diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index 418bc09..0128197 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -55,6 +55,14 @@ done
 AC_MSG_NOTICE([Version number of $PACKAGENAME is: ${MAJOR}.${MINOR}.${LEAST}])
 AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE($PACKAGENAME, $MAJOR.$MINOR.$LEAST, [marc@waeckerlin.org])
 
+# author for signing packages
+if test -z "$PACKAGERID"; then
+   PACKAGERID="Marc Wäckerlin (http://marc.waeckerlin.org) <marc@waeckerlin.org>"
+fi
+AC_ARG_VAR(PACKAGERID, [Signature identification of the package author.])
+BUILDDATE=$(date --rfc-2822)
+AC_SUBST(BUILDDATE)
+
 # files to create
 AC_CONFIG_FILES([makefile ${PACKAGENAME}.spec src/version.cxx
                  src/makefile test/makefile
diff --git a/debian/changelog.in b/debian/changelog.in
index 17b13cd..9487502 100644
--- a/debian/changelog.in
+++ b/debian/changelog.in
@@ -2,4 +2,4 @@
 
   * see https://dev.marc.waeckerlin.org/projects/mrw-c++++ for changes
 
- -- Marc Wäckerlin (http://marc.waeckerlin.org) <marc@waeckerlin.org>  Wed, 07 Apr 2010 10:23:02 +0200
+ -- @PACKAGERID@  @BUILDDATE@