diff --git a/.pkgr.yml b/.pkgr.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..39a5f66dde4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.pkgr.yml
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+before_precompile: ./packaging/debian/setup.sh
diff --git a/packaging/debian/setup.sh b/packaging/debian/setup.sh
index 72afe2d6c08..1d7424f5e94 100755
--- a/packaging/debian/setup.sh
+++ b/packaging/debian/setup.sh
@@ -1,8 +1,17 @@
 #!/bin/sh
-# This script installs the required example config files before buildpack compilation.
+# This script sets up the required config files before buildpack compilation.
+#
+# It also launches a postgresql server and a redis server, otherwise some rake
+# tasks can't be completed.
 
-set -ex
+set -e
 
-cp config/database.yml.production-sample config/database.yml
-cp config/redis.yml.sample config/redis.yml
-cp config/environments/production.rb.sample config/environments/production.rb
+# Not everyone chooses to run discourse behind Apache or Nginx.
+cat >> config/environments/production.rb <<EOF
+Discourse::Application.configure do
+  config.serve_static_assets = true
+end
+EOF
+
+sudo service postgresql start
+sudo service redis-server start