diff --git a/debian/control b/debian/control
index 5537921373c0d83d5b8b6b2416af9a8b1ebf6cdd..363f926ccb729aaa0c55e6b7cfa2cb0e4b63db80 100644
--- a/debian/control
+++ b/debian/control
@@ -9,7 +9,8 @@ Standards-Version: 3.9.6
 
 Package: rsyslog-exporter
 Architecture: any
-Depends: ${shlibs:Depends}, ${misc:Depends}, rsyslog
+Depends: ${shlibs:Depends}, ${misc:Depends}
+Recommends: rsyslog
 Built-Using: ${misc:Built-Using}
 Description: Rsyslog Prometheus exporter.
  Exports rsyslogd metrics to Prometheus.