diff --git a/dev-python/termcolor/termcolor-1.1.0-r2.ebuild b/dev-python/termcolor/termcolor-1.1.0-r2.ebuild
index 51971986bb541..e8d617642b1c6 100644
--- a/dev-python/termcolor/termcolor-1.1.0-r2.ebuild
+++ b/dev-python/termcolor/termcolor-1.1.0-r2.ebuild
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 
 EAPI=7
 
+DISTUTILS_USE_SETUPTOOLS=no
 PYTHON_COMPAT=( python{2_7,3_{5,6,7,8}} pypy{,3} )
 
 inherit distutils-r1
@@ -15,7 +16,5 @@ LICENSE="MIT"
 SLOT="0"
 KEYWORDS="~amd64 ~hppa ~sparc ~x86 ~amd64-linux ~x86-linux"
 
-BDEPEND="dev-python/setuptools[${PYTHON_USEDEP}]"
-
 # no tests...
 RESTRICT="test"