diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 2330ac81..2384f11b 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -133,3 +133,49 @@ if(AMQP-CPP_LINUX_TCP)
     find_package(OpenSSL REQUIRED)
     target_include_directories(${PROJECT_NAME} PRIVATE ${OPENSSL_INCLUDE_DIR})
 endif()
+
+# software packaging
+# ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+# if unix use deb and rpm generators, else default to .tar.gz
+if (UNIX)
+    set(CPACK_GENERATOR DEB RPM)
+endif (UNIX)
+
+# general cpack settings
+set(CPACK_PACKAGE_DESCRIPTION_SUMMARY "C++ library for communicating with a RabbitMQ message broker")
+set(CPACK_PACKAGE_VENDOR "Coppernica Marketing Software")
+set(CPACK_PACKAGE_CONTACT "Copernica <info@copernica.com>")
+set(CPACK_PACKAGE_DESCRIPTION
+    "AMQP-CPP is a C++ library for communicating with a RabbitMQ message broker. The
+    library can be used to parse incoming data from a RabbitMQ server, and to
+    generate frames that can be sent to a RabbitMQ server."
+)
+set(CPACK_PACKAGE_HOMEPAGE_URL "https://github.com/CopernicaMarketingSoftware/AMQP-CPP")
+set(CPACK_RESOURCE_FILE_LICENSE "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/LICENSE")
+set(CPACK_PACKAGE_VERSION_MAJOR ${VERSION_MAJOR})
+set(CPACK_PACKAGE_VERSION_MINOR ${VERSION_MINOR})
+set(CPACK_PACKAGE_VERSION_PATCH ${VERSION_PATCH})
+set(CPACK_INSTALL_DEFAULT_DIRECTORY_PERMISSIONS
+    OWNER_READ
+    OWNER_WRITE
+    OWNER_EXECUTE
+    GROUP_READ
+    GROUP_EXECUTE
+    WORLD_READ
+    WORLD_EXECUTE
+)
+set(CPACK_STRIP_FILES ON)
+
+# deb generator related
+set(CPACK_DEBIAN_PACKAGE_NAME "amqpcpp-dev")
+set(CPACK_DEBIAN_PACKAGE_CONTROL_STRICT_PERMISSION TRUE)
+set(CPACK_DEBIAN_PACKAGE_CONTROL_EXTRA "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/debian/triggers")
+
+# rpm generator related
+set(CPACK_RPM_PACKAGE_NAME "amqpcpp-devel")
+set(CPACK_RPM_PACKAGE_DESCRIPTION ${CPACK_PACKAGE_DESCRIPTION})
+set(CPACK_RPM_PACKAGE_LICENSE "ASL 2.0")
+
+# create package target
+include(CPack)
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 68184758..cd1bdd21 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -86,9 +86,10 @@ On Windows you are required to define `NOMINMAX` when compiling code that includ
 
 ## Using cmake
 
-The CMake file supports both building and installing. You can choose not to use 
-the install functionality, and instead manually use the build output at `build/bin/`. Keep
-in mind that the TCP module is only supported for Linux. An example install method 
+The CMake file supports building, packaging, and installing. You can choose not to use
+the install functionality, and instead manually use the build output at `build/bin/`.
+You can also choose to generate packages for your system with the target `package` and install those.
+Keep in mind that the TCP module is only supported for Linux. An example install method
 would be:
 
 ```bash
diff --git a/debian/triggers b/debian/triggers
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..72850ac4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/debian/triggers
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+activate-noawait ldconfig
\ No newline at end of file