diff --git a/dev-python/protobuf-python/protobuf-python-3.13.0.ebuild b/dev-python/protobuf-python/protobuf-python-3.13.0.ebuild
index 93da8a7a9f4b1..c015427c2d274 100644
--- a/dev-python/protobuf-python/protobuf-python-3.13.0.ebuild
+++ b/dev-python/protobuf-python/protobuf-python-3.13.0.ebuild
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@
 
 EAPI="7"
 PYTHON_COMPAT=(python{2_7,3_6,3_7,3_8,3_9})
-DISTUTILS_USE_SETUPTOOLS="manual"
 
 inherit distutils-r1
 
@@ -30,7 +29,6 @@ IUSE=""
 BDEPEND="${PYTHON_DEPS}
 	~dev-libs/protobuf-${PV}
 	dev-python/namespace-google[${PYTHON_USEDEP}]
-	dev-python/setuptools[${PYTHON_USEDEP}]
 	dev-python/six[${PYTHON_USEDEP}]"
 DEPEND="${PYTHON_DEPS}
 	~dev-libs/protobuf-${PV}"
diff --git a/dev-python/protobuf-python/protobuf-python-9999.ebuild b/dev-python/protobuf-python/protobuf-python-9999.ebuild
index 6ea098fc2992e..663013686fcfe 100644
--- a/dev-python/protobuf-python/protobuf-python-9999.ebuild
+++ b/dev-python/protobuf-python/protobuf-python-9999.ebuild
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@
 
 EAPI="7"
 PYTHON_COMPAT=(python{2_7,3_6,3_7,3_8,3_9})
-DISTUTILS_USE_SETUPTOOLS="manual"
 
 inherit distutils-r1
 
@@ -30,7 +29,6 @@ IUSE=""
 BDEPEND="${PYTHON_DEPS}
 	~dev-libs/protobuf-${PV}
 	dev-python/namespace-google[${PYTHON_USEDEP}]
-	dev-python/setuptools[${PYTHON_USEDEP}]
 	dev-python/six[${PYTHON_USEDEP}]"
 DEPEND="${PYTHON_DEPS}
 	~dev-libs/protobuf-${PV}"