diff --git a/debian/rules b/debian/rules
index 4a3f699..ed34134 100755
--- a/debian/rules
+++ b/debian/rules
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 export DH_VERBOSE=1
 export PYBUILD_NAME=prometheus-client-rus
+export PYBUILD_SYSTEM=distutils
 
 # Set these, such that pybuild does not set them
 export http_proxy=