diff --git a/e2e-docker/virtual_test.go b/e2e-docker/virtual_test.go
index bc3309b..2916b3a 100644
--- a/e2e-docker/virtual_test.go
+++ b/e2e-docker/virtual_test.go
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
+
+	"git.unkin.net/unkin/artifactapi/internal/testsupport"
 )
 
 // TestVirtualPyPIMerge uploads different packages to two pypi locals and
@@ -136,3 +138,57 @@ func TestVirtualRPMMerge(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("real dnf against rpm virtual failed: %v\n%s", err, out)
 	}
 }
+
+// TestVirtualDebMerge merges two local deb repos carrying the same package: the
+// first member wins the duplicate, and a real apt sees both members' packages
+// and installs through the virtual.
+func TestVirtualDebMerge(t *testing.T) {
+	createRepo(t, `{"name":"vdeb-a","package_type":"deb","repo_type":"local"}`)
+	createRepo(t, `{"name":"vdeb-b","package_type":"deb","repo_type":"local"}`)
+	defer deleteRepo(t, "vdeb-a")
+	defer deleteRepo(t, "vdeb-b")
+
+	uploadFile(t, "vdeb-a", "vdeb-one_1.0.0_amd64.deb", testsupport.MinimalDeb("vdeb-one", "1.0.0", "amd64"), "application/vnd.debian.binary-package")
+	uploadFile(t, "vdeb-b", "vdeb-one_1.0.0_amd64.deb", testsupport.MinimalDeb("vdeb-one", "1.0.0", "amd64"), "application/vnd.debian.binary-package")
+	uploadFile(t, "vdeb-b", "vdeb-two_2.0.0_amd64.deb", testsupport.MinimalDeb("vdeb-two", "2.0.0", "amd64"), "application/vnd.debian.binary-package")
+
+	createVirtual(t, `{"name":"vdeb","package_type":"deb","members":["vdeb-a","vdeb-b"]}`)
+	defer deleteVirtual(t, "vdeb")
+
+	var pk string
+	deadline := time.Now().Add(15 * time.Second)
+	for {
+		resp, body := doRequest(t, http.MethodGet, api("/api/v1/virtual/vdeb/Packages"), nil, "")
+		pk = string(body)
+		if resp.StatusCode == http.StatusOK && strings.Contains(pk, "vdeb-two") || time.Now().After(deadline) {
+			break
+		}
+		time.Sleep(500 * time.Millisecond)
+	}
+	if strings.Count(pk, "Package: vdeb-one\n") != 1 || !strings.Contains(pk, "Filename: vdeb-a/pool/vdeb-one_1.0.0_amd64.deb") ||
+		!strings.Contains(pk, "Filename: vdeb-b/pool/vdeb-two_2.0.0_amd64.deb") {
+		t.Fatalf("merged Packages should hold vdeb-one from the first member and vdeb-two:\n%s", pk)
+	}
+
+	network := os.Getenv("COMPOSE_NETWORK")
+	internal := os.Getenv("ARTIFACTAPI_INTERNAL")
+	if network == "" || internal == "" {
+		t.Skip("COMPOSE_NETWORK/ARTIFACTAPI_INTERNAL not set; skipping real apt")
+	}
+	if _, err := exec.LookPath("docker"); err != nil {
+		t.Skip("docker not available on the test host")
+	}
+	script := "set -euo pipefail; " +
+		"rm -f /etc/apt/sources.list.d/*; " +
+		"echo \"deb [trusted=yes] $URL ./\" > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/vdeb.list; " +
+		"apt-get update; " +
+		"apt-cache policy vdeb-one vdeb-two | tee /dev/stderr | grep -c virtual/vdeb | grep -qx 2; " +
+		"apt-get install -y vdeb-one vdeb-two; " +
+		"dpkg -s vdeb-one vdeb-two"
+	out, err := exec.Command("docker", "run", "--rm", "--network", network,
+		"-e", "URL="+strings.TrimRight(internal, "/")+"/api/v1/virtual/vdeb/",
+		"debian:13", "bash", "-c", script).CombinedOutput()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("real apt against deb virtual failed: %v\n%s", err, out)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/virtual/deb_merger.go b/internal/virtual/deb_merger.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4622dd2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/virtual/deb_merger.go
@@ -0,0 +1,235 @@
+package virtual
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"crypto/md5"
+	"encoding/hex"
+	"fmt"
+	"regexp"
+	"slices"
+	"strings"
+	"time"
+)
+
+// debIndexRe matches the binary Packages indexes a virtual merges: the flat
+// repo's root Packages and a suite's <component>/binary-<arch>/Packages.
