diff --git a/build-package.sh b/build-package.sh
index 1c95b1d07..0d44006c7 100755
--- a/build-package.sh
+++ b/build-package.sh
@@ -313,6 +313,7 @@ termux_step_setup_variables() {
 	TERMUX_PKG_KEEP_STATIC_LIBRARIES="false"
 	TERMUX_PKG_ESSENTIAL=""
 	TERMUX_PKG_CONFLICTS="" # https://www.debian.org/doc/debian-policy/ch-relationships.html#s-conflicts
+	TERMUX_PKG_RECOMMENDS="" # https://www.debian.org/doc/debian-policy/ch-relationships.html#s-binarydeps
 	TERMUX_PKG_REPLACES=""
 	TERMUX_PKG_CONFFILES=""
 	TERMUX_PKG_INCLUDE_IN_DEVPACKAGE=""
@@ -1149,6 +1150,7 @@ termux_step_create_debfile() {
 	test ! -z "$TERMUX_PKG_DEPENDS" && echo "Depends: $TERMUX_PKG_DEPENDS" >> DEBIAN/control
 	test ! -z "$TERMUX_PKG_ESSENTIAL" && echo "Essential: yes" >> DEBIAN/control
 	test ! -z "$TERMUX_PKG_CONFLICTS" && echo "Conflicts: $TERMUX_PKG_CONFLICTS" >> DEBIAN/control
+	test ! -z "$TERMUX_PKG_RECOMMENDS" && echo "Recommends: $TERMUX_PKG_RECOMMENDS" >> DEBIAN/control
 	test ! -z "$TERMUX_PKG_REPLACES" && echo "Replaces: $TERMUX_PKG_REPLACES" >> DEBIAN/control
 
 	# Create DEBIAN/conffiles (see https://www.debian.org/doc/debian-policy/ap-pkg-conffiles.html):