diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 91e55933..872c737c 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -16,6 +16,12 @@
 
 import distutils.core
 import sys
+# Importing setuptools adds some features like "setup.py develop", but
+# it's optional so swallow the error if it's not there.
+try:
+    import setuptools
+except ImportError:
+    pass
 
 kwargs = {}
 
diff --git a/website/sphinx/releases/next.rst b/website/sphinx/releases/next.rst
index 365e48b7..080bd9ec 100644
--- a/website/sphinx/releases/next.rst
+++ b/website/sphinx/releases/next.rst
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ What's new in the next version of Tornado
 In progress
 -----------
 
-* ``setup.py`` no longer imports setuptools on Python 2.x.
 * Colored logging configuration in `tornado.options` is compatible with
   the upcoming release of Python 3.3.
 * `tornado.simple_httpclient` is better about closing its sockets