+var debIndexRe = regexp.MustCompile(`^([^/]+/binary-[^/]+/)?Packages(\.[a-z0-9]+)?$`)
+
+// debCompressions is the order a member's index variants are fetched in.
+var debCompressions = []string{".xz", ".gz", ".zst", ".bz2", ""}
+
+// DebMember is one member's Release plus its decompressed Packages indexes,
+// keyed by index directory relative to the Release ("" for a flat repo).
+type DebMember struct {
+	RemoteName string
+	Release    []byte
+	Packages   map[string][]byte
+}
+
+// DebRepo is a merged apt repo: Release plus the indexes it lists, keyed by
+// their path relative to the Release.
+type DebRepo struct {
+	Release []byte
+	Files   map[string][]byte
+}
+
+type debRelease struct {
+	fields map[string]string
+	files  []string
+}
+
+// parseDebRelease reads a Release file's single-line fields and the names
+// listed in its checksum sections.
+func parseDebRelease(body []byte) debRelease {
+	rel := debRelease{fields: map[string]string{}}
+	inSums := false
+	seen := map[string]bool{}
+	for line := range strings.SplitSeq(string(body), "\n") {
+		line = strings.TrimRight(line, "\r")
+		if line == "" {
+			continue
+		}
+		if line[0] == ' ' || line[0] == '\t' {
+			if f := strings.Fields(line); inSums && len(f) == 3 && !seen[f[2]] {
+				seen[f[2]] = true
+				rel.files = append(rel.files, f[2])
+			}
+			continue
+		}
+		k, v, _ := strings.Cut(line, ":")
+		v = strings.TrimSpace(v)
+		inSums = v == "" && (k == "MD5Sum" || strings.HasPrefix(k, "SHA"))
+		if _, ok := rel.fields[k]; !ok {
+			rel.fields[k] = v
+		}
+	}
+	return rel
+}
+
+// debIndexFiles returns, per index directory, the variant of its Packages file
+// to fetch from a member's Release listing.
+func debIndexFiles(rel debRelease) map[string]string {
+	listed := map[string]bool{}
+	for _, f := range rel.files {
+		listed[f] = true
+	}
+	out := map[string]string{}
+	for _, f := range rel.files {
+		m := debIndexRe.FindStringSubmatch(f)
+		if m == nil || out[m[1]] != "" {
+			continue
+		}
+		for _, c := range debCompressions {
+			if listed[m[1]+"Packages"+c] {
+				out[m[1]] = m[1] + "Packages" + c
+				break
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	return out
+}
+
+func splitStanzas(body []byte) []string {
+	var out []string
+	for s := range strings.SplitSeq(strings.ReplaceAll(string(body), "\r\n", "\n"), "\n\n") {
+		if s = strings.Trim(s, "\n"); s != "" {
+			out = append(out, s)
+		}
+	}
+	return out
+}
+
+func stanzaField(stanza, key string) string {
+	for line := range strings.SplitSeq(stanza, "\n") {
+		if k, v, ok := strings.Cut(line, ":"); ok && k == key {
+			return strings.TrimSpace(v)
+		}
+	}
+	return ""
+}
+
+func unionFields(dst []string, field string) []string {
+	for f := range strings.FieldsSeq(field) {
+		if !slices.Contains(dst, f) {
+			dst = append(dst, f)
+		}
+	}
+	return dst
+}
+
+func parseDebDate(s string) (time.Time, bool) {
+	for _, layout := range []string{time.RFC1123Z, time.RFC1123} {
+		if t, err := time.Parse(layout, s); err == nil {
+			return t, true
+		}
+	}
+	return time.Time{}, false
+}
+
+// MergeDeb merges members into one apt repo. Members are in priority order: the
+// first member to carry a (Package, Version, Architecture) in an index wins.
+// Filename is prefixed with the owning member's name so the virtual can route
+// downloads back to it.
