diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 634b45317459e001db102a4463dc8309dea48b0c_c2V0dXAucHk=..b6bc2293cdf353ad5d14ad47c7d4ee0adc91dfda_c2V0dXAucHk= 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -168,6 +168,9 @@
 from distutils.sysconfig import get_python_inc, get_config_var
 from distutils.version import StrictVersion
 
+# Explain to distutils.StrictVersion how our release candidates are versionned
+StrictVersion.version_re = re.compile(r'^(\d+)\.(\d+)(\.(\d+))?-?(rc(\d+))?$')
+
 def write_if_changed(path, content):
     """Write content to a file iff the content hasn't changed."""
     if os.path.exists(path):