diff --git a/.github/workflows/CI.yml b/.github/workflows/CI.yml
index aab607e..928c66a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/CI.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/CI.yml
@@ -68,10 +68,6 @@ jobs:
       - name: Install
         run: poetry install
 
-      - name: Fix cython issues
-        if: ${{ matrix.cython == 'yes' && (matrix.python-version == '3.12' || matrix.python-version == '3.13') }}
-        run: poetry run pip install setuptools
-
       - name: Build Cython file
         if: ${{ matrix.cython == 'yes' }}
         run: make cythonize
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 8f26c81..96a187f 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -43,6 +43,8 @@ pytest = "*"
 pytest-benchmark = "*"
 pytest-cov = "*"
 ruff = "*"
+# cython needs distutils, but 3.12 removed it (https://github.com/cython/cython/issues/5751)
+setuptools = { version = "*" , python = ">=3.12" }
 
 [build-system]
 requires = ["poetry>=0.12"]