diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/lammps/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/lammps/package.py
index 9d290a5d30..1c933f21f3 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/lammps/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/lammps/package.py
@@ -294,6 +294,7 @@ def url_for_version(self, version):
     depends_on("py-cython", when="+ml-iap+python")
     depends_on("py-numpy", when="+mliap+python")
     depends_on("py-numpy", when="+ml-iap+python")
+    depends_on("py-setuptools", when="@20220217:+python", type="build")
 
     conflicts("+cuda", when="+opencl")
     conflicts("+body", when="+poems@:20180628")