+func MergeDeb(members []DebMember) *DebRepo {
+	var suite, codename string
+	var arches, comps, dirs []string
+	date := time.Unix(0, 0)
+	for _, m := range members {
+		rel := parseDebRelease(m.Release)
+		if suite == "" {
+			suite, codename = rel.fields["Suite"], rel.fields["Codename"]
+		}
+		arches = unionFields(arches, rel.fields["Architectures"])
+		comps = unionFields(comps, rel.fields["Components"])
+		if t, ok := parseDebDate(rel.fields["Date"]); ok && t.After(date) {
+			date = t
+		}
+		for d := range m.Packages {
+			if !slices.Contains(dirs, d) {
+				dirs = append(dirs, d)
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	slices.Sort(dirs)
+
+	repo := &DebRepo{Files: map[string][]byte{}}
+	for _, d := range dirs {
+		seen := map[string]bool{}
+		var b bytes.Buffer
+		for _, m := range members {
+			for _, s := range splitStanzas(m.Packages[d]) {
+				key := stanzaField(s, "Package") + "\x00" + stanzaField(s, "Version") + "\x00" + stanzaField(s, "Architecture")
+				if seen[key] {
+					continue
+				}
+				seen[key] = true
+				if fn := stanzaField(s, "Filename"); fn != "" {
+					s = rewriteFilename(s, m.RemoteName+"/"+strings.TrimLeft(fn, "/"))
+				}
+				b.WriteString(s)
+				b.WriteString("\n\n")
+			}
+		}
+		repo.Files[d+"Packages"] = b.Bytes()
+		repo.Files[d+"Packages.gz"] = gzipDeterministic(b.Bytes())
+	}
+
+	var r bytes.Buffer
+	if suite != "" {
+		fmt.Fprintf(&r, "Suite: %s\n", suite)
+	}
+	if codename != "" {
+		fmt.Fprintf(&r, "Codename: %s\n", codename)
+	}
+	fmt.Fprintf(&r, "Date: %s\n", date.UTC().Format(time.RFC1123Z))
+	fmt.Fprintf(&r, "Architectures: %s\n", strings.Join(arches, " "))
+	if len(comps) > 0 {
+		fmt.Fprintf(&r, "Components: %s\n", strings.Join(comps, " "))
+	}
+	r.WriteString("Acquire-By-Hash: no\n")
+	for _, sec := range []struct {
+		name string
+		sum  func([]byte) string
+	}{{"MD5Sum", md5Hex}, {"SHA256", sha256Hex}} {
+		r.WriteString(sec.name + ":\n")
+		for _, d := range dirs {
+			for _, n := range []string{d + "Packages", d + "Packages.gz"} {
+				fmt.Fprintf(&r, " %s %d %s\n", sec.sum(repo.Files[n]), len(repo.Files[n]), n)
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	repo.Release = r.Bytes()
+	return repo
+}
+
+func rewriteFilename(stanza, fn string) string {
+	lines := strings.Split(stanza, "\n")
+	for i, l := range lines {
+		if strings.HasPrefix(l, "Filename:") {
+			lines[i] = "Filename: " + fn
+			break
+		}
+	}
+	return strings.Join(lines, "\n")
+}
+
+// debIndexPath splits an index request into its Release directory and the file
+// under it. ok is false for anything a deb virtual does not merge.
+func debIndexPath(p string) (base, name string, ok bool) {
+	if rest, found := strings.CutPrefix(p, "dists/"); found {
+		suite, n, found := strings.Cut(rest, "/")
+		if !found || suite == "" {
+			return "", "", false
+		}
+		base, p = "dists/"+suite+"/", n
+	}
+	if p != "Release" && !debIndexRe.MatchString(p) {
+		return "", "", false
+	}
+	return base, p, true
+}
+
+func md5Hex(data []byte) string {
+	h := md5.Sum(data)
+	return hex.EncodeToString(h[:])
+}
diff --git a/internal/virtual/deb_merger_test.go b/internal/virtual/deb_merger_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5f9e138
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/virtual/deb_merger_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,157 @@
+package virtual
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"crypto/md5"
+	"encoding/hex"
+	"fmt"
+	"maps"
+	"slices"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+func debStanza(pkg, ver, arch, filename string) string {
+	return fmt.Sprintf("Package: %s\nVersion: %s\nArchitecture: %s\nDescription: test\n multi-line body\nFilename: %s\nSize: 1\n", pkg, ver, arch, filename)
+}
+
+func flatDebMember(name, date string, stanzas ...string) DebMember {
+	rel := "Date: " + date + "\nArchitectures: amd64\nAcquire-By-Hash: no\nSHA256:\n x 1 Packages\n x 1 Packages.gz\n"
