diff --git a/dev-python/PySDL2/PySDL2-0.9.6.ebuild b/dev-python/PySDL2/PySDL2-0.9.6.ebuild
index 025e430c1d6b1..85eed5b0afaa3 100644
--- a/dev-python/PySDL2/PySDL2-0.9.6.ebuild
+++ b/dev-python/PySDL2/PySDL2-0.9.6.ebuild
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 
 EAPI=6
 
+DISTUTILS_USE_SETUPTOOLS=no
 PYTHON_COMPAT=( python3_{6,7} )
 inherit distutils-r1