diff --git a/debian/control b/debian/control
index 057f589be..8306c3653 100644
--- a/debian/control
+++ b/debian/control
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ Source: weechat
 Section: net
 Priority: optional
 Maintainer: FlashCode <flashcode@flashtux.org>
-Build-Depends: debhelper (>> 4.0.0), libncurses5 (>= 5.2.20020112a-7)
+Build-Depends: debhelper (>> 4.0.0), libncurses5 (>= 5.2.20020112a-7), perl (>= 5.6.0-16), libperl-dev
 Standards-Version: 3.5.8
 
 Package: weechat
diff --git a/debian/rules b/debian/rules
index 661c80bbc..751b196ae 100755
--- a/debian/rules
+++ b/debian/rules
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ endif
 configure: configure-stamp
 configure-stamp:
 	dh_testdir
-	./configure --prefix=/usr --sysconfdir=/etc --enable-gtk
+	./configure --prefix=/usr --sysconfdir=/etc --enable-perl --enable-gtk
 	touch configure-stamp
 
 
diff --git a/weechat.spec b/weechat.spec
index c252cdae1..e47d407d2 100644
--- a/weechat.spec
+++ b/weechat.spec
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ rm -rf $RPM_BUILD_ROOT
 %setup
 
 %build
-./configure
+./configure --enable-perl
 make DESTDIR="$RPM_BUILD_ROOT" LOCALRPM="local"
 
 %install 
diff --git a/weechat/debian/control b/weechat/debian/control
index 057f589be..8306c3653 100644
--- a/weechat/debian/control
+++ b/weechat/debian/control
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ Source: weechat
 Section: net
 Priority: optional
 Maintainer: FlashCode <flashcode@flashtux.org>
-Build-Depends: debhelper (>> 4.0.0), libncurses5 (>= 5.2.20020112a-7)
+Build-Depends: debhelper (>> 4.0.0), libncurses5 (>= 5.2.20020112a-7), perl (>= 5.6.0-16), libperl-dev
 Standards-Version: 3.5.8
 
 Package: weechat
diff --git a/weechat/debian/rules b/weechat/debian/rules
index 661c80bbc..751b196ae 100755
--- a/weechat/debian/rules
+++ b/weechat/debian/rules
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ endif
 configure: configure-stamp
 configure-stamp:
 	dh_testdir
-	./configure --prefix=/usr --sysconfdir=/etc --enable-gtk
+	./configure --prefix=/usr --sysconfdir=/etc --enable-perl --enable-gtk
 	touch configure-stamp
 
 
diff --git a/weechat/weechat.spec b/weechat/weechat.spec
index c252cdae1..e47d407d2 100644
--- a/weechat/weechat.spec
+++ b/weechat/weechat.spec
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ rm -rf $RPM_BUILD_ROOT
 %setup
 
 %build
-./configure
+./configure --enable-perl
 make DESTDIR="$RPM_BUILD_ROOT" LOCALRPM="local"
 
 %install