+	return DebMember{RemoteName: name, Release: []byte(rel), Packages: map[string][]byte{"": []byte(strings.Join(stanzas, "\n"))}}
+}
+
+func TestMergeDebDedupesByMemberOrder(t *testing.T) {
+	repo := MergeDeb([]DebMember{
+		flatDebMember("a", "Mon, 05 Oct 2026 10:00:00 +0000",
+			debStanza("foo", "1.0", "amd64", "pool/foo_1.0_amd64.deb"),
+			debStanza("bar", "2.0", "amd64", "/pool/bar.deb")),
+		flatDebMember("b", "Tue, 06 Oct 2026 10:00:00 UTC",
+			debStanza("foo", "1.0", "amd64", "pool/foo-from-b.deb"),
+			debStanza("foo", "1.0", "arm64", "pool/foo_arm64.deb"),
+			debStanza("foo", "1.1", "amd64", "o/r/releases/download/v1/foo.deb")),
+	})
+	pk := string(repo.Files["Packages"])
+	stanzas := splitStanzas(repo.Files["Packages"])
+	if len(stanzas) != 4 {
+		t.Fatalf("want 4 stanzas (one duplicate dropped), got %d:\n%s", len(stanzas), pk)
+	}
+	for _, want := range []string{
+		"Filename: a/pool/foo_1.0_amd64.deb",
+		"Filename: a/pool/bar.deb",
+		"Filename: b/pool/foo_arm64.deb",
+		"Filename: b/o/r/releases/download/v1/foo.deb",
+		" multi-line body",
+	} {
+		if !strings.Contains(pk, want) {
+			t.Errorf("merged Packages missing %q:\n%s", want, pk)
+		}
+	}
+	if strings.Contains(pk, "foo-from-b") {
+		t.Fatalf("second member's duplicate must lose:\n%s", pk)
+	}
+	if !bytes.Equal(gunzip(t, repo.Files["Packages.gz"]), repo.Files["Packages"]) {
+		t.Fatal("Packages.gz does not match Packages")
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(string(repo.Release), "Date: Tue, 06 Oct 2026 10:00:00 +0000\n") {
+		t.Fatalf("Date should be the newest member date:\n%s", repo.Release)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestMergeDebReleaseHashesFiles(t *testing.T) {
+	repo := MergeDeb([]DebMember{flatDebMember("a", "", debStanza("foo", "1", "amd64", "pool/foo.deb"))})
+	rel := parseDebRelease(repo.Release)
+	if got := slices.Sorted(slices.Values(rel.files)); !slices.Equal(got, []string{"Packages", "Packages.gz"}) {
+		t.Fatalf("Release lists %v", got)
+	}
+	inSHA := false
+	checked := 0
+	for line := range strings.SplitSeq(string(repo.Release), "\n") {
+		if !strings.HasPrefix(line, " ") {
+			inSHA = line == "SHA256:"
+			continue
+		}
+		var sum, name string
+		var size int
+		if _, err := fmt.Sscan(line, &sum, &size, &name); err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+		body := repo.Files[name]
+		want := sha256Hex(body)
+		if !inSHA {
+			h := md5.Sum(body)
+			want = hex.EncodeToString(h[:])
+		}
+		if sum != want || size != len(body) {
+			t.Errorf("%s: Release has %s %d, file is %s %d", name, sum, size, want, len(body))
+		}
+		checked++
+	}
+	if checked != 4 {
+		t.Fatalf("checked %d Release entries, want 4:\n%s", checked, repo.Release)
+	}
+	if !bytes.Equal(MergeDeb([]DebMember{flatDebMember("a", "", debStanza("foo", "1", "amd64", "pool/foo.deb"))}).Release, repo.Release) {
+		t.Fatal("merge must be deterministic")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestMergeDebSuiteLayout(t *testing.T) {
+	rel := func(comps string) []byte {
+		return []byte("Suite: stable\nCodename: trixie\nArchitectures: amd64 arm64\nComponents: " + comps + "\nSHA256:\n x 1 main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz\n")
+	}
+	repo := MergeDeb([]DebMember{
+		{RemoteName: "deb1", Release: rel("main"), Packages: map[string][]byte{"main/binary-amd64/": []byte(debStanza("foo", "1", "amd64", "pool/main/f/foo.deb"))}},
+		{RemoteName: "deb2", Release: rel("main contrib"), Packages: map[string][]byte{
+			"main/binary-amd64/":    []byte(debStanza("bar", "1", "amd64", "pool/main/b/bar.deb")),
+			"contrib/binary-amd64/": []byte(debStanza("baz", "1", "amd64", "pool/contrib/b/baz.deb")),
+		}},
+	})
+	for _, want := range []string{"Suite: stable\n", "Codename: trixie\n", "Components: main contrib\n", "Architectures: amd64 arm64\n"} {
+		if !strings.Contains(string(repo.Release), want) {
