diff --git a/gnu/packages/python.scm b/gnu/packages/python.scm
index b37bb1360f..1055c6f242 100644
--- a/gnu/packages/python.scm
+++ b/gnu/packages/python.scm
@@ -3961,7 +3961,8 @@ (define-public python-simplegeneric
         (base32 "0wwi1c6md4vkbcsfsf8dklf3vr4mcdj4mpxkanwgb6jb1432x5yw"))))
     (build-system python-build-system)
     (native-inputs
-     `(("unzip" ,unzip)))
+     `(("python-setuptools" ,python-setuptools)
+       ("unzip" ,unzip)))
     (home-page "http://cheeseshop.python.org/pypi/simplegeneric")
     (synopsis "Python module for simple generic functions")
     (description