diff --git a/stages/org.osbuild.debootstrap.py b/stages/org.osbuild.debootstrap.py
index 93a7428c..95680855 100644
--- a/stages/org.osbuild.debootstrap.py
+++ b/stages/org.osbuild.debootstrap.py
@@ -1,11 +1,29 @@
 #!/usr/bin/python3
-import os
-import sys
-import subprocess
-import tempfile
-import shutil
+"""
+Create base Debian filesystem using debootstrap
 
-import osbuild.api
+This stage uses debootstrap to create a minimal Debian base system.
+Similar to how OSBuild uses dnf/rpm for Fedora, this creates the foundation
+for Debian-based builds.
+
+Uses the following binaries from the host:
+    * `debootstrap` to create the base Debian filesystem
+    * `cp` to copy files to the target tree
+
+This stage will return metadata about the created base system.
+"""
+
+import contextlib
+import json
+import os
+import subprocess
+import sys
+import tempfile
+from operator import itemgetter
+
+from osbuild import api
+from osbuild.util.mnt import mount
+from osbuild.util.runners import create_machine_id_if_needed
 
 
 def run_debootstrap(suite, target, mirror, arch=None, variant=None, extra_packages=None, apt_proxy=None):
@@ -59,6 +77,54 @@ deb {mirror} {suite}-security main
     print(f"Created sources.list for {suite}")
 
 
+def generate_base_metadata(tree, suite, arch):
+    """Generate metadata about the created base system"""
+    
+    # Get dpkg package list (similar to rpm metadata)
+    try:
+        cmd = [
+            "chroot", tree,
+            "dpkg-query", "-W",
+            "--showformat=${Package}\t${Version}\t${Architecture}\t${Status}\n"
+        ]
+        
+        result = subprocess.run(cmd, capture_output=True, text=True, check=True)
+        
+        packages = []
+        for line in result.stdout.strip().split('\n'):
+            if line.strip():
+                parts = line.split('\t')
+                if len(parts) >= 4 and 'installed' in parts[3]:
+                    packages.append({
+                        "name": parts[0],
+                        "version": parts[1],
+                        "architecture": parts[2],
+                        "status": parts[3]
+                    })
+        
+        packages = sorted(packages, key=itemgetter("name"))
+        
+        return {
+            "base_system": {
+                "suite": suite,
+                "architecture": arch,
+                "method": "debootstrap"
+            },
+            "packages": packages
+        }
+        
+    except subprocess.CalledProcessError as e:
+        print(f"Warning: Could not generate package metadata: {e}")
+        return {
+            "base_system": {
+                "suite": suite,
+                "architecture": arch,
+                "method": "debootstrap"
+            },
+            "packages": []
+        }
+
+
 def main(tree, options):
     """Main function for debootstrap stage"""
     
@@ -78,45 +144,45 @@ def main(tree, options):
         print("No mirror specified for debootstrap")
         return 1
     
-    # Create temporary directory for debootstrap
-    with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as temp_dir:
-        print(f"Creating base Debian filesystem in {temp_dir}")
-        
-        # Run debootstrap
-        if not run_debootstrap(suite, temp_dir, mirror, arch, variant, extra_packages, apt_proxy):
-            return 1
-        
-        # Set up apt sources
-        setup_apt_sources(temp_dir, suite, mirror)
-        
-        # Configure apt proxy if specified
-        if apt_proxy:
-            print(f"Configuring apt proxy: {apt_proxy}")
-            proxy_config = f"""Acquire::http::Proxy "{apt_proxy}";
+    print(f"Creating base Debian filesystem: {suite} from {mirror}")
+    
+    # Run debootstrap directly into the target tree
+    if not run_debootstrap(suite, tree, mirror, arch, variant, extra_packages, apt_proxy):
+        return 1
+    
+    # Set up apt sources
+    setup_apt_sources(tree, suite, mirror)
+    
+    # Configure apt proxy if specified
+    if apt_proxy:
+        print(f"Configuring apt proxy: {apt_proxy}")
+        proxy_config = f"""Acquire::http::Proxy "{apt_proxy}";
 Acquire::https::Proxy "{apt_proxy}";
 """
-            proxy_file = os.path.join(temp_dir, "etc/apt/apt.conf.d/99proxy")
-            os.makedirs(os.path.dirname(proxy_file), exist_ok=True)
-            with open(proxy_file, "w") as f:
-                f.write(proxy_config)
-        
-        # Copy files to target tree
-        print(f"Copying filesystem to target tree: {tree}")
-        
-        # Ensure target directory exists
-        os.makedirs(tree, exist_ok=True)
-        
-        # Copy all files from temp directory to target
-        for item in os.listdir(temp_dir):
-            src = os.path.join(temp_dir, item)
-            dst = os.path.join(tree, item)
-            
-            if os.path.isdir(src):
-                if os.path.exists(dst):
-                    shutil.rmtree(dst)
-                shutil.copytree(src, dst)
-            else:
-                shutil.copy2(src, dst)
+        proxy_file = os.path.join(tree, "etc/apt/apt.conf.d/99proxy")
+        os.makedirs(os.path.dirname(proxy_file), exist_ok=True)
+        with open(proxy_file, "w") as f:
+            f.write(proxy_config)
+    
+    # Mount essential filesystems for package operations (similar to rpm stage)
+    for source in ("/dev", "/sys", "/proc"):
+        target = os.path.join(tree, source.lstrip("/"))
+        os.makedirs(target, exist_ok=True)
+        mount(source, target, ro=False)
+    
+    # Create /dev/fd symlink
+    os.symlink("/proc/self/fd", f"{tree}/dev/fd")
+    
+    # Generate metadata about the created system
+    try:
+        metadata = generate_base_metadata(tree, suite, arch)
+        api.metadata(metadata)
+    except Exception as e:
+        print(f"Warning: Could not generate metadata: {e}")
+    
+    # Remove random seed if it exists (like rpm stage does)
+    with contextlib.suppress(FileNotFoundError):
+        os.unlink(f"{tree}/var/lib/systemd/random-seed")
     
     print("Base Debian filesystem created successfully")
     return 0