+			t.Errorf("Release missing %q:\n%s", want, repo.Release)
+		}
+	}
+	want := []string{"contrib/binary-amd64/Packages", "contrib/binary-amd64/Packages.gz", "main/binary-amd64/Packages", "main/binary-amd64/Packages.gz"}
+	if got := slices.Sorted(maps.Keys(repo.Files)); !slices.Equal(got, want) {
+		t.Fatalf("files %v, want %v", got, want)
+	}
+	if n := len(splitStanzas(repo.Files["main/binary-amd64/Packages"])); n != 2 {
+		t.Fatalf("main/binary-amd64 should merge both members, got %d stanzas", n)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestDebIndexFiles(t *testing.T) {
+	rel := parseDebRelease([]byte("Origin: Debian\nMD5Sum:\n a 1 main/binary-amd64/Packages\n a 1 main/binary-amd64/Packages.gz\nSHA256:\n" +
+		" a 1 main/binary-amd64/Packages\n a 1 main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz\n a 1 main/binary-amd64/Packages.gz\n" +
+		" a 1 main/debian-installer/binary-amd64/Packages.xz\n a 1 main/i18n/Translation-en.xz\n a 1 contrib/binary-all/Packages\n"))
+	got := debIndexFiles(rel)
+	want := map[string]string{"main/binary-amd64/": "main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz", "contrib/binary-all/": "contrib/binary-all/Packages"}
+	if !maps.Equal(got, want) {
+		t.Fatalf("got %v, want %v", got, want)
+	}
+	if flat := debIndexFiles(parseDebRelease([]byte("SHA256:\n a 1 Packages\n a 1 Packages.gz\n"))); flat[""] != "Packages.gz" {
+		t.Fatalf("flat repo should fetch Packages.gz, got %v", flat)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestDebIndexPath(t *testing.T) {
+	for _, tc := range []struct {
+		in, base, name string
+		ok             bool
+	}{
+		{"Release", "", "Release", true},
+		{"Packages.gz", "", "Packages.gz", true},
+		{"dists/trixie/Release", "dists/trixie/", "Release", true},
+		{"dists/trixie/main/binary-amd64/Packages", "dists/trixie/", "main/binary-amd64/Packages", true},
+		{"InRelease", "", "", false},
+		{"Release.gpg", "", "", false},
+		{"dists/trixie/InRelease", "", "", false},
+		{"dists/trixie/main/i18n/Translation-en", "", "", false},
+		{"dists/Release", "", "", false},
+		{"pool/foo.deb", "", "", false},
+	} {
+		base, name, ok := debIndexPath(tc.in)
+		if base != tc.base || name != tc.name || ok != tc.ok {
+			t.Errorf("%s: got (%q, %q, %v), want (%q, %q, %v)", tc.in, base, name, ok, tc.base, tc.name, tc.ok)
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/virtual/engine.go b/internal/virtual/engine.go
index d4c52d0..9add6fd 100644
--- a/internal/virtual/engine.go
+++ b/internal/virtual/engine.go
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import (
 	"net/http"
 	"net/http/httptest"
 	"net/url"
+	"path"
 	"slices"
 	"strings"
 	"sync"
@@ -26,18 +27,30 @@ type Engine struct {
 	proxyEngine *proxy.Engine
 	getRemote   func(context.Context, string) (*models.Remote, error)
 	rpmMember   func(context.Context, string) (*RPMMember, error)
+	debMember   func(ctx context.Context, name, base string) (*DebMember, error)
 
 	mergeTTL time.Duration
 
-	sf  singleflight.Group
-	mu  sync.Mutex
-	rpm map[string]*rpmGen
+	sf   singleflight.Group
+	mu   sync.Mutex
+	gens map[string]*repoGen
 }
 
-// rpmGen holds a virtual's current merge plus the previous one, so a client
-// holding the previous repomd can still fetch its content-hashed data files.
-type rpmGen struct {
-	cur, prev *RPMRepo
+// mergedRepo is a merged index document plus the files it references.
+type mergedRepo interface {
+	index() []byte
+	files() map[string][]byte
+}
+
+func (r *RPMRepo) index() []byte            { return r.Repomd }
+func (r *RPMRepo) files() map[string][]byte { return r.Files }
+func (r *DebRepo) index() []byte            { return r.Release }
+func (r *DebRepo) files() map[string][]byte { return r.Files }
+
+// repoGen holds a virtual's current merge plus the previous one, so a client
+// holding the previous index can still fetch the files it references.
