diff --git a/pkg/kamailio/deb/lenny/rules b/pkg/kamailio/deb/lenny/rules
index 84ebd65..17b5e9b 100755
--- a/pkg/kamailio/deb/lenny/rules
+++ b/pkg/kamailio/deb/lenny/rules
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 # export DH_COMPAT=4
 #  -- already set in compat
 #  force no striping (always include debug symbols for now)
-export DEB_BUILD_OPTIONS:="$(DEB_BUILD_OPTIONS) nostrip"
+DEB_BUILD_OPTIONS += nostrip
 
 # modules not in the "main" kamailio package
 EXCLUDED_MODULES= geoip
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ mod_name=$(subst db_,,$(lastword $(subst /, ,$(1))))
 define PACKAGE_GRP_BUILD_template
 	# package all the modules in PACKAGE_GROUPS in separate packages
 	$(foreach grp,$(PACKAGE_GROUPS),\
-		$(MAKE) every-module group_include="k$(grp)"
+		$(MAKE) every-module group_include="k$(grp)" $(EXTRA_MAKE_ARGS)
 	)
 endef
 
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ endef
 define PACKAGE_MODULE_BUILD_template
 	# package all the modules MODULES_SP in separate packages
 	$(foreach mod,$(MODULES_SP),\
-		$(MAKE) modules modules="$(mod)"
+		$(MAKE) modules modules="$(mod)" $(EXTRA_MAKE_ARGS)
 	)
 endef
 
@@ -114,6 +114,12 @@ ifeq (,$(findstring nostrip,$(DEB_BUILD_OPTIONS)))
 	INSTALL_PROGRAM += -s
 endif
 
+ifneq (,$(filter parallel=%,$(DEB_BUILD_OPTIONS)))
+    NUMJOBS = $(patsubst parallel=%,%,$(filter parallel=%,$(DEB_BUILD_OPTIONS)))
+    EXTRA_MAKE_ARGS = -j$(NUMJOBS)
+endif
+
+
 configure: configure-stamp
 configure-stamp:
 	dh_testdir
@@ -131,8 +137,8 @@ build: build-stamp
 
 build-stamp: configure-stamp 
 	dh_testdir
-	# Add here commands to compile the package.
-	$(MAKE) all
+	# Add here commands to compile the package. 
+	$(MAKE) all $(EXTRA_MAKE_ARGS)
 	# make groups
 	$(call PACKAGE_GRP_BUILD_template)
 	# make single-module packages
diff --git a/pkg/kamailio/deb/squeeze/rules b/pkg/kamailio/deb/squeeze/rules
index a64793a..abdce7b 100755
--- a/pkg/kamailio/deb/squeeze/rules
+++ b/pkg/kamailio/deb/squeeze/rules
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 # export DH_COMPAT=4
 #  -- already set in compat
 #  force no striping (always include debug symbols for now)
-export DEB_BUILD_OPTIONS:="$(DEB_BUILD_OPTIONS) nostrip"
+DEB_BUILD_OPTIONS += nostrip
 
 # modules not in the "main" kamailio package
 EXCLUDED_MODULES= purple
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ mod_name=$(subst db_,,$(lastword $(subst /, ,$(1))))
 define PACKAGE_GRP_BUILD_template
 	# package all the modules in PACKAGE_GROUPS in separate packages
 	$(foreach grp,$(PACKAGE_GROUPS),\
-		$(MAKE) every-module group_include="k$(grp)"
+		$(MAKE) every-module group_include="k$(grp)" $(EXTRA_MAKE_ARGS)
 	)
 endef
 
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ endef
 define PACKAGE_MODULE_BUILD_template
 	# package all the modules MODULES_SP in separate packages
 	$(foreach mod,$(MODULES_SP),\
-		$(MAKE) modules modules="$(mod)"
+		$(MAKE) modules modules="$(mod)" $(EXTRA_MAKE_ARGS)
 	)
 endef
 
@@ -114,6 +114,12 @@ ifeq (,$(findstring nostrip,$(DEB_BUILD_OPTIONS)))
 	INSTALL_PROGRAM += -s
 endif
 
+ifneq (,$(filter parallel=%,$(DEB_BUILD_OPTIONS)))
+    NUMJOBS = $(patsubst parallel=%,%,$(filter parallel=%,$(DEB_BUILD_OPTIONS)))
+    EXTRA_MAKE_ARGS = -j$(NUMJOBS)
+endif
+
+
 configure: configure-stamp
 configure-stamp:
 	dh_testdir
@@ -131,8 +137,8 @@ build: build-stamp
 
 build-stamp: configure-stamp 
 	dh_testdir
-	# Add here commands to compile the package.
-	$(MAKE) all
+	# Add here commands to compile the package. 
+	$(MAKE) all $(EXTRA_MAKE_ARGS)
 	# make groups
 	$(call PACKAGE_GRP_BUILD_template)
 	# make single-module packages
