diff --git a/dev-python/zope-exceptions/zope-exceptions-4.4.ebuild b/dev-python/zope-exceptions/zope-exceptions-4.4.ebuild
index 5b427b0dd3001..a8f296dc74100 100644
--- a/dev-python/zope-exceptions/zope-exceptions-4.4.ebuild
+++ b/dev-python/zope-exceptions/zope-exceptions-4.4.ebuild
@@ -3,7 +3,8 @@
 
 EAPI=7
 
-PYTHON_COMPAT=( python3_{6,7,8,9} pypy3 )
+DISTUTILS_USE_SETUPTOOLS=rdepend
+PYTHON_COMPAT=( python3_{6..9} pypy3 )
 
 inherit distutils-r1