diff --git a/docs/requirements.txt b/docs/requirements.txt
index 4e029845b..4b7b608ef 100644
--- a/docs/requirements.txt
+++ b/docs/requirements.txt
@@ -2,3 +2,4 @@ alabaster==0.7.12
 Sphinx==5.1.1
 sphinx-rtd-theme==1.0.0
 sphinx-copybutton==0.5.1
+importlib-metadata; python_version < '3.8'
diff --git a/docs/source/conf.py b/docs/source/conf.py
index d1078d61e..451a13456 100644
--- a/docs/source/conf.py
+++ b/docs/source/conf.py
@@ -17,10 +17,15 @@
 
 # -- Project information -----------------------------------------------------
 
+import sys
 
-import pkg_resources
 import sphinx_rtd_theme
 
+if sys.version_info >= (3, 8):
+    from importlib.metadata import Distribution
+else:
+    from importlib_metadata import Distribution
+
 html_theme = "sphinx_rtd_theme"
 
 html_theme_path = [sphinx_rtd_theme.get_html_theme_path()]
@@ -30,7 +35,7 @@
 author = "Will McGugan"
 
 # The full version, including alpha/beta/rc tags
-release = pkg_resources.get_distribution("rich").version
+release = Distribution.from_name("rich").version
 
 
 # -- General configuration ---------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 0e9a3b74e..e589ba9dc 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ pytest-cov = "^3.0.0"
 attrs = "^21.4.0"
 pre-commit = "^2.17.0"
 asv = "^0.5.1"
+importlib-metadata = { version = "*", python = "<3.8" }
 
 [build-system]
 requires = ["poetry-core>=1.0.0"]
diff --git a/tests/test_syntax.py b/tests/test_syntax.py
index f3f0f41fe..37cc293eb 100644
--- a/tests/test_syntax.py
+++ b/tests/test_syntax.py
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@
 import sys
 import tempfile
 
-import pkg_resources
 import pytest
 from pygments.lexers import PythonLexer
 
@@ -21,7 +20,12 @@
 
 from .render import render
 
-PYGMENTS_VERSION = pkg_resources.get_distribution("pygments").version
+if sys.version_info >= (3, 8):
+    from importlib.metadata import Distribution
+else:
+    from importlib_metadata import Distribution
+
+PYGMENTS_VERSION = Distribution.from_name("pygments").version
 OLD_PYGMENTS = PYGMENTS_VERSION == "2.13.0"
 
 CODE = '''\