diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 3a2143e..4f80a2f 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -12,4 +12,6 @@ An action that builds a Debian package from source in a Docker container.
     source_directory: lolcat
     # Optional, relative to workspace directory
     artifacts_directory: output
+    # Optional, value from `debian/changelog` is used if not defined
+    os_distribution: bionic
 ```
diff --git a/action.yml b/action.yml
index 7e90219..173700e 100644
--- a/action.yml
+++ b/action.yml
@@ -12,6 +12,9 @@ inputs:
     description: Directory where build artifacts will be placed, relative to workspace
     required: false
     default: ./
+  os_distribution:
+    description: OS distribution name, value from `debian/changelog` is used if not defined
+    required: false
 runs:
   using: node12
   main: main.js
diff --git a/main.js b/main.js
index d4f9cb7..3589243 100644
--- a/main.js
+++ b/main.js
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ async function main() {
     try {
         const sourceRelativeDirectory = core.getInput("source_directory") || "./"
         const artifactsRelativeDirectory = core.getInput("artifacts_directory") || "./"
+        const osDistribution = core.getInput("os_distribution") || ""
 
         const workspaceDirectory = process.cwd()
         const sourceDirectory = path.join(workspaceDirectory, sourceRelativeDirectory)
@@ -38,9 +39,10 @@ async function main() {
 
         const file = path.join(sourceDirectory, "debian/changelog")
         const changelog = await firstline(file)
-        const regex = /^(?<pkg>.+) \(((?<epoch>[0-9]+):)?(?<version>[^:-]+)(-(?<revision>[^:-]+))?\) (?<distribution>.+);/
+        const regex = /^(?<pkg>.+) \(((?<epoch>[0-9]+):)?(?<version>[^:-]+)(-(?<revision>[^:-]+))?\) (?<packageDistribution>.+);/
         const match = changelog.match(regex)
-        const { pkg, epoch, version, revision, distribution } = match.groups
+        const { pkg, epoch, version, revision, packageDistribution } = match.groups
+        const distribution = osDistribution ? osDistribution : packageDistribution
         const imageName = await getImageName(distribution)
         const imageTag = await getImageTag(imageName, distribution)
         const container = pkg