diff --git a/recipe/meta.json b/recipe/meta.json
index 9814804a2..9eed05eb2 100644
--- a/recipe/meta.json
+++ b/recipe/meta.json
@@ -21,7 +21,8 @@
       "pytest-cov =5.0.*",
       "pytest-xdist =3.6.*",
       "python >=3.9,<3.13",
-      "pyyaml =6.0.*"
+      "pyyaml =6.0.*",
+      "setuptools"
     ],
     "run": [
       "f90nml =1.4.*",
diff --git a/recipe/meta.yaml b/recipe/meta.yaml
index df2bfa841..61a8505c4 100644
--- a/recipe/meta.yaml
+++ b/recipe/meta.yaml
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ build:
 requirements:
   build:
     - pip
+    - setuptools
   run:
     - f90nml 1.4.*
     - iotaa 0.8.*