diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index e9de24390..3a744d15a 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -12,8 +12,8 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 
-import distutils.dir_util
 from setuptools import setup
+import shutil
 import os
 import sys
 
@@ -26,8 +26,8 @@
         this_dir = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))
         build_dir = os.path.join(this_dir, "build")
         if os.path.isdir(build_dir):
-            distutils.dir_util.remove_tree(build_dir)
+            shutil.rmtree(build_dir)
         egg_dir = os.path.join(this_dir, "SpiNNMan.egg-info")
         if os.path.isdir(egg_dir):
-            distutils.dir_util.remove_tree(egg_dir)
+            shutil.rmtree(egg_dir)
     setup()