diff --git a/mmdebstrap b/mmdebstrap
index fe3a064..11c8235 100755
--- a/mmdebstrap
+++ b/mmdebstrap
@@ -949,6 +949,8 @@ sub setup {
 	print $conf "Apt::Architectures \"$options->{nativearch}\";\n";
     }
     print $conf "Dir \"$options->{root}\";\n";
+    # not needed anymore for apt 1.3 and newer
+    print $conf "Dir::State::Status \"$options->{root}/var/lib/dpkg/status\";\n";
     # for authentication, use the keyrings from the host
     print $conf "Dir::Etc::Trusted \"/etc/apt/trusted.gpg\";\n";
     print $conf "Dir::Etc::TrustedParts \"/etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d\";\n";