diff --git a/debian/bin/gencontrol.py b/debian/bin/gencontrol.py
index 118c48b6f..3cad73bb5 100755
--- a/debian/bin/gencontrol.py
+++ b/debian/bin/gencontrol.py
@@ -259,7 +259,18 @@ class Gencontrol(Base):
         config_entry_relations = self.config.merge('relations', arch, featureset, flavour)
 
         compiler = config_entry_base.get('compiler', 'gcc')
-        relations_compiler = PackageRelation(config_entry_relations[compiler])
+
+        # linux-headers packages may depend on an intermediate
+        # meta-package, rather than directly on the compiler we use
+        # at build time.
+        if config_entry_relations.get('headers%' + compiler):
+            relations_compiler_headers = PackageRelation(
+                self.substitute(
+                    config_entry_relations['headers%' + compiler], vars))
+        else:
+            relations_compiler_headers = PackageRelation(
+                config_entry_relations[compiler])
+
         relations_compiler_build_dep = PackageRelation(config_entry_relations[compiler])
         for group in relations_compiler_build_dep:
             for item in group:
@@ -330,7 +341,7 @@ class Gencontrol(Base):
         if config_entry_build.get('modules', True):
             makeflags['MODULES'] = True
             package_headers = self.process_package(headers[0], vars)
-            package_headers['Depends'].extend(relations_compiler)
+            package_headers['Depends'].extend(relations_compiler_headers)
             packages_own.append(package_headers)
             extra['headers_arch_depends'].append('%s (= ${binary:Version})' % packages_own[-1]['Package'])
 
diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index b08221de6..3f014337a 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ linux (3.12-1~exp1) UNRELEASED; urgency=low
     - mmap() holds a reference to the union file as well as the branch file
   * [armel/{iop32x,ixp4xx}] Disable BPF_JIT, MEMCG, USER_NS to reduce kernel
     size
+  * [arm,x86,s390,s390x] Introduce linux-compiler meta-packages to allow use
+    of foreign linux-headers packages with a native multilib compiler
 
   [ Thorsten Glaser ]
   * Update m68k config (Closes: #728392):
diff --git a/debian/config/amd64/defines b/debian/config/amd64/defines
index ea407fcb9..8b69a439c 100644
--- a/debian/config/amd64/defines
+++ b/debian/config/amd64/defines
@@ -11,6 +11,9 @@ debug-info: true
 bootloaders: grub-pc extlinux lilo
 configs:
 
+[relations]
+headers%gcc-4.8: linux-compiler-@version@-x86
+
 [amd64_description]
 hardware: 64-bit PCs
 hardware-long: PCs with AMD64, Intel 64 or VIA Nano processors
diff --git a/debian/config/armel/defines b/debian/config/armel/defines
index 87a956ae6..1e3367fae 100644
--- a/debian/config/armel/defines
+++ b/debian/config/armel/defines
@@ -11,6 +11,9 @@ kernel-arch: arm
 [image]
 suggests: fdutils
 
+[relations]
+headers%gcc-4.8: linux-compiler-@version@-arm
+
 [iop32x_build]
 image-file: arch/arm/boot/zImage
 
diff --git a/debian/config/armhf/defines b/debian/config/armhf/defines
index 989613f0c..e94361049 100644
--- a/debian/config/armhf/defines
+++ b/debian/config/armhf/defines
@@ -10,6 +10,9 @@ configs:
  armel/config
  armhf/config
 
+[relations]
+headers%gcc-4.8: linux-compiler-@version@-arm
+
 [armmp_build]
 image-file: arch/arm/boot/zImage
 
diff --git a/debian/config/i386/defines b/debian/config/i386/defines
index 602e25213..22ba85c0c 100644
--- a/debian/config/i386/defines
+++ b/debian/config/i386/defines
@@ -14,6 +14,9 @@ part-long-pae: This kernel requires PAE (Physical Address Extension).
 bootloaders: grub-pc extlinux lilo
 configs:
 
