diff --git a/setup.cfg b/setup.cfg
index 3f549c0bb..2b2cb9812 100644
--- a/setup.cfg
+++ b/setup.cfg
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ install_requires =
     UC2-REST >=0.1.0.7 
     visa >= 1.0.0
     esptool>=4.2.1
+    setuptools<60.0.0
     # optional:
     #openflexure-microscope-client >=0.1.6
     #NanoImagingPack @ https://gitlab.com/bionanoimaging/nanoimagingpack/