diff --git a/dev-python/pypax/pypax-0.9.5.ebuild b/dev-python/pypax/pypax-0.9.5.ebuild
index de8e8a439b153..8cac86470156e 100644
--- a/dev-python/pypax/pypax-0.9.5.ebuild
+++ b/dev-python/pypax/pypax-0.9.5.ebuild
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 
 EAPI=6
 
+DISTUTILS_USE_SETUPTOOLS=no
 PYTHON_COMPAT=( python{3_6,3_7,3_8} )
 
 inherit distutils-r1
diff --git a/dev-python/pypax/pypax-9999.ebuild b/dev-python/pypax/pypax-9999.ebuild
index 59f54d7dee4ae..16ff1966bb470 100644
--- a/dev-python/pypax/pypax-9999.ebuild
+++ b/dev-python/pypax/pypax-9999.ebuild
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 
 EAPI=6
 
+DISTUTILS_USE_SETUPTOOLS=no
 PYTHON_COMPAT=( python{3_6,3_7,3_8} )
 
 inherit distutils-r1