diff --git a/CHANGES b/CHANGES
index 4fe653a6f..a3dce6b4f 100644
--- a/CHANGES
+++ b/CHANGES
@@ -14,6 +14,12 @@ $ pip install --user --upgrade --pre libtmux
 
 <!-- Maintainers and contributors: Insert change notes for the next release above -->
 
+_Maintenance only, no bug fixes, or new features_
+
+### Development
+
+- build system: Remove `setuptools` requirement (#495, in related to #493, #494)
+
 ## libtmux 0.22.1 (2023-05-28)
 
 _Maintenance only, no bug fixes, or new features_
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 5b06cd7d2..8e1502a0e 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -130,5 +130,5 @@ exclude_lines = [
 ]
 
 [build-system]
-requires = ["poetry_core>=1.0.0", "setuptools>50"]
+requires = ["poetry_core>=1.0.0"]
 build-backend = "poetry.core.masonry.api"