diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 3605adbf7..135822ae6 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -9,7 +9,10 @@
     'version': '0.22.2',
     'packages': ['rosdep2', 'rosdep2.ament_packages', 'rosdep2.platforms'],
     'package_dir': {'': 'src'},
-    'install_requires': ['PyYAML >= 3.1', 'setuptools'],
+    'install_requires': [
+        'PyYAML >= 3.1',
+        'importlib_metadata; python_version<"3.8"'
+    ],
     'extras_require': {
         'test': [
             'flake8 < 6',
diff --git a/src/rosdep2/platforms/pip.py b/src/rosdep2/platforms/pip.py
index 8dfbb6927..8ca4ba03a 100644
--- a/src/rosdep2/platforms/pip.py
+++ b/src/rosdep2/platforms/pip.py
@@ -30,10 +30,14 @@
 from __future__ import print_function
 
 import os
-import pkg_resources
 import subprocess
 import sys
 
+try:
+    import importlib.metadata as importlib_metadata
+except ImportError:
+    import importlib_metadata
+
 from ..core import InstallFailed
 from ..installers import PackageManagerInstaller
 from ..shell_utils import read_stdout
@@ -130,8 +134,9 @@ def __init__(self):
         super(PipInstaller, self).__init__(pip_detect, supports_depends=True)
 
     def get_version_strings(self):
-        pip_version = pkg_resources.get_distribution('pip').version
-        setuptools_version = pkg_resources.get_distribution('setuptools').version
+        pip_version = importlib_metadata.version('pip')
+        # keeping the name "setuptools" for backward compatibility
+        setuptools_version = importlib_metadata.version('setuptools')
         version_strings = [
             'pip {}'.format(pip_version),
             'setuptools {}'.format(setuptools_version),
diff --git a/stdeb.cfg b/stdeb.cfg
index 64ccdd45b..67d1bb204 100644
--- a/stdeb.cfg
+++ b/stdeb.cfg
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ Setup-Env-Vars: SKIP_PYTHON_MODULES=1
 
 [rosdep_modules]
 Depends: ca-certificates, python-rospkg-modules (>= 1.4.0), python-yaml, python-catkin-pkg-modules (>= 0.4.0), python-rosdistro-modules (>= 0.7.5), python-setuptools, sudo
-Depends3: ca-certificates, python3-rospkg-modules (>= 1.4.0), python3-yaml, python3-catkin-pkg-modules (>= 0.4.0), python3-rosdistro-modules (>= 0.7.5), python3-setuptools, sudo
+Depends3: ca-certificates, python3-rospkg-modules (>= 1.4.0), python3-yaml, python3-catkin-pkg-modules (>= 0.4.0), python3-rosdistro-modules (>= 0.7.5), python3 (>= 3.8) | python3-importlib-metadata, sudo
 Conflicts: python-rosdep (<< 0.18.0), python-rosdep2
 Conflicts3: python3-rosdep (<< 0.18.0), python3-rosdep2
 Replaces: python-rosdep (<< 0.18.0)
diff --git a/test/test_rosdep_pip.py b/test/test_rosdep_pip.py
index 34840ce1c..2b3a3ba88 100644
--- a/test/test_rosdep_pip.py
+++ b/test/test_rosdep_pip.py
@@ -114,6 +114,13 @@ def test(expected_prefix, mock_method, mock_get_pip_command):
         raise
 
 
+def test_PipInstaller_get_version_strings():
+    from rosdep2.platforms.pip import PipInstaller
+
+    installer = PipInstaller()
+    assert installer.get_version_strings()
+
+
 def test_get_pip_command():
     from rosdep2.platforms.pip import get_pip_command