diff --git a/dev-python/setuptools/setuptools-60.0.3.ebuild b/dev-python/setuptools/setuptools-60.0.3.ebuild
index 8575f622e7c54..e77a7ae804184 100644
--- a/dev-python/setuptools/setuptools-60.0.3.ebuild
+++ b/dev-python/setuptools/setuptools-60.0.3.ebuild
@@ -60,6 +60,8 @@ src_prepare() {
 }
 
 python_test() {
+	local -x SETUPTOOLS_USE_DISTUTILS=stdlib
+
 	# keep in sync with python_gen_cond_dep above!
 	has "${EPYTHON}" python3.{8..10} pypy3 || continue