@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 import pytest
 from tempfile import mkstemp, mkdtemp
 from subprocess import Popen, PIPE
+import importlib.metadata
 from distutils.errors import DistutilsError
 
 from numpy.testing import assert_, assert_equal, assert_raises
@@ -13,6 +14,16 @@
 from numpy.distutils import _shell_utils
 
 
+try:
+    if importlib.metadata.version('setuptools') >= '60':
+        # pkg-resources gives deprecation warnings, and there may be more issues.
+        # we only support setuptools <60
+        pytest.skip("setuptools is too new", allow_module_level=True)
+except importlib.metadata.PackageNotFoundError:
+    # we don't require `setuptools`; if it is not found, continue
+    pass
+
+
 def get_class(name, notfound_action=1):
     """
     notfound_action: