diff --git a/changelog.d/2769.misc.rst b/changelog.d/2769.misc.rst
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..503b4208a9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/2769.misc.rst
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Build now fails fast when ``use_2to3`` is supplied.
diff --git a/setup.cfg b/setup.cfg
index 30817c00e6..859bf7283b 100644
--- a/setup.cfg
+++ b/setup.cfg
@@ -124,6 +124,7 @@ distutils.setup_keywords =
 	dependency_links = setuptools.dist:assert_string_list
 	test_loader = setuptools.dist:check_importable
 	test_runner = setuptools.dist:check_importable
+	use_2to3 = setuptools.dist:invalid
 egg_info.writers =
 	PKG-INFO = setuptools.command.egg_info:write_pkg_info
 	requires.txt = setuptools.command.egg_info:write_requirements
diff --git a/setuptools/dist.py b/setuptools/dist.py
index 02ebd635b8..3363495c91 100644
--- a/setuptools/dist.py
+++ b/setuptools/dist.py
@@ -289,6 +289,10 @@ def assert_bool(dist, attr, value):
         raise DistutilsSetupError(tmpl.format(attr=attr, value=value))
 
 
+def invalid(dist, attr, value):
+    raise DistutilsSetupError(f"{attr} is invalid.")
+
+
 def check_requirements(dist, attr, value):
     """Verify that install_requires is a valid requirements list"""
     try: