diff --git a/debian/README.source b/debian/README.source
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0d0aa4003
--- /dev/null
+++ b/debian/README.source
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+This package uses dpatch to handle patches against upstream source code; you
+can find additional information about dpatch at
+
+    /usr/share/doc/dpatch/