diff --git a/roles/os_images/defaults/main.yml b/roles/os_images/defaults/main.yml
index 2503d6d..e0b6ff4 100644
--- a/roles/os_images/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/roles/os_images/defaults/main.yml
@@ -101,3 +101,7 @@ os_images_hide: false
 
 # Visibility of images ('public' requires admin rights.)
 os_images_visibility: "{{ 'public' if os_images_public | bool else 'private' }}"
+
+# Whether or not to install debootstrap on Linux distributions in the RedHat family.
+# This allows you to build Debian based images on RedHat hosts. Requires EPEL.
+os_images_rhel_debootstrap_enabled: "{{ os_images_install_epel_repo }}"
diff --git a/roles/os_images/tasks/prechecks.yml b/roles/os_images/tasks/prechecks.yml
index e3a008c..8cbe80d 100644
--- a/roles/os_images/tasks/prechecks.yml
+++ b/roles/os_images/tasks/prechecks.yml
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 ---
-# Here a quick check for the presence of Docker (or an alias for Podman)
-# Display a warning if not found
+# Check for the presence of Docker or Podman as this is
+# required for building container based images.
+# Error out if not found.
 - name: Check if container engine is installed
-  ansible.builtin.command: which docker
+  ansible.builtin.shell: which docker || which podman
   changed_when: false
   ignore_errors: true
   register: result
diff --git a/roles/os_images/vars/RedHat.yml b/roles/os_images/vars/RedHat.yml
index f11b3ac..f7afeb6 100644
--- a/roles/os_images/vars/RedHat.yml
+++ b/roles/os_images/vars/RedHat.yml
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 ---
 # List of package dependencies.
 os_images_package_dependencies:
-  - debootstrap
+  - "{% if os_images_rhel_debootstrap_enabled | bool %}debootstrap{% endif %}"
   - dosfstools
   - gdisk
   - "{% if os_images_git_elements | length > 0 %}git{% endif %}"