diff --git a/python/pyproject.toml b/python/pyproject.toml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..fed528d4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/python/pyproject.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+[build-system]
+requires = ["setuptools"]
+build-backend = "setuptools.build_meta"
diff --git a/python/setup.py.in b/python/setup.py.in
index 392756f8..43e9dd4b 100644
--- a/python/setup.py.in
+++ b/python/setup.py.in
@@ -5,11 +5,15 @@
 import sys, os, subprocess
 
 try:
-    import setuptools
+    from setuptools import setup, Extension
 except ImportError:
-    pass
-
-from distutils.core import setup, Extension
+    try:
+        # Using distutils, for python < 3.12
+        from distutils.core import setup, Extension
+    except ImportError:
+        # distutils is not present in python 3.12 and greater
+        print("setuptools is required for python >= 3.12")
+        sys.exit(1)
 
 # Below ROOT, we expect to find include, include/libxml2, lib and bin.
 # On *nix, it is not needed (but should not harm),