diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 3f8667cd6fe42..a17dd502d7706 100755
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -85,7 +85,11 @@ def is_platform_mac():
 try:
     if not _CYTHON_INSTALLED:
         raise ImportError('No supported version of Cython installed.')
-    from Cython.Distutils import build_ext as _build_ext
+    try:
+        from Cython.Distutils.old_build_ext import old_build_ext as _build_ext
+    except ImportError:
+        # Pre 0.25
+        from Cython.Distutils import build_ext as _build_ext
     cython = True
 except ImportError:
     cython = False