diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index 96cca734d2..b8dbc7b2bc 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ git-annex (4.20130324) UNRELEASED; urgency=low
   * webapp: Fix a race that sometimes caused alerts or other notifications
     to be missed if they occurred while a page was loading.
   * webapp: Progess bar fixes for many types of special remotes.
+  * Build debian package without using cabal, which writes to HOME.
+    Closes: #704205
 
  -- Joey Hess <joeyh@debian.org>  Mon, 25 Mar 2013 10:21:46 -0400
 
diff --git a/debian/control b/debian/control
index be65a39730..c8a15ed80c 100644
--- a/debian/control
+++ b/debian/control
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ Priority: optional
 Build-Depends: 
 	debhelper (>= 9),
 	ghc (>= 7.4),
-	cabal-install,
 	libghc-mtl-dev (>= 2.1.1),
 	libghc-missingh-dev,
 	libghc-hslogger-dev,
diff --git a/debian/rules b/debian/rules
index 7155baded1..99bcd6aa07 100755
--- a/debian/rules
+++ b/debian/rules
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 #!/usr/bin/make -f
 
+# Avoid using cabal, as it writes to $HOME
+export CABAL=runghc Setup.hs
+
 %:
 	dh $@