diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 03c9532d..d71ea2a7 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ def find_version(*file_paths):
         "cfn_flip>=1.2.3",
         "nested-lookup",
         "botocore>=1.31.17",
+        "setuptools",
     ],
     entry_points={
         "console_scripts": ["cfn-cli = rpdk.core.cli:main", "cfn = rpdk.core.cli:main"]