diff --git a/docker/python-builder/scripts/assemble b/docker/python-builder/scripts/assemble
index 683547a73f..81a8df4643 100755
--- a/docker/python-builder/scripts/assemble
+++ b/docker/python-builder/scripts/assemble
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ done
 # Use a clean virtualenv for install steps to prevent things from the
 # current environment making us not build a wheel.
 python3 -m venv /tmp/venv
-/tmp/venv/bin/pip install -U pip wheel build
+/tmp/venv/bin/pip install -U pip wheel build setuptools
 
 /tmp/venv/bin/pip --version