diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index ecaf0da4..3276df29 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -9,8 +9,11 @@ skimage (0.9.3-1) unstable; urgency=low
   * debian/patches
     - changeset_0eea2a48fe2dca7bbb3681fcd5b511579cad6347.diff and
       up_correct_version removed (upstreamed)
+  * debian/rules
+    - added export http(s)_proxy to point to non-existing localhost proxy,
+      so we could guarantee no network is used at pkg build time
 
- -- Yaroslav Halchenko <debian@onerussian.com>  Fri, 22 Nov 2013 15:37:55 -0500
+ -- Yaroslav Halchenko <debian@onerussian.com>  Fri, 22 Nov 2013 16:10:11 -0500
 
 skimage (0.8.2-2) UNRELEASED; urgency=low
 
diff --git a/debian/rules b/debian/rules
index 9e2ee14c..7ca0a182 100755
--- a/debian/rules
+++ b/debian/rules
@@ -12,6 +12,9 @@ PY3VERS = $(shell py3versions -vr)
 export MPLCONFIGDIR=$(CURDIR)/build
 export HOME=$(CURDIR)/build
 
+export http_proxy = http://127.0.9.1:9
+export https_proxy = http://127.0.9.1:9
+
 # Mega rule
 %:
 	dh $@ --with python2,python3,sphinxdoc --buildsystem python_distutils