diff --git a/docs/images/automated-debian-jobs.uml b/docs/images/automated-debian-jobs.uml
--- a/docs/images/automated-debian-jobs.uml
+++ b/docs/images/automated-debian-jobs.uml
@@ -71,7 +71,9 @@
   GBP -> REPO : push packages to unstable-swh
 
   create ABP
+  GBP -> ABP : when automatic backport enabled
   activate ABP
+  ABP -> GBP : acknowledge start
   deactivate GBP
 
   hnote over ABP : merge pushed tag
diff --git a/jobs/templates/debian/gbp-buildpackage.groovy b/jobs/templates/debian/gbp-buildpackage.groovy
--- a/jobs/templates/debian/gbp-buildpackage.groovy
+++ b/jobs/templates/debian/gbp-buildpackage.groovy
@@ -240,6 +240,33 @@
         }}
       }}
     }}
+    stage('Prepare backport') {{
+      when {{
+        beforeAgent true
+        expression {{ changelog_distribution != 'UNRELEASED' }}
+        expression {{ params.BACKPORT_ON_SUCCESS }}
+        expression {{ jobExists('/debian/packages/{name}/automatic-backport') }}
+      }}
+      steps {{
+        script {{
+          params.BACKPORT_ON_SUCCESS.split(',').each {{ bpo_pair ->
+            def (src_suite, dst_suite) = bpo_pair.split('>')
+
+            if (src_suite == changelog_distribution) {{
+              build(
+                job: '/debian/packages/{name}/automatic-backport',
+                parameters: [
+                  string(name: 'GIT_TAG', value: params.GIT_REVISION),
+                  string(name: 'SOURCE', value: src_suite),
+                  string(name: 'DESTINATION', value: dst_suite),
+                ],
+                wait: false,
+              )
+            }}
+          }}
+        }}
+      }}
+    }}
   }}
   post {{
     always {{
diff --git a/jobs/templates/debian/gbp-buildpackage.yaml b/jobs/templates/debian/gbp-buildpackage.yaml
--- a/jobs/templates/debian/gbp-buildpackage.yaml
+++ b/jobs/templates/debian/gbp-buildpackage.yaml
@@ -3,7 +3,8 @@
     description: |
       Build Debian package
     auth-token: 'ph4br1cat0r'
-    deb-extra-repositories: 
+    deb-extra-repositories:
+    deb-backport-on-success: unstable-swh>stretch-swh
     project-type: pipeline
     parameters:
       - string:
@@ -44,6 +45,17 @@
           name: DO_UPLOAD
           description: upload the built package
           default: false
+      - extended-choice:
+          name: BACKPORT_ON_SUCCESS
+          description: If the build is successful, which backports should we perform?
+          type: checkbox
+          value: !join:
+            - ','
+            -
+              - unstable-swh>stretch-swh
+              - unstable-swh>buster-swh
+              - buster-swh>stretch-swh
+          default-value: '{deb-backport-on-success}'
     dsl:
       !include-raw: gbp-buildpackage.groovy