diff --git a/src/debsbom/generate/cdx.py b/src/debsbom/generate/cdx.py
index fe37486..ed47ebf 100644
--- a/src/debsbom/generate/cdx.py
+++ b/src/debsbom/generate/cdx.py
@@ -29,6 +29,18 @@
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
+def make_supplier_from_str(supplier: str) -> cdx_contact.OrganizationalEntity | None:
+    match = SUPPLIER_PATTERN.match(supplier)
+    if match:
+        supplier = cdx_contact.OrganizationalEntity(name=match["supplier_name"].strip())
+        supplier_email = match["supplier_email"]
+        if supplier_email:
+            supplier.contacts = [cdx_contact.OrganizationalContact(email=supplier_email)]
+    else:
+        supplier = None
+    return supplier
+
+
 def cdx_package_repr(
     package: Package, refs: dict[str, cdx_bom_ref.BomRef], vendor: str = "debian"
 ) -> cdx_component.Component | None:
@@ -45,15 +57,10 @@ def cdx_package_repr(
     ref = Reference.make_from_pkg(package).as_str(SBOMType.CycloneDX)
     refs[ref] = cdx_bom_ref.BomRef(package.purl().to_string())
 
-    match = SUPPLIER_PATTERN.match(package.maintainer or "")
-    if match:
-        supplier = cdx_contact.OrganizationalEntity(name=match["supplier_name"].strip())
-        supplier_email = match["supplier_email"]
-        if supplier_email:
-            supplier.contacts = [cdx_contact.OrganizationalContact(email=supplier_email)]
-    else:
-        supplier = None
+    supplier = make_supplier_from_str(package.maintainer or "")
+    if not supplier:
         logger.warning(f"no supplier for {package}")
+
     entry = cdx_component.Component(
         name=package.name,
         type=cdx_component.ComponentType.LIBRARY,
@@ -116,15 +123,10 @@ def make_distro_component(
 ) -> cdx_component.Component:
     distro_bom_ref = CDX_REF_PREFIX + distro_name
 
-    if distro_supplier:
-        supplier = cdx_contact.OrganizationalEntity(name=distro_supplier)
-    else:
-        supplier = None
-
     distro_component = cdx_component.Component(
         type=cdx_component.ComponentType.OPERATING_SYSTEM,
         bom_ref=distro_bom_ref,
-        supplier=supplier,
+        supplier=make_supplier_from_str(distro_supplier or ""),
         name=distro_name,
         version=distro_version,
     )
diff --git a/tests/test_generation.py b/tests/test_generation.py
index 59ca656..5d54c90 100644
--- a/tests/test_generation.py
+++ b/tests/test_generation.py
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ def setup_sbom_generator(
         timestamp: datetime | None = None,
         with_licenses: bool = False,
         sbom_types: list[SBOMType] = list(SBOMType),
+        distro_supplier: str | None = None,
     ) -> Debsbom:
         url = urlparse("http://example.org")
         if uuid is None:
@@ -62,6 +63,7 @@ def setup_sbom_generator(
         return DebsbomLegacyProxy(
             distro_name="pytest-distro",
             distro_arch="amd64",
+            distro_supplier=distro_supplier,
             sbom_types=sbom_types,
             root=str(test_root),
             spdx_namespace=url,
@@ -531,3 +533,22 @@ def test_pre_depends(tmpdir, sbom_generator):
             ],
             "ref": "pkg:deb/debian/test-pre-depends@1.0.0-1?arch=amd64",
         } in dependencies
+
+
+def test_distro_supplier(tmpdir, sbom_generator):
+    _cyclonedx = pytest.importorskip("cyclonedx")
+
+    # only cyclonedx splits the supplier into multiple fields
+    dbom = sbom_generator(
+        "tests/root/tree",
+        sbom_types=[SBOMType.CycloneDX],
+        distro_supplier="Test <test@example.com>",
+    )
+    outdir = Path(tmpdir)
+    dbom.generate(str(outdir / "sbom"), validate=True)
+    with open(outdir / "sbom.cdx.json") as file:
+        cdx_json = json.loads(file.read())
+
+    distro_supplier = cdx_json["metadata"]["component"]["supplier"]
+    assert distro_supplier["name"] == "Test"
+    assert any([c["email"] == "test@example.com" for c in distro_supplier["contact"]])