diff --git a/package/pkg-python.mk b/package/pkg-python.mk
index b8dc9cd9e5..e81a1a3102 100644
--- a/package/pkg-python.mk
+++ b/package/pkg-python.mk
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ PKG_PYTHON_DISTUTILS_ENV = \
 	LDSHARED="$(TARGET_CROSS)gcc -shared" \
 	PYTHONPATH="$(PYTHON3_PATH)" \
 	PYTHONNOUSERSITE=1 \
+	SETUPTOOLS_USE_DISTUTILS=stdlib \
 	_PYTHON_HOST_PLATFORM="$(PKG_PYTHON_HOST_PLATFORM)" \
 	_PYTHON_PROJECT_BASE="$(PYTHON3_DIR)" \
 	_PYTHON_SYSCONFIGDATA_NAME="$(PKG_PYTHON_SYSCONFIGDATA_NAME)" \
@@ -62,6 +63,7 @@ PKG_PYTHON_DISTUTILS_INSTALL_STAGING_OPTS = \
 HOST_PKG_PYTHON_DISTUTILS_ENV = \
 	PATH=$(BR_PATH) \
 	PYTHONNOUSERSITE=1 \
+	SETUPTOOLS_USE_DISTUTILS=stdlib \
 	$(HOST_CONFIGURE_OPTS)
 
 HOST_PKG_PYTHON_DISTUTILS_INSTALL_OPTS = \
@@ -76,6 +78,7 @@ PKG_PYTHON_SETUPTOOLS_ENV = \
 	$(TARGET_CONFIGURE_OPTS) \
 	PYTHONPATH="$(PYTHON3_PATH)" \
 	PYTHONNOUSERSITE=1 \
+	SETUPTOOLS_USE_DISTUTILS=stdlib \
 	_python_sysroot=$(STAGING_DIR) \
 	_python_prefix=/usr \
 	_python_exec_prefix=/usr
@@ -96,6 +99,7 @@ PKG_PYTHON_SETUPTOOLS_INSTALL_STAGING_OPTS = \
 HOST_PKG_PYTHON_SETUPTOOLS_ENV = \
 	PATH=$(BR_PATH) \
 	PYTHONNOUSERSITE=1 \
+	SETUPTOOLS_USE_DISTUTILS=stdlib \
 	$(HOST_CONFIGURE_OPTS)
 
 HOST_PKG_PYTHON_SETUPTOOLS_INSTALL_OPTS = \