diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -70,7 +70,11 @@ import re
 import shutil
 import tempfile
 from distutils import log
-from distutils.core import setup, Command, Extension
+if 'FORCE_SETUPTOOLS' in os.environ:
+    from setuptools import setup
+else:
+    from distutils.core import setup
+from distutils.core import Command, Extension
 from distutils.dist import Distribution
 from distutils.command.build import build
 from distutils.command.build_ext import build_ext