diff --git a/pkgs/development/python-modules/subliminal/default.nix b/pkgs/development/python-modules/subliminal/default.nix
index 1bee4c4ab691..9c97b8a8861d 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/python-modules/subliminal/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/python-modules/subliminal/default.nix
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
   rarfile,
   requests,
   platformdirs,
+  setuptools,
   stevedore,
   tomli,
 
@@ -42,6 +43,8 @@ buildPythonPackage rec {
     hash = "sha256-g7gg2qdLKl7bg/nNXRWN9wZaNShOOc38sVASZrIycMU=";
   };
 
+  build-system = [ setuptools ];
+
   propagatedBuildInputs = [
     babelfish
     beautifulsoup4