diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 58ef73ffda..943388bcdc 100755
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
     # this fucking question, and if you get here you should go RTGDMFM.
     raise ImportError('Sopel requires Python 2.7+ or 3.3+.')
 if sys.version_info.major == 2:
-    stderr('Warning: Python 2.x is near end of life. Sopel support at that point is TBD.')
+    print('Warning: Python 2.x is near end of life. Sopel support at that point is TBD.', file=sys.stderr)
 
 
 def read_reqs(path):