diff --git a/src/core/validate-graph.ts b/src/core/validate-graph.ts
index 959d1a0..cedaf1c 100644
--- a/src/core/validate-graph.ts
+++ b/src/core/validate-graph.ts
@@ -60,6 +60,27 @@ export function validatePackageURL(pkg: types.PkgInfo): void {
         );
         break;
 
+      // The PURL spec for Linux distros does not include the source in the name.
+      // This is why we relax the assertion here and match only on the package name:
+      // <source name>/<package name> - we omit the source name
+      // For now, make this exception only for deb to cover a support case.
+      case 'deb': {
+        const pkgName = pkg.name.split('/').pop();
+        assert(
+          pkgName === purlPkg.name,
+          'name and packageURL name do not match',
+        );
+        if (purlPkg.qualifiers?.['upstream'] && pkg.name.includes('/')) {
+          const pkgSrc = pkg.name.split('/')[0];
+          const pkgUpstream = purlPkg.qualifiers['upstream'].split('@')[0];
+          assert(
+            pkgSrc === pkgUpstream,
+            'source and packageURL source do not match',
+          );
+        }
+        break;
+      }
+
       default:
         assert(
           pkg.name === purlPkg.name,
diff --git a/test/core/validate-graph.test.ts b/test/core/validate-graph.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d7b5c1c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/core/validate-graph.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,90 @@
+import { validatePackageURL } from '../../src/core/validate-graph';
+
+describe('validatePackageURL', () => {
+  describe('deb package type tests', () => {
+    it.each([
+      [
+        'package name includes source',
+        {
+          name: 'foo/bar',
+          version: '1.2.3',
+          purl: 'pkg:deb/bar@1.2.3',
+        },
+      ],
+      [
+        'purl is namespaced (includes a vendor)',
+        {
+          name: 'foo/bar',
+          version: '1.2.3',
+          purl: 'pkg:deb/debian/bar@1.2.3',
+        },
+      ],
+      [
+        'package name does not include source',
+        {
+          name: 'bar',
+          version: '1.2.3',
+          purl: 'pkg:deb/bar@1.2.3',
+        },
+      ],
+      [
+        'matches on upstream where only the source name is provided',
+        {
+          name: 'foo/bar',
+          version: '1.2.3',
+          purl: 'pkg:deb/bar@1.2.3?upstream=foo',
+        },
+      ],
+      [
+        'matches on upstream where full upstream is provided',
+        {
+          name: 'foo/bar',
+          version: '1.2.3',
+          purl: 'pkg:deb/bar@1.2.3?upstream=foo%401.2.3',
+        },
+      ],
+      [
+        'matches on package name where source is unavailable',
+        {
+          name: 'bar',
+          version: '1.2.3',
+          purl: 'pkg:deb/bar@1.2.3?upstream=foo%401.2.3',
+        },
+      ],
+    ])(
+      'matches only on package name for debian purls: %s',
+      (_testCaseName, pkg) => {
+        expect(() => validatePackageURL(pkg)).not.toThrow();
+      },
+    );
+
+    it.each([
+      [
+        'package name does not match purl name',
+        {
+          name: 'foo/bar',
+          version: '1.2.3',
+          purl: 'pkg:deb/baz@1.2.3',
+        },
+      ],
+      [
+        'package source does not match purl source',
+        {
+          name: 'foo/bar',
+          version: '1.2.3',
+          purl: 'pkg:deb/bar@1.2.3?upstream=baz',
+        },
+      ],
+      [
+        'purl includes source name',
+        {
+          name: 'foo/bar',
+          version: '1.2.3',
+          purl: 'pkg:deb/debian/foo%2Fbar@1.2.3',
+        },
+      ],
+    ])('should throw on invalid purl: %s', (_testCaseName, pkg) => {
+      expect(() => validatePackageURL(pkg)).toThrow();
+    });
+  });
+});