+type repoGen struct {
+	cur, prev mergedRepo
 	at        time.Time
 }
 
@@ -46,12 +59,16 @@ const rpmMergeTTL = 60 * time.Second
 func NewEngine(db *database.DB, proxyEngine *proxy.Engine) *Engine {
 	e := &Engine{db: db, proxyEngine: proxyEngine, getRemote: db.GetRemote, mergeTTL: rpmMergeTTL}
 	e.rpmMember = e.fetchRPMMember
+	e.debMember = e.fetchDebMember
 	return e
 }
 
 func (e *Engine) Fetch(ctx context.Context, virt models.Virtual, path string, proxyBaseURL string) ([]byte, string, error) {
-	if virt.PackageType == models.PackageRPM {
+	switch virt.PackageType {
+	case models.PackageRPM:
 		return e.fetchRPM(ctx, virt, path)
+	case models.PackageDeb:
+		return e.fetchDeb(ctx, virt, path)
 	}
 
 	merger, err := GetMerger(virt.PackageType)
@@ -170,11 +187,22 @@ var (
 	ErrBadPath  = errors.New("invalid path")
 )
 
-// MemberRedirect maps an rpm virtual package path (<member>/<href>, as written
-// by MergeRPM) to the owning member's route. ok is false for any other path;
-// ErrBadPath means the path is absolute or escapes the member.
+// MemberRedirect maps an rpm or deb virtual package path (<member>/<href>, as
+// written by MergeRPM/MergeDeb) to the owning member's route. ok is false for
+// any other path; ErrBadPath means the path is absolute or escapes the member.
 func (e *Engine) MemberRedirect(ctx context.Context, virt models.Virtual, path, rawQuery, proxyBaseURL string) (string, bool, error) {
-	if virt.PackageType != models.PackageRPM || strings.HasPrefix(path, "repodata/") {
+	switch virt.PackageType {
+	case models.PackageRPM:
+		if strings.HasPrefix(path, "repodata/") {
+			return "", false, nil
+		}
+	case models.PackageDeb:
+		// apt requests a flat repo's files under its "./" dist verbatim.
+		path = strings.TrimPrefix(path, "./")
+		if strings.HasPrefix(path, "dists/") {
+			return "", false, nil
+		}
+	default:
 		return "", false, nil
 	}
 	name, rest, found := strings.Cut(path, "/")
@@ -217,54 +245,57 @@ func (e *Engine) fetchRPM(ctx context.Context, virt models.Virtual, path string)
 	if !strings.HasPrefix(path, "repodata/") {
 		return nil, "", ErrNotFound
 	}
+	key := "rpm\x00" + virt.Name
 	if path != "repodata/repomd.xml" {
-		if body, ok := e.cachedRPMFile(virt.Name, path); ok {
+		if body, ok := e.cachedFile(key, path); ok {
 			return body, "application/gzip", nil
 		}
 	}
 
-	repo, err := e.mergedRPM(ctx, virt)
+	repo, err := e.merged(ctx, key, func(ctx context.Context) (mergedRepo, error) {
+		return e.mergeRPM(ctx, virt)
+	})
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, "", err
 	}
 	if path == "repodata/repomd.xml" {
-		return repo.Repomd, "application/xml", nil
+		return repo.index(), "application/xml", nil
 	}
-	if body, ok := repo.Files[path]; ok {
+	if body, ok := repo.files()[path]; ok {
 		return body, "application/gzip", nil
 	}
 	return nil, "", ErrNotFound
 }
 
-// mergedRPM returns the virtual's merge, reusing it for mergeTTL and
-// collapsing concurrent merges of the same virtual into one.
+// merged returns the merge cached under key, reusing it for mergeTTL and
+// collapsing concurrent merges of the same key into one.
 // ponytail: per-replica cache; behind a non-sticky LB a data request landing on
 // another replica re-merges and 404s if a member changed in between. Move to the
 // shared redis cache if that shows up.
-func (e *Engine) mergedRPM(ctx context.Context, virt models.Virtual) (*RPMRepo, error) {
+func (e *Engine) merged(ctx context.Context, key string, merge func(context.Context) (mergedRepo, error)) (mergedRepo, error) {
 	e.mu.Lock()
-	g := e.rpm[virt.Name]
+	g := e.gens[key]
 	if g != nil && time.Since(g.at) < e.mergeTTL {
 		e.mu.Unlock()
 		return g.cur, nil
 	}
 	e.mu.Unlock()
 
-	v, err, _ := e.sf.Do(virt.Name, func() (any, error) {
-		repo, err := e.mergeRPM(context.WithoutCancel(ctx), virt)
+	v, err, _ := e.sf.Do(key, func() (any, error) {
+		repo, err := merge(context.WithoutCancel(ctx))
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
 		e.mu.Lock()
 		defer e.mu.Unlock()
-		if e.rpm == nil {
-			e.rpm = map[string]*rpmGen{}
+		if e.gens == nil {
+			e.gens = map[string]*repoGen{}
 		}
-		g := e.rpm[virt.Name]
+		g := e.gens[key]
 		switch {
 		case g == nil:
-			e.rpm[virt.Name] = &rpmGen{cur: repo, at: time.Now()}
-		case string(g.cur.Repomd) == string(repo.Repomd):
+			e.gens[key] = &repoGen{cur: repo, at: time.Now()}
+		case string(g.cur.index()) == string(repo.index()):
 			g.at = time.Now()
 			repo = g.cur
 		default:
@@ -275,18 +306,31 @@ func (e *Engine) mergedRPM(ctx context.Context, virt models.Virtual) (*RPMRepo,
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	return v.(*RPMRepo), nil
+	return v.(mergedRepo), nil
 }
 
 func (e *Engine) mergeRPM(ctx context.Context, virt models.Virtual) (*RPMRepo, error) {
-	members := make([]RPMMember, len(virt.Members))
+	members, err := fetchMembers(virt, func(name string) (*RPMMember, error) { return e.rpmMember(ctx, name) })
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	repo, err := MergeRPM(members)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("merge rpm repodata: %w", err)
+	}
+	return repo, nil
+}
+
+// fetchMembers reads every member in parallel, failing if any member fails.
