diff --git a/python/setup.py b/python/setup.py
index a640245e7e81..479c5a4abaa7 100644
--- a/python/setup.py
+++ b/python/setup.py
@@ -711,6 +711,7 @@ def get_git_commit_hash(length=8):
     author_email="phil@openai.com",
     description="A language and compiler for custom Deep Learning operations",
     long_description="",
+    install_requires=["setuptools>=40.8.0"],
     packages=get_packages(),
     entry_points=get_entry_points(),
     package_data=package_data,