diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@
 try:
     import py2exe
 
-    py2exe.Distribution  # silence unused import warning
+    py2exe.patch_distutils()
     py2exeloaded = True
     # import py2exe's patched Distribution class
     from distutils.core import Distribution