diff --git a/build.py b/build.py
index 1ba63f06..144c44b0 100755
--- a/build.py
+++ b/build.py
@@ -723,9 +723,7 @@ def checkCompiler(quiet=False):
         # Make sure that the compiler that Python wants to use can be found.
         # It will terminate if the compiler is not found or other exceptions
         # are raised.
-        # setuptools is imported to address https://bugs.python.org/issue23246
         cmd = "import distutils.msvc9compiler as msvc; " \
-              "import setuptools; " \
               "mc = msvc.MSVCCompiler(); " \
               "mc.initialize(); " \
               "print(mc.cc)"
@@ -736,9 +734,7 @@ def checkCompiler(quiet=False):
         # Now get the environment variables which that compiler needs from
         # its vcvarsall.bat command and load them into this process's
         # environment.
-        # setuptools is imported to address https://bugs.python.org/issue23246
         cmd = "import distutils.msvc9compiler as msvc; " \
-              "import setuptools; " \
               "arch = msvc.PLAT_TO_VCVARS[msvc.get_platform()]; " \
               "env = msvc.query_vcvarsall(msvc.VERSION, arch); " \
               "print(env)"
diff --git a/wscript b/wscript
index e73629bd..51754d7b 100644
--- a/wscript
+++ b/wscript
@@ -74,7 +74,6 @@ def configure(conf):
         msvc_version = str( distutils.msvc9compiler.get_build_version() )
         conf.env['MSVC_VERSIONS'] = ['msvc ' + msvc_version]
         conf.env['MSVC_TARGETS'] = [conf.options.msvc_arch]
-        conf.env['NO_MSVC_DETECT'] = 1
         conf.load('msvc')
     else:
         conf.load('compiler_cc compiler_cxx')
@@ -416,8 +415,6 @@ def my_check_python_headers(conf):
 
     if env.CC_NAME == "msvc":
         from distutils.msvccompiler import MSVCCompiler
-        # setuptools is imported to address https://bugs.python.org/issue23246
-        import setuptools
         dist_compiler = MSVCCompiler()
         dist_compiler.initialize()
         env.append_value('CFLAGS_PYEXT', dist_compiler.compile_options)