diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci_release.yaml b/.github/workflows/ci_release.yaml
index 4a28624..ee2f060 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci_release.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci_release.yaml
@@ -8,6 +8,10 @@ jobs:
   push_to_docker_hub:
     name: Push to Docker Hub
 
+    strategy:
+      matrix:
+        flavor: ["", "debian"]
+
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
 
     steps:
@@ -16,3 +20,4 @@ jobs:
           tag: ${{ github.event.release.tag_name }}
           dockerhub_username: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_USERNAME }}
           dockerhub_token: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_TOKEN }}
+          flavor: ${{ matrix.flavor }}
diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index 33dbe10..fc6ae33 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -13,36 +13,38 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 
-## creating building container
-FROM python:3.12-slim-bookworm AS builder
-# update and install dependencies
-RUN apt update
-RUN apt upgrade -y
+# BASE: a base image with updated packages
+FROM python:3.12-alpine AS base
+RUN apk upgrade --no-cache --available
+
+# BUILDER: a container to build the service wheel
+FROM base AS builder
 RUN pip install build
-# copy code
 COPY . /service
 WORKDIR /service
-# build wheel
 RUN python -m build
 
-# creating running container
-FROM python:3.12-slim-bookworm
-# update and install dependencies
-RUN apt update
-RUN apt upgrade -y
-# copy and install requirements and wheel
+# DEP-BUILDER: a container to (build and) install dependencies
+FROM base AS dep-builder
+RUN apk update
+RUN apk add build-base gcc g++ libffi-dev zlib-dev
+RUN apk upgrade --available
 WORKDIR /service
 COPY --from=builder /service/lock/requirements.txt /service
 RUN pip install --no-deps -r requirements.txt
-RUN rm requirements.txt
+
+# RUNNER: a container to run the service
+FROM base AS runner
+WORKDIR /service
+RUN rm -rf /usr/local/lib/python3.12
+COPY --from=dep-builder /usr/local/lib/python3.12 /usr/local/lib/python3.12
 COPY --from=builder /service/dist/ /service
 RUN pip install --no-deps *.whl
 RUN rm *.whl
-# create new user and execute as that user
-RUN useradd --create-home appuser
+RUN adduser -D appuser
 WORKDIR /home/appuser
 USER appuser
-# set environment
 ENV PYTHONUNBUFFERED=1
+
 # Please adapt to package name:
 ENTRYPOINT ["my-microservice"]
diff --git a/Dockerfile.debian b/Dockerfile.debian
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..33dbe10
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Dockerfile.debian
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+# Copyright 2021 - 2024 Universität Tübingen, DKFZ, EMBL, and Universität zu Köln
+# for the German Human Genome-Phenome Archive (GHGA)
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+## creating building container
+FROM python:3.12-slim-bookworm AS builder
+# update and install dependencies
+RUN apt update
+RUN apt upgrade -y
+RUN pip install build
+# copy code
+COPY . /service
+WORKDIR /service
+# build wheel
+RUN python -m build
+
+# creating running container
+FROM python:3.12-slim-bookworm
+# update and install dependencies
+RUN apt update
+RUN apt upgrade -y
+# copy and install requirements and wheel
+WORKDIR /service
+COPY --from=builder /service/lock/requirements.txt /service
+RUN pip install --no-deps -r requirements.txt
+RUN rm requirements.txt
+COPY --from=builder /service/dist/ /service
+RUN pip install --no-deps *.whl
+RUN rm *.whl
+# create new user and execute as that user
+RUN useradd --create-home appuser
+WORKDIR /home/appuser
+USER appuser
+# set environment
+ENV PYTHONUNBUFFERED=1
+# Please adapt to package name:
+ENTRYPOINT ["my-microservice"]