+[relations]
+headers%gcc-4.8: linux-compiler-@version@-x86
+
 [486_description]
 hardware: older PCs
 hardware-long: PCs with a single processor not supporting PAE
diff --git a/debian/config/s390/defines b/debian/config/s390/defines
index a880716da..a09de0914 100644
--- a/debian/config/s390/defines
+++ b/debian/config/s390/defines
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@ kernel-arch: s390
 bootloaders: s390-tools
 configs: s390x/config
 
+[relations]
+headers%gcc-4.8: linux-compiler-@version@-s390
+
 [s390x_build]
 debug-info: true
 
diff --git a/debian/config/s390x/defines b/debian/config/s390x/defines
index fb290dd4c..5bf81a8c0 100644
--- a/debian/config/s390x/defines
+++ b/debian/config/s390x/defines
@@ -6,6 +6,9 @@ kernel-arch: s390
 [image]
 bootloaders: s390-tools
 
+[relations]
+headers%gcc-4.8: linux-compiler-@version@-s390
+
 [s390x_build]
 debug-info: true
 
diff --git a/debian/lib/python/debian_linux/gencontrol.py b/debian/lib/python/debian_linux/gencontrol.py
index aac564c42..9aa240e14 100644
--- a/debian/lib/python/debian_linux/gencontrol.py
+++ b/debian/lib/python/debian_linux/gencontrol.py
@@ -129,9 +129,10 @@ class Gencontrol(object):
         if templates_extra is None:
             return
 
-        packages.extend(self.process_packages(templates_extra, {}))
+        packages_extra = self.process_packages(templates_extra, self.vars)
+        packages.extend(packages_extra)
         extra_arches = {}
-        for package in templates_extra:
+        for package in packages_extra:
             arches = package['Architecture']
             for arch in arches:
                 i = extra_arches.get(arch, [])
@@ -142,12 +143,9 @@ class Gencontrol(object):
         for arch in archs:
             cmds = []
             for i in extra_arches[arch]:
-                tmp = []
-                if 'X-Version-Overwrite-Epoch' in i:
-                        tmp.append("-v1:%s" % self.version['source'])
-                cmds.append("$(MAKE) -f debian/rules.real install-dummy DH_OPTIONS='-p%s' GENCONTROL_ARGS='%s'" % (i['Package'], ' '.join(tmp)))
-            makefile.add('binary-arch_%s' % arch['binary-arch_%s_extra' % arch])
-            makefile.add("binary-arch_%s_extra" % arch, cmds=cmds)
+                cmds.append("$(MAKE) -f debian/rules.real install-dummy ARCH='%s' DH_OPTIONS='-p%s'" % (arch, i['Package']))
+            makefile.add('binary-arch_%s' % arch, [u'binary-arch_%s_extra' % arch])
+            makefile.add("binary-arch_%s_extra" % arch, cmds = cmds)
 
     def do_arch(self, packages, makefile, arch, vars, makeflags, extra):
         vars['arch'] = arch
diff --git a/debian/templates/control.extra.in b/debian/templates/control.extra.in
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..85cda6e3c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/debian/templates/control.extra.in
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+Package: linux-compiler-@version@-arm
+Depends: gcc-4.8, ${misc:Depends}
+Architecture: armel armhf
+Multi-Arch: foreign
+Description: Compiler for Linux @version@ on ARM (meta-package)
+ This package depends on the appropriate compiler version for Linux @version@
+ on ARM.
+
+Package: linux-compiler-@version@-s390
+Depends: gcc-4.8, ${misc:Depends}
+Architecture: s390 s390x
+Multi-Arch: foreign
+Description: Compiler for Linux @version@ on IBM zSeries (meta-package)
+ This package depends on the appropriate compiler version for Linux @version@
+ on zSeries.
+
+Package: linux-compiler-@version@-x86
+Depends: gcc-4.8, ${misc:Depends}
+Architecture: amd64 i386 x32
+Multi-Arch: foreign
+Description: Compiler for Linux @version@ on x86 (meta-package)
+ This package depends on the appropriate compiler version for Linux @version@
+ on x86.