diff --git a/python/Makefile.am b/python/Makefile.am
index 1d00c0c..6e51744 100644
--- a/python/Makefile.am
+++ b/python/Makefile.am
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ all-local:
 	CFLAGS="${CFLAGS} -fno-strict-aliasing" @PYTHONBINARY@ setup.py build --build-base py$(PYTHONREV)
 
 install-exec-local:
-	CFLAGS="${CFLAGS} -fno-strict-aliasing" @PYTHONBINARY@ setup.py build --build-base py$(PYTHONREV) install --prefix=${DESTDIR}${prefix}
+	CFLAGS="${CFLAGS} -fno-strict-aliasing" @PYTHONBINARY@ setup.py build --build-base py$(PYTHONREV) install --root ${DESTDIR} --prefix=${prefix}
 
 clean-local:
 	rm -rf py$(PYTHONREV)
diff --git a/python/Makefile.in b/python/Makefile.in
index f47ac5e..8e9c7f2 100644
--- a/python/Makefile.in
+++ b/python/Makefile.in
@@ -483,7 +483,7 @@ all-local:
 	CFLAGS="${CFLAGS} -fno-strict-aliasing" @PYTHONBINARY@ setup.py build --build-base py$(PYTHONREV)
 
 install-exec-local:
-	CFLAGS="${CFLAGS} -fno-strict-aliasing" @PYTHONBINARY@ setup.py build --build-base py$(PYTHONREV) install --prefix=${DESTDIR}${prefix}
+	CFLAGS="${CFLAGS} -fno-strict-aliasing" @PYTHONBINARY@ setup.py build --build-base py$(PYTHONREV) install --root=${DESTDIR} --prefix=${prefix}
 
 clean-local:
 	rm -rf py$(PYTHONREV)
diff --git a/python/setup.py.in b/python/setup.py.in
index a741b91..f934c50 100755
--- a/python/setup.py.in
+++ b/python/setup.py.in
@@ -6,9 +6,9 @@
 
 import os
 
-from distutils.core import setup, Extension
-from distutils.command.build_ext import build_ext as _build_ext
-from distutils.command.sdist import sdist as _sdist
+from setuptools import setup, Extension
+from setuptools.command.build_ext import build_ext as _build_ext
+from setuptools.command.sdist import sdist as _sdist
 
 def genconstants(headerfile, outputfile):
     hf = open(headerfile, 'r')