diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 2626ea24..6eaadb37 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@
 extras_require["complete-cuda"] = sorted(set(sum(_all_extras, [])))
 
 
-setup_requirements = ["setuptools"]
+setup_requirements = []
 test_requirements = (
     extras_require["testing"]
     + extras_require["astropy"]