+func fetchMembers[T any](virt models.Virtual, fetch func(name string) (*T, error)) ([]T, error) {
+	members := make([]T, len(virt.Members))
 	errs := make([]error, len(virt.Members))
 	var wg sync.WaitGroup
 	for i, name := range virt.Members {
 		wg.Add(1)
 		go func() {
 			defer wg.Done()
-			m, err := e.rpmMember(ctx, name)
+			m, err := fetch(name)
 			if err != nil {
 				errs[i] = fmt.Errorf("member %q: %w", name, err)
 				return
@@ -299,26 +343,83 @@ func (e *Engine) mergeRPM(ctx context.Context, virt models.Virtual) (*RPMRepo, e
 	if err := errors.Join(errs...); err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("virtual %q: %v", virt.Name, err)
 	}
-
-	repo, err := MergeRPM(members)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("merge rpm repodata: %w", err)
-	}
-	return repo, nil
+	return members, nil
 }
 
-func (e *Engine) cachedRPMFile(virt, path string) ([]byte, bool) {
+func (e *Engine) fetchDeb(ctx context.Context, virt models.Virtual, reqPath string) ([]byte, string, error) {
+	base, name, ok := debIndexPath(strings.TrimPrefix(path.Clean("/"+reqPath), "/"))
+	if !ok {
+		return nil, "", ErrNotFound
+	}
+	key := "deb\x00" + virt.Name + "\x00" + base
+	if name != "Release" {
+		if body, ok := e.cachedFile(key, name); ok {
+			return body, debContentType(name), nil
+		}
+	}
+
+	repo, err := e.merged(ctx, key, func(ctx context.Context) (mergedRepo, error) {
+		members, err := fetchMembers(virt, func(name string) (*DebMember, error) { return e.debMember(ctx, name, base) })
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+		return MergeDeb(members), nil
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, "", err
+	}
+	if name == "Release" {
+		return repo.index(), "text/plain", nil
+	}
+	if body, ok := repo.files()[name]; ok {
+		return body, debContentType(name), nil
+	}
+	return nil, "", ErrNotFound
+}
+
+func debContentType(name string) string {
+	if strings.HasSuffix(name, ".gz") {
+		return "application/gzip"
+	}
+	return "text/plain"
+}
+
+// fetchDebMember reads a member's Release under base and each binary Packages
+// index it lists.
+func (e *Engine) fetchDebMember(ctx context.Context, name, base string) (*DebMember, error) {
+	remote, err := e.getRemote(ctx, name)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("remote %q: %w", name, err)
+	}
+	rel, err := e.fetchMemberPath(ctx, *remote, base+"Release")
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	m := &DebMember{RemoteName: name, Release: rel, Packages: map[string][]byte{}}
+	for dir, file := range debIndexFiles(parseDebRelease(rel)) {
+		raw, err := e.fetchMemberPath(ctx, *remote, base+file)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+		if m.Packages[dir], err = decompress(file, raw); err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("decompress %s: %w", file, err)
+		}
+	}
+	return m, nil
+}
+
+func (e *Engine) cachedFile(key, path string) ([]byte, bool) {
 	e.mu.Lock()
 	defer e.mu.Unlock()
-	g := e.rpm[virt]
+	g := e.gens[key]
 	if g == nil {
 		return nil, false
 	}
-	for _, r := range []*RPMRepo{g.cur, g.prev} {
+	for _, r := range []mergedRepo{g.cur, g.prev} {
 		if r == nil {
 			continue
 		}
-		if body, ok := r.Files[path]; ok {
+		if body, ok := r.files()[path]; ok {
 			return body, true
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/internal/virtual/engine_test.go b/internal/virtual/engine_test.go
index d1c28c9..91cf3d2 100644
--- a/internal/virtual/engine_test.go
+++ b/internal/virtual/engine_test.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"regexp"
+	"strings"
 	"sync"
 	"sync/atomic"
 	"testing"
