diff --git a/dev-python/protobuf-python/protobuf-python-3.11.4.ebuild b/dev-python/protobuf-python/protobuf-python-3.11.4.ebuild
index d95a668e36a04..0d5203efdc86e 100644
--- a/dev-python/protobuf-python/protobuf-python-3.11.4.ebuild
+++ b/dev-python/protobuf-python/protobuf-python-3.11.4.ebuild
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 
 EAPI="7"
 PYTHON_COMPAT=(python{2_7,3_6,3_7,3_8})
-DISTUTILS_USE_SETUPTOOLS="manual"
+DISTUTILS_USE_SETUPTOOLS="rdepend"
 
 inherit distutils-r1
 
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@ 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-${PV}"
@@ -43,6 +42,14 @@ if [[ "${PV}" == "9999" ]]; then
 	EGIT_CHECKOUT_DIR="${WORKDIR}/protobuf-${PV}"
 fi
 
+python_prepare_all() {
+	pushd "${WORKDIR}/protobuf-${PV}" > /dev/null || die
+	eapply_user
+	popd > /dev/null || die
+
+	distutils-r1_python_prepare_all
+}
+
 python_configure_all() {
 	mydistutilsargs=(--cpp_implementation)
 }
diff --git a/dev-python/protobuf-python/protobuf-python-3.12.2.ebuild b/dev-python/protobuf-python/protobuf-python-3.12.2.ebuild
index a6ada7b300a83..2cd68f6c7fda1 100644
--- a/dev-python/protobuf-python/protobuf-python-3.12.2.ebuild
+++ b/dev-python/protobuf-python/protobuf-python-3.12.2.ebuild
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 
 EAPI="7"
 PYTHON_COMPAT=(python{2_7,3_{6..9}})
-DISTUTILS_USE_SETUPTOOLS="manual"
+DISTUTILS_USE_SETUPTOOLS="rdepend"
 
 inherit distutils-r1
 
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@ 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-${PV}"
@@ -43,6 +42,14 @@ if [[ "${PV}" == "9999" ]]; then
 	EGIT_CHECKOUT_DIR="${WORKDIR}/protobuf-${PV}"
 fi
 
+python_prepare_all() {
+	pushd "${WORKDIR}/protobuf-${PV}" > /dev/null || die
+	eapply_user
+	popd > /dev/null || die
+
+	distutils-r1_python_prepare_all
+}
+
 python_configure_all() {
 	mydistutilsargs=(--cpp_implementation)
 }
diff --git a/dev-python/protobuf-python/protobuf-python-3.12.4.ebuild b/dev-python/protobuf-python/protobuf-python-3.12.4.ebuild
index 45575c8ab0120..9e7ca9ff7d584 100644
--- a/dev-python/protobuf-python/protobuf-python-3.12.4.ebuild
+++ b/dev-python/protobuf-python/protobuf-python-3.12.4.ebuild
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 
 EAPI="7"
 PYTHON_COMPAT=(python{2_7,3_6,3_7,3_8,3_9})
-DISTUTILS_USE_SETUPTOOLS="manual"
+DISTUTILS_USE_SETUPTOOLS="rdepend"
 
 inherit distutils-r1
 
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@ 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-${PV}"
@@ -43,6 +42,14 @@ if [[ "${PV}" == "9999" ]]; then
 	EGIT_CHECKOUT_DIR="${WORKDIR}/protobuf-${PV}"
 fi
 
+python_prepare_all() {
+	pushd "${WORKDIR}/protobuf-${PV}" > /dev/null || die
+	eapply_user
+	popd > /dev/null || die
+
+	distutils-r1_python_prepare_all
+}
+
 python_configure_all() {
 	mydistutilsargs=(--cpp_implementation)
 }
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 51f7d5f7b7f2a..eb481ccd564a1 100644
--- a/dev-python/protobuf-python/protobuf-python-3.13.0.ebuild
+++ b/dev-python/protobuf-python/protobuf-python-3.13.0.ebuild
@@ -2,9 +2,8 @@
 # Distributed under the terms of the GNU General Public License v2
 
 EAPI="7"
-
-DISTUTILS_USE_SETUPTOOLS=rdepend
 PYTHON_COMPAT=(python{2_7,3_6,3_7,3_8,3_9})
+DISTUTILS_USE_SETUPTOOLS="rdepend"
 
 inherit distutils-r1
 
@@ -44,6 +43,10 @@ if [[ "${PV}" == "9999" ]]; then
 fi
 
 python_prepare_all() {
+	pushd "${WORKDIR}/protobuf-${PV}" > /dev/null || die
+	eapply_user
+	popd > /dev/null || die
+
 	distutils-r1_python_prepare_all
 
 	sed -e "/^[[:space:]]*setup_requires = \['wheel'\],$/d" -i setup.py || die
diff --git a/dev-python/protobuf-python/protobuf-python-9999.ebuild b/dev-python/protobuf-python/protobuf-python-9999.ebuild
index fc808ec3a2a3f..0007bff057a72 100644
--- a/dev-python/protobuf-python/protobuf-python-9999.ebuild
+++ b/dev-python/protobuf-python/protobuf-python-9999.ebuild
@@ -2,9 +2,8 @@
 # Distributed under the terms of the GNU General Public License v2
 
 EAPI="7"
-
-DISTUTILS_USE_SETUPTOOLS=rdepend
 PYTHON_COMPAT=(python{2_7,3_6,3_7,3_8,3_9})
+DISTUTILS_USE_SETUPTOOLS="rdepend"
 
 inherit distutils-r1
 
@@ -44,6 +43,10 @@ if [[ "${PV}" == "9999" ]]; then
 fi
 
 python_prepare_all() {
+	pushd "${WORKDIR}/protobuf-${PV}" > /dev/null || die
+	eapply_user
+	popd > /dev/null || die
+
 	distutils-r1_python_prepare_all
 
 	sed -e "/^[[:space:]]*setup_requires = \['wheel'\],$/d" -i setup.py || die