diff --git a/README.rst b/README.rst
index 54ad8c1e..235221c2 100644
--- a/README.rst
+++ b/README.rst
@@ -79,6 +79,7 @@ The required dependencies are as follows:
 - numpy >= 1.19.0
 - python 3.9-3.13
 - scipy >= 1.5.0
+- setuptools
 - sympy >= 1.6.0
 
 The optional dependencies are as follows:
@@ -136,7 +137,7 @@ set the ``LD_LIBRARY_PATH`` so that you can link to Ipopt when installing
 
 Once Ipopt is installed and accessible, install conda then create an environment::
 
-   $ conda create -n opty-custom -c conda-forge cython numpy pip scipy sympy
+   $ conda create -n opty-custom -c conda-forge cython numpy pip scipy setuptools sympy
    $ source activate opty-custom
    (opty-custom)$ pip install cyipopt  # this will compile cyipopt against the available ipopt
    (opty-custom)$ pip install opty
@@ -145,7 +146,7 @@ If you want to develop opty, create a conda environment with all of the
 dependencies installed::
 
    $ conda config --add channels conda-forge
-   $ conda create -n opty-dev python sympy numpy scipy cython ipopt cyipopt matplotlib pytables pydy pandas pytest sphinx sphinx-gallery numpydoc
+   $ conda create -n opty-dev python sympy numpy scipy cython ipopt cyipopt matplotlib pytables pydy pandas pytest setuptools sphinx sphinx-gallery numpydoc
    $ source activate opty-dev
 
 Next download the opty source files and install with::
diff --git a/opty-dev-env.yml b/opty-dev-env.yml
index e2e073a0..e995ba18 100644
--- a/opty-dev-env.yml
+++ b/opty-dev-env.yml
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ dependencies:
   - pytest-cov
   - python
   - scipy >=1.5.0
+  - setuptools
   - sphinx
   - sphinx-gallery
   - sympy >=1.13  # version required for the docs
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 34f7b404..33d3eefc 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
         'cython>=0.29.19',
         'numpy>=1.19.0',
         'scipy>=1.5.0',
+        'setuptools',  # provides distutils for Python >=3.13
         'sympy>=1.6.0',
     ],
     extras_require={