diff --git a/scorep/subsystem.py b/scorep/subsystem.py
index 083d3d1..44b1525 100644
--- a/scorep/subsystem.py
+++ b/scorep/subsystem.py
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import os
-import setuptools.command.build_ext
+import distutils.ccompiler
 import tempfile
 import shutil
 
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ def generate(scorep_config, keep_files=False):
 
     subsystem_lib_name = generate_subsystem_lib_name()
 
-    cc = setuptools.command.build_ext.new_compiler()
+    cc = distutils.ccompiler.new_compiler()
     compiled_subsystem = cc.compile(
         [temp_dir + "/scorep_init.c"], output_dir=temp_dir)
     cc.link(
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 056f1c8..58f216d 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import os
 import sys
-from setuptools import setup, Extension
+from distutils.core import setup, Extension
 import scorep.helper
 from scorep.instrumenter import has_c_instrumenter