diff --git a/debian/rules b/debian/rules
index e691ed317dda75ca94f04de7e90ae1bd18a01f55_ZGViaWFuL3J1bGVz..53be1c3de64918feec2b3c4e067d27e6f26cb04f_ZGViaWFuL3J1bGVz 100755
--- a/debian/rules
+++ b/debian/rules
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 build: build-stamp
 build-stamp:
 	dh_testdir
-	python setup.py -q build
+	NO_SETUPTOOLS=1 python setup.py -q build
 	touch build-stamp
 
 clean:
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
 	dh_testroot
 	dh_clean -k
 	dh_installdirs -i
-	python setup.py -q install --no-compile --prefix=debian/cubicweb-comment/usr/
+	NO_SETUPTOOLS=1 python setup.py -q install --no-compile --prefix=debian/cubicweb-comment/usr/
 	# remove generated .egg-info file
 	rm -rf debian/cubicweb-comment/usr/lib/python*