diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/py-matplotlib/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/py-matplotlib/package.py
index d4f96706b3..b5eb8a53c4 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/py-matplotlib/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/py-matplotlib/package.py
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ class PyMatplotlib(Package):
 
     extends('python', ignore=r'bin/nosetests.*$|bin/pbr$')
 
+    depends_on('py-setuptools', type='build')
     depends_on('py-pyside', when='+gui', type=nolink)
     depends_on('py-ipython', when='+ipython', type=nolink)
     depends_on('py-pyparsing', type=nolink)