--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -66,9 +66,6 @@
 
 import sys, os, os.path, pathlib, platform, shutil, tempfile, warnings
 
-# for newer setuptools, enable the embedded distutils before importing setuptools/distutils to avoid warnings
-os.environ['SETUPTOOLS_USE_DISTUTILS'] = 'local'
-
 from setuptools import setup, Command, Distribution as _Distribution, Extension as _Extension
 from setuptools.command.build_ext import build_ext as _build_ext
 # NB: distutils imports must remain below setuptools to ensure we use the embedded version