diff --git a/changelog.d/2525.patch.rst b/changelog.d/2525.patch.rst
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8b590dce27
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/2525.patch.rst
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Avoid hitting network during test_virtualenv.test_test_command.
diff --git a/setuptools/tests/test_virtualenv.py b/setuptools/tests/test_virtualenv.py
index 21dea5bb87..5a942d84c5 100644
--- a/setuptools/tests/test_virtualenv.py
+++ b/setuptools/tests/test_virtualenv.py
@@ -179,6 +179,10 @@ def test_test_command_install_requirements(virtualenv, tmpdir):
     # Ensure pip/wheel packages are installed.
     virtualenv.run(
         "python -c \"__import__('pkg_resources').require(['pip', 'wheel'])\"")
+    # uninstall setuptools so that 'setup.py develop' works
+    virtualenv.run("python -m pip uninstall -y setuptools")
+    # disable index URL so bits and bobs aren't requested from PyPI
+    virtualenv.env['PIP_NO_INDEX'] = '1'
     _check_test_command_install_requirements(virtualenv, tmpdir)