diff --git a/debian/compat b/debian/compat
deleted file mode 100644
index 45a4fb7..0000000
--- a/debian/compat
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-8
diff --git a/debian/control b/debian/control
index 9464eb3..1923c50 100644
--- a/debian/control
+++ b/debian/control
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ Source: maldetect
 Section: utils
 Priority: optional
 Maintainer: Jan Wagner <waja@cyconet.org>
-Build-Depends: debhelper (>= 8.0.0)
+Build-Depends: debhelper-compat (= 12)
 Standards-Version: 3.9.8
 Vcs-Git: git://git@github.com:waja/maldetect.git
 Vcs-Browser: https://github.com/waja/maldetect