@@ -156,3 +157,94 @@ func TestMemberRedirect(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+func debEngine(members map[string]*DebMember) *Engine {
+	e := fakeEngine(nil)
+	e.debMember = func(_ context.Context, name, base string) (*DebMember, error) {
+		if m := members[name]; m != nil && base == "" {
+			return m, nil
+		}
+		return nil, errors.New("upstream down")
+	}
+	return e
+}
+
+func debVirt(members ...string) models.Virtual {
+	return models.Virtual{Name: "v", PackageType: models.PackageDeb, Members: members}
+}
+
+func TestFetchDebFailsClosed(t *testing.T) {
+	a := flatDebMember("a", "", debStanza("foo", "1", "amd64", "pool/foo.deb"))
+	e := debEngine(map[string]*DebMember{"a": &a})
+	for _, p := range []string{"Release", "./Packages.gz", "dists/trixie/Release"} {
+		if _, _, err := e.Fetch(context.Background(), debVirt("a", "b"), p, ""); err == nil || errors.Is(err, ErrNotFound) {
+			t.Errorf("%s: want upstream error with a member down, got %v", p, err)
+		}
+	}
+	for _, p := range []string{"InRelease", "./Release.gpg", "Packages.xz"} {
+		if _, _, err := e.Fetch(context.Background(), debVirt("a"), p, ""); !errors.Is(err, ErrNotFound) {
+			t.Errorf("%s: want not found, got %v", p, err)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func TestFetchDebRemergesAfterTTL(t *testing.T) {
+	a := flatDebMember("a", "", debStanza("foo", "1", "amd64", "pool/foo_1.deb"))
+	e := debEngine(map[string]*DebMember{"a": &a})
+	virt := debVirt("a")
+
+	rel, _, err := e.Fetch(context.Background(), virt, "./Release", "")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	a.Packages[""] = []byte(debStanza("foo", "2", "amd64", "pool/foo_2.deb"))
+	e.mergeTTL = 0
+	newRel, _, err := e.Fetch(context.Background(), virt, "Release", "")
+	if err != nil || string(newRel) == string(rel) {
+		t.Fatalf("Release should reflect the member change (err %v)", err)
+	}
+	pk, ct, err := e.Fetch(context.Background(), virt, "./Packages", "")
+	if err != nil || ct != "text/plain" || !strings.Contains(string(pk), "Version: 2") {
+		t.Fatalf("Packages should be the current merge (ct %q, err %v):\n%s", ct, err, pk)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestFetchDebMergeIsSharedPerSuite(t *testing.T) {
+	var calls atomic.Int32
+	e := fakeEngine(nil)
+	e.mergeTTL = time.Minute
+	e.debMember = func(_ context.Context, name, base string) (*DebMember, error) {
+		calls.Add(1)
+		m := flatDebMember(name, "", debStanza("foo", "1", "amd64", "pool/foo.deb"))
+		return &m, nil
+	}
+	for _, p := range []string{"Release", "Packages", "Packages.gz", "./Release", "dists/a/Release", "dists/b/Release"} {
+		if _, _, err := e.Fetch(context.Background(), debVirt("a"), p, ""); err != nil && !errors.Is(err, ErrNotFound) {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+	}
+	if n := calls.Load(); n != 3 {
+		t.Fatalf("member fetched %d times, want once per Release dir (3)", n)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestMemberRedirectDeb(t *testing.T) {
+	e := fakeEngine(nil)
+	virt := debVirt("gh", "loc")
+	for _, tc := range []struct {
+		path, want string
+		ok         bool
+		err        error
+	}{
+		{path: "gh/o/r/releases/download/v1/foo_1.0_amd64.deb", ok: true, want: "http://h/api/v1/remote/gh/o/r/releases/download/v1/foo_1.0_amd64.deb"},
+		{path: "./gh/pool/a+b.deb", ok: true, want: "http://h/api/v1/remote/gh/pool/a+b.deb"},
+		{path: "gh/../loc/x.deb", err: ErrBadPath},
+		{path: "dists/trixie/Release"},
+		{path: "Packages"},
+	} {
+		got, ok, err := e.MemberRedirect(context.Background(), virt, tc.path, "", "http://h/")
+		if got != tc.want || ok != tc.ok || !errors.Is(err, tc.err) {
+			t.Errorf("%s: got (%q, %v, %v), want (%q, %v, %v)", tc.path, got, ok, err, tc.want, tc.ok, tc.err)
+		}
+	}
+}