diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 99269c9..00daddc 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -106,10 +106,10 @@ NAME:
 
 USAGE:
    go-bin-deb <cmd> <options>
-   
+
 VERSION:
    0.0.0
-   
+
 COMMANDS:
      generate  Generate the contents of the package
      test      Test the package json file
@@ -130,11 +130,12 @@ USAGE:
    go-bin-deb generate [command options] [arguments...]
 
 OPTIONS:
-   --wd value, -w value      Working directory to prepare the package (default: "pkg-build")
-   --output value, -o value  Output directory for the debian package files
-   --file value, -f value    Path to the deb.json file (default: "deb.json")
-   --version value           Version of the package
-   --arch value, -a value    Arch of the package
+   --wd value, -w value           Working directory to prepare the package (default: "pkg-build")
+   --output value, -o value       Output directory for the debian package files
+   --file value, -f value         Path to the deb.json file (default: "deb.json")
+   --version value                Version of the package
+   --arch value, -a value         Arch of the package
+   --compression value, -z value  Compression to use (via dpkg-deb -Z)
 ```
 
 ### test
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..933691b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+module github.com/mh-cbon/go-bin-deb
+
+go 1.19
+
+require (
+	github.com/mattn/go-zglob v0.0.0-20160607002833-2dbd7f37a45e
+	github.com/mh-cbon/verbose v0.0.0-20160711150219-2b8e4118ca07
+	github.com/urfave/cli v1.18.0
+)
+
+require (
+	github.com/fatih/color v1.0.0 // indirect
+	github.com/mattn/go-colorable v0.0.5 // indirect
+	github.com/mattn/go-isatty v0.0.0-20151211000621-56b76bdf51f7 // indirect
+	golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20160704031755-a408501be4d1 // indirect
+)
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5eb901b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+github.com/fatih/color v1.0.0 h1:4zdNjpoprR9fed2QRCPb2VTPU4UFXEtJc9Vc+sgXkaQ=
+github.com/fatih/color v1.0.0/go.mod h1:Zm6kSWBoL9eyXnKyktHP6abPY2pDugNf5KwzbycvMj4=
+github.com/mattn/go-colorable v0.0.5 h1:X1IeP+MaFWC+vpbhw3y426rQftzXSj+N7eJFnBEMBfE=
+github.com/mattn/go-colorable v0.0.5/go.mod h1:9vuHe8Xs5qXnSaW/c/ABM9alt+Vo+STaOChaDxuIBZU=
+github.com/mattn/go-isatty v0.0.0-20151211000621-56b76bdf51f7 h1:owMyzMR4QR+jSdlfkX9jPU3rsby4++j99BfbtgVr6ZY=
+github.com/mattn/go-isatty v0.0.0-20151211000621-56b76bdf51f7/go.mod h1:M+lRXTBqGeGNdLjl/ufCoiOlB5xdOkqRJdNxMWT7Zi4=
+github.com/mattn/go-zglob v0.0.0-20160607002833-2dbd7f37a45e h1:CKUOoFXxmNBWmFTR23znmpAl2WMnDWd/FMjHuSw6mNg=
+github.com/mattn/go-zglob v0.0.0-20160607002833-2dbd7f37a45e/go.mod h1:9fxibJccNxU2cnpIKLRRFA7zX7qhkJIQWBb449FYHOo=
+github.com/mh-cbon/verbose v0.0.0-20160711150219-2b8e4118ca07 h1:TY5IdR1j46GCDiVVfs7Oc9JgpJoA2AmNPRH4oF9cX+g=
+github.com/mh-cbon/verbose v0.0.0-20160711150219-2b8e4118ca07/go.mod h1:oCHJllkeMGmtEJYsuGRMCY0XbgXHyOSZPxKD6O+rHoo=
+github.com/urfave/cli v1.18.0 h1:m9MfmZWX7bwr9kUcs/Asr95j0IVXzGNNc+/5ku2m26Q=
+github.com/urfave/cli v1.18.0/go.mod h1:70zkFmudgCuE/ngEzBv17Jvp/497gISqfk5gWijbERA=
+golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20160704031755-a408501be4d1 h1:QtO5ZFD1u7KisZhuRLL2GaZAZDdJqUcTdjFJj8OEePA=
+golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20160704031755-a408501be4d1/go.mod h1:STP8DvDyc/dI5b8T5hshtkjS+E42TnysNCUPdjciGhY=
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 75ae232..b0fadd9 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -53,6 +53,11 @@ func main() {
 					Value: "",
 					Usage: "Arch of the package",
 				},
+				cli.StringFlag{
+					Name:  "compression, z",
+					Value: "",
+					Usage: "Compression to use (via dpkg-deb -Z)",
+				},
 			},
 		},
 		{
@@ -78,6 +83,7 @@ func generateContents(c *cli.Context) error {
 	file := c.String("file")
 	version := c.String("version")
 	arch := c.String("arch")
+	compression := c.String("compression")
 
 	pkgDir := filepath.Join(wd)
 
@@ -104,8 +110,12 @@ func generateContents(c *cli.Context) error {
 		return cli.NewExitError(err.Error(), 1)
 	}
 
-	logger.Printf("Building package in %s to %s", wd, output)
-	if err := buildPackage(pkgDir, output); err != nil {
+	extraArgs := []string{}
+	if compression != "" {
+		extraArgs = append(extraArgs, "-Z"+compression)
+	}
+	logger.Printf("Building package in %s to %s with extra args %v", wd, output, extraArgs)
+	if err := buildPackage(pkgDir, output, extraArgs); err != nil {
 		return cli.NewExitError(err.Error(), 1)
 	}
 
@@ -129,8 +139,13 @@ func testPkg(c *cli.Context) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func buildPackage(wd string, output string) error {
-	oCmd := exec.Command("fakeroot", "dpkg-deb", "--build", "debian", output)
+func buildPackage(wd string, output string, extraArgs []string) error {
+	args := []string{"dpkg-deb"}
+	if len(extraArgs) > 0 {
+		args = append(args, extraArgs...)
+	}
+	args = append(args, "--build", "debian", output)
+	oCmd := exec.Command("fakeroot", args...)
 	oCmd.Dir = wd
 	oCmd.Stdout = os.Stdout
 	oCmd.Stderr = os.Stderr