diff --git a/.github/workflows/cuda.yml b/.github/workflows/cuda.yml
index 0ac5cdf676b..2efda054837 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/cuda.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/cuda.yml
@@ -18,10 +18,6 @@ jobs:
     env:
       CXXFLAGS: "-Werror"
       CMAKE_GENERATOR: Ninja
-      # setuptools/mp4py work-around, see
-      #   https://github.com/mpi4py/mpi4py/pull/159
-      #   https://github.com/mpi4py/mpi4py/issues/157#issuecomment-1001022274
-      SETUPTOOLS_USE_DISTUTILS: stdlib
     steps:
     - uses: actions/checkout@v3
     - uses: actions/setup-python@v4
@@ -75,7 +71,8 @@ jobs:
           -DAMReX_CUDA_ERROR_CAPTURE_THIS=ON
         cmake --build build_sp -j 2
 
-        python3 -m pip install --upgrade pip setuptools wheel
+        python3 -m pip install --upgrade pip
+        python3 -m pip install --upgrade build packaging setuptools wheel
         export WARPX_MPI=ON
         export PYWARPX_LIB_DIR=$PWD/build_sp/lib/site-packages/pywarpx/
         python3 -m pip wheel .
@@ -118,13 +115,9 @@ jobs:
     name: NVHPC@21.11 NVCC/NVC++ Release [tests]
     runs-on: ubuntu-20.04
     if: github.event.pull_request.draft == false
-    env:
-      # For NVHPC, Ninja is slower than the default:
-      #CMAKE_GENERATOR: Ninja
-      # setuptools/mp4py work-around, see
-      #   https://github.com/mpi4py/mpi4py/pull/159
-      #   https://github.com/mpi4py/mpi4py/issues/157#issuecomment-1001022274
-      SETUPTOOLS_USE_DISTUTILS: stdlib
+    #env:
+    #  # For NVHPC, Ninja is slower than the default:
+    #  CMAKE_GENERATOR: Ninja
     steps:
     - uses: actions/checkout@v3
     - name: Dependencies
@@ -175,7 +168,8 @@ jobs:
         #   https://github.com/mpi4py/mpi4py/issues/114
         #export CFLAGS="-noswitcherror"
 
-        #python3 -m pip install --upgrade pip setuptools wheel
+        #python3 -m pip install --upgrade pip
+        #python3 -m pip install --upgrade build packaging setuptools wheel
         #export WARPX_MPI=ON
         #export PYWARPX_LIB_DIR=$PWD/build/lib/site-packages/pywarpx/
         #python3 -m pip wheel .
diff --git a/.github/workflows/intel.yml b/.github/workflows/intel.yml
index aba8200f1b2..b4a8869d498 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/intel.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/intel.yml
@@ -41,7 +41,8 @@ jobs:
         export CXX=$(which icpc)
         export CC=$(which icc)
 
-        python3 -m pip install --upgrade pip setuptools wheel
+        python3 -m pip install --upgrade pip
+        python3 -m pip install --upgrade build packaging setuptools wheel
 
         cmake -S . -B build_dp \
           -DCMAKE_VERBOSE_MAKEFILE=ON \
@@ -104,7 +105,7 @@ jobs:
         export CC=$(which icx)
 
         python3 -m pip install --upgrade pip
-        python3 -m pip install --upgrade setuptools wheel
+        python3 -m pip install --upgrade build packaging setuptools wheel
 
         cmake -S . -B build_sp         \
           -DCMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_RELEASE="-O1 -DNDEBUG" \
@@ -178,6 +179,6 @@ jobs:
 
      # Skip this as it will copy the binary artifacts and we are tight on disk space
      #   python3 -m pip install --upgrade pip
-     #   python3 -m pip install --upgrade setuptools wheel
+     #   python3 -m pip install --upgrade build packaging setuptools wheel
      #   PYWARPX_LIB_DIR=$PWD/build_sp/lib/site-packages/pywarpx/ python3 -m pip wheel .
      #   python3 -m pip install *.whl
diff --git a/.github/workflows/macos.yml b/.github/workflows/macos.yml
index c81ee598114..fda2cb77a51 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/macos.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/macos.yml
@@ -16,10 +16,6 @@ jobs:
       HOMEBREW_NO_INSTALLED_DEPENDENTS_CHECK: TRUE
       # For macOS, Ninja is slower than the default:
       #CMAKE_GENERATOR: Ninja
-      # setuptools/mp4py work-around, see
-      #   https://github.com/mpi4py/mpi4py/pull/159
-      #   https://github.com/mpi4py/mpi4py/issues/157#issuecomment-1001022274
-      SETUPTOOLS_USE_DISTUTILS: stdlib
     steps:
     - uses: actions/checkout@v3
     - name: Brew Cache
@@ -65,7 +61,7 @@ jobs:
     - name: build WarpX
       run: |
         python3 -m pip install --upgrade pip
-        python3 -m pip install --upgrade pip setuptools wheel
+        python3 -m pip install --upgrade build packaging setuptools wheel
 
         cmake -S . -B build_dp         \
           -DCMAKE_VERBOSE_MAKEFILE=ON  \
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ubuntu.yml b/.github/workflows/ubuntu.yml
index 0b43760b621..8fa83c99bef 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ubuntu.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ubuntu.yml
@@ -167,10 +167,6 @@ jobs:
       CXX: clang++
       # On CI for this test, Ninja is slower than the default:
       #CMAKE_GENERATOR: Ninja
-      # setuptools/mp4py work-around, see
-      #   https://github.com/mpi4py/mpi4py/pull/159
-      #   https://github.com/mpi4py/mpi4py/issues/157#issuecomment-1001022274
-      SETUPTOOLS_USE_DISTUTILS: stdlib
     steps:
     - uses: actions/checkout@v3
     - name: install dependencies
@@ -190,7 +186,8 @@ jobs:
           ccache-openmp-pyfull-
     - name: build WarpX
       run: |
-        python3 -m pip install --upgrade pip setuptools wheel
+        python3 -m pip install --upgrade pip
+        python3 -m pip install --upgrade build packaging setuptools wheel
 
         export CXXFLAGS="-Werror -Wno-error=pass-failed"
 
diff --git a/.github/workflows/windows.yml b/.github/workflows/windows.yml
index 9abc1ba7a64..8e2bb00f1db 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/windows.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/windows.yml
@@ -41,7 +41,9 @@ jobs:
         cmake --build build --config Debug --parallel 2
         if(!$?) { Exit $LASTEXITCODE }
 
-        python3 -m pip install --upgrade pip setuptools wheel
+        python3 -m pip install --upgrade pip
+        if(!$?) { Exit $LASTEXITCODE }
+        python3 -m pip install --upgrade build packaging setuptools wheel
         if(!$?) { Exit $LASTEXITCODE }
         cmake --build build --config Debug --target install
         if(!$?) { Exit $LASTEXITCODE }
@@ -100,7 +102,9 @@ jobs:
         cmake --build build --config Release --target install
         if errorlevel 1 exit 1
 
-        python3 -m pip install --upgrade pip setuptools wheel
+        python3 -m pip install --upgrade pip
+        if errorlevel 1 exit 1
+        python3 -m pip install --upgrade build packaging setuptools wheel
         if errorlevel 1 exit 1
         python3 -m pip install --upgrade -r requirements.txt
         if errorlevel 1 exit 1