diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index 5a62e3b..5317050 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ patroni (1.6.0-2) UNRELEASED; urgency=medium
 
   [ Michael Banck ]
   * debian/control: Recommend iproute2.
+  * debian/pg_createconfig_patroni: Exit gracefully if iproute2 is not
+    installed.
 
  -- Debian PostgreSQL Maintainers <team+postgresql@tracker.debian.org>  Wed, 21 Aug 2019 13:18:29 +0200
 
diff --git a/debian/pg_createconfig_patroni b/debian/pg_createconfig_patroni
index 739ad69..ea32788 100755
--- a/debian/pg_createconfig_patroni
+++ b/debian/pg_createconfig_patroni
@@ -92,11 +92,23 @@ HOSTNAME=$(hostname)
 
 # set default ipv4 address in case it was not provided
 if [ -z "$HOSTIP" ]; then
-    HOSTIP=$(ip -4 route get 8.8.8.8 | grep ^8.8.8.8 | sed -e s/.*src.// -e s/\ .*//g)
+    if [ -x /bin/ip ]; then
+        HOSTIP=$(/bin/ip -4 route get 8.8.8.8 | grep ^8.8.8.8 | sed -e s/.*src.// -e s/\ .*//g)
+    else
+	echo "iproute2 package missing, cannot determine host ip addresss and --hostip is not set"
+	rm -f $CONFIG_FILE
+	exit 1
+    fi
 fi
 
 if [ -z "$NETWORK" ]; then
-    NETWORK=$(ip -4 route get 8.8.8.8 | grep ^8.8.8.8 | sed -e s/.*src.// -e s/\ .*//g -e s/\.[0-9]*$/.0/)/24
+    if [ -x /bin/ip ]; then
+        NETWORK=$(/bin/ip -4 route get 8.8.8.8 | grep ^8.8.8.8 | sed -e s/.*src.// -e s/\ .*//g -e s/\.[0-9]*$/.0/)/24
+    else
+	echo "iproute2 package missing, cannot determine network and --network is not set"
+	rm -f $CONFIG_FILE
+	exit 1
+    fi
 fi
 
 # add remaining patroni configuration from template