diff --git a/NEWS.md b/NEWS.md
index 80b0c9f..c38efa1 100644
--- a/NEWS.md
+++ b/NEWS.md
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+## XML-RPC for PHP version 4.11 - UNRELEASED
+
+* improved: compatibility with not-yet-released PHP version 8.4
+
+
 ## XML-RPC for PHP version 4.10.4 - 2024/06/27
 
 * fixed: Response returned from the library in case of HttpException did not have set the correct `status_code` member var
diff --git a/tests/ci/setup/setup_php.sh b/tests/ci/setup/setup_php.sh
index 9d3719b..ad40897 100755
--- a/tests/ci/setup/setup_php.sh
+++ b/tests/ci/setup/setup_php.sh
@@ -111,15 +111,18 @@ else
         LC_ALL=en_US.UTF-8 add-apt-repository ppa:ondrej/php
         apt-get update
 
-        DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive apt-get install -y \
-            php${PHP_VERSION} \
+        PHP_PACKAGES="php${PHP_VERSION} \
             php${PHP_VERSION}-cli \
             php${PHP_VERSION}-dom \
             php${PHP_VERSION}-curl \
             php${PHP_VERSION}-fpm \
             php${PHP_VERSION}-mbstring \
-            php${PHP_VERSION}-sqlite3 \
-            php${PHP_VERSION}-xdebug
+            php${PHP_VERSION}-sqlite3"
+        # @todo remove this IF once xdebug is compatible and available
+        if [ "${PHP_VERSION}" != 8.4 ]; then
+            PHP_PACKAGES="${PHP_PACKAGES} php${PHP_VERSION}-xdebug"
+        fi
+        DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive apt-get install -y ${PHP_PACKAGES}
 
         update-alternatives --set php /usr/bin/php${PHP_VERSION}
     fi