diff --git a/install/debian-installation-guide.md b/install/debian-installation-guide.md
index a23b1d83ee..fe11d55668 100644
--- a/install/debian-installation-guide.md
+++ b/install/debian-installation-guide.md
@@ -33,6 +33,9 @@
    $ export DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive
    $ ARCH=$(arch)
    $ source /etc/os-release
+   $ [ "$ID" = debian ] && [ -z "$VERSION_ID" ] && echo >&2 "ERROR: Debian unstable not supported.
+     You can try stable packages here:
+     http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/home:/katacontainers:/releases:/${ARCH}:/master" && exit 1
    $ sudo sh -c "echo 'deb http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/home:/katacontainers:/releases:/${ARCH}:/master/Debian_${VERSION_ID}/ /' > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/kata-containers.list"
    $ curl -sL  http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/home:/katacontainers:/releases:/${ARCH}:/master/Debian_${VERSION_ID}/Release.key | sudo apt-key add -
    $ sudo -E apt-get update