging, do not remove NetBIOS entries from /etc/inetd.conf
-	update-inetd --disable netbios-ssn
+	try_update_inetd --disable netbios-ssn
 
 fi