diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index fd28ba3c..2facda65 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 - New `mouse.url.modifiers` option to specify keyboard modifiers for opening URLs on click
 - Binaries for macOS, Windows and Debian-based systems are now published with GitHub releases
 - The keys F16-F24 have been added as options for key bindings
+- DEB file adds Alacritty as option to `update-alternatives --config x-terminal-emulator`
 
 ### Changed
 
@@ -45,6 +46,7 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 - Moved `hide_cursor_when_typing` to `mouse.hide_when_typing`
 - Mouse bindings now ignore additional modifiers
 - Extra padding is now spread evenly around the terminal grid
+- DEB file installs to `usr/bin` instead of `usr/local/bin`
 
 ### Removed
 
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 53d9c95c..65293281 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -96,13 +96,14 @@ depends = "$auto"
 section = "rust"
 priority = "optional"
 assets = [
-    ["target/release/alacritty", "usr/local/bin/", "755"],
+    ["target/release/alacritty", "usr/bin/", "755"],
     ["alacritty.desktop", "usr/share/applications/", "644"],
     ["alacritty-completions.bash", "usr/share/bash-completion/completions/alacritty", "644"],
     ["alacritty-completions.fish", "usr/share/fish/completions/alacritty.fish", "644"],
     ["alacritty-completions.zsh", "usr/share/zsh/vendor-completions/_alacritty", "644"],
     ["alacritty.info", "usr/share/terminfo/a/alacritty", "644"],
 ]
+maintainer-scripts = "debian"
 
 [patch.crates-io]
 servo-freetype-sys = { path = "servo-freetype-proxy" }
diff --git a/INSTALL.md b/INSTALL.md
index b0627820..fff56906 100644
--- a/INSTALL.md
+++ b/INSTALL.md
@@ -222,6 +222,12 @@ cargo install cargo-deb
 cargo deb --install
 ```
 
+To choose a default terminal app, use Debian's `update-alternatives`.
+
+```sh
+update-alternatives --config x-terminal-emulator
+``` 
+
 ## Manual Page
 
 Installing the manual page requires the additional dependency `gzip`.
diff --git a/debian/postinst b/debian/postinst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..55a6032d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/debian/postinst
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+#!/bin/sh -e
+
+update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/x-terminal-emulator x-terminal-emulator /usr/bin/alacritty 20
diff --git a/debian/prerm b/debian/prerm
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..61427c04
--- /dev/null
+++ b/debian/prerm
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+#!/bin/sh -e
+
+update-alternatives --remove x-terminal-emulator /usr/bin/alacritty