diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index c7211f525..0d997a759 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -343,8 +343,10 @@ if (GENERATE_DEB MATCHES "1")
 
     if (${ENABLE_FFMPEG} MATCHES "false")
       set(DEPENDENCIES "${DEPENDENCIES}, libflac8, libfaad2")
+      set(RECOMMENDS "")
     else()
-      set(DEPENDENCIES "${DEPENDENCIES}, libavcodec-extra, libavutil${DEB_AVUTIL_VERSION}, libavformat${DEB_AVFORMAT_VERSION}, libswresample${DEB_SWRESAMPLE_VERSION}")
+      set(DEPENDENCIES "${DEPENDENCIES}, libavutil${DEB_AVUTIL_VERSION}, libavformat${DEB_AVFORMAT_VERSION}, libswresample${DEB_SWRESAMPLE_VERSION}")
+      set(RECOMMENDS "libavcodec-extra")
     endif()
 
     if (${ENABLE_BUNDLED_TAGLIB} MATCHES "false")
@@ -357,6 +359,7 @@ if (GENERATE_DEB MATCHES "1")
     set(CPACK_PACKAGE_VERSION_MINOR "${musikcube_VERSION_MINOR}")
     set(CPACK_PACKAGE_VERSION_PATCH "${musikcube_VERSION_PATCH}")
     set(CPACK_DEBIAN_PACKAGE_DEPENDS ${DEPENDENCIES})
+    set(CPACK_DEBIAN_PACKAGE_RECOMMENDS ${RECOMMENDS})
     set(CPACK_DEBIAN_PACKAGE_MAINTAINER "casey langen")
     set(CPACK_DEBIAN_PACKAGE_ARCHITECTURE ${DEB_ARCHITECTURE})
     set(CPACK_PACKAGE_FILE_NAME "musikcube_${musikcube_VERSION}_${DEB_PLATFORM}_${DEB_DISTRO}_${DEB_ARCHITECTURE}")