diff --git a/output_scour.py b/output_scour.py
index 9ff5cd45f213aa1c169639c81245bc32233d6c9f..dab0f0997001f16368f0bea3a155b9d1bcb9f0d4 100755
--- a/output_scour.py
+++ b/output_scour.py
@@ -3,17 +3,24 @@
 Run the scour module on the svg output.
 """
 
-from distutils.version import StrictVersion
 
 