diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index a868500..eb4c759 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ def read_file(file_name):
     license='BSD',
     author='Eugene Kalinin',
     author_email='e.v.kalinin@gmail.com',
-    install_requires=[],
+    install_requires=['setuptools'],
     description="Node.js virtual environment builder",
     long_description=ldesc,
     py_modules=['nodeenv'],