diff --git a/roles/educontainer/defaults/main.yml b/roles/educontainer/defaults/main.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..34b95b2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/roles/educontainer/defaults/main.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+## generate most of this list with 'tasksel --task-packages standard'
+cont_packages:
+  - systemd-container
+  - openssh-server
+  - sudo
+  - python3
+  - auto-apt-proxy
+
+  - bash-completion
+  - bind9-dnsutils
+  - file
+  - locales
+  - xz-utils
+  - lsof
+  - wget
+  - bind9-host
+  - man-db
+  - ca-certificates
+  - manpages
+  - libc-l10n
+  - traceroute
+  - bzip2
+  - netcat-traditional
+  - telnet
diff --git a/roles/educontainer/tasks/main.yml b/roles/educontainer/tasks/main.yml
index 0e022af..74876de 100644
--- a/roles/educontainer/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/roles/educontainer/tasks/main.yml
@@ -58,11 +58,11 @@
       - debootstrap
     state: latest
 
-- name: debootstrap minimal system
+- name: debootstrap base system
   command:
     cmd: >
       debootstrap 
-      --include=systemd-container,openssh-server,sudo,python3,auto-apt-proxy
+      --include={{ cont_packages | join(',') }}
       --components=main,contrib,non-free stable
       {{ contname }}00 http://deb.debian.org/debian
   args: