diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index 724546d0..fd85abb5 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -2,6 +2,9 @@ byobu (5.75) unreleased; urgency=medium
 
   * debian/control:
     - bump standards
+  * usr/lib/byobu/include/shutil, usr/lib/byobu/release: LP: #1278016
+    - /etc/issue might be modified to display corporate banners or
+      legal warnings; try to use /etc/os-release if available
 
  -- Dustin Kirkland <kirkland@ubuntu.com>  Sun, 16 Mar 2014 12:46:36 -0700
 
diff --git a/usr/lib/byobu/include/shutil b/usr/lib/byobu/include/shutil
index 9633335b..ba2e1129 100755
--- a/usr/lib/byobu/include/shutil
+++ b/usr/lib/byobu/include/shutil
@@ -316,6 +316,8 @@ get_distro() {
 	if [ -n "$DISTRO" ]; then
 		# user defined
 		true
+	elif [ -r "/etc/os-release" ]; then
+		distro=$(. /etc/os-release && echo "$NAME")
 	elif [ -r "/etc/issue" ]; then
 		# lsb_release is *really* slow;  try to use /etc/issue first
 		local issue
diff --git a/usr/lib/byobu/release b/usr/lib/byobu/release
index b9a1e1c6..bebf537d 100755
--- a/usr/lib/byobu/release
+++ b/usr/lib/byobu/release
@@ -28,8 +28,11 @@ __release() {
 	if [ -n "$RELEASE" ]; then
 		# user defined
 		true
+	elif [ -r "/etc/os-release" ]; then
+		# lsb_release is *really* slow;  try to use /etc/os-release
+		release=$(. /etc/os-release && echo "$VERSION_ID")
 	elif [ -r "/etc/issue" ]; then
-		# lsb_release is *really* slow;  try to use /etc/issue first
+		# next try /etc/issue first
 		local issue
 		read issue < /etc/issue
 		case "$issue" in