diff --git a/debian/resources/ioncube.sh b/debian/resources/ioncube.sh
index e455058..51e96dc 100644
--- a/debian/resources/ioncube.sh
+++ b/debian/resources/ioncube.sh
@@ -20,6 +20,11 @@ unzip ioncube_loaders_lin_x86-64.zip
 #remove the zip file
 rm ioncube_loaders_lin_x86-64.zip
 
+#change the version of php for debian stretch
+if [ ."$os_codename" = ."stretch" ]; then
+       php_version=7
+fi
+
 #copy the loader to the correct directory
 if [ ."$php_version" = ."5" ]; then
         #copy the php extension .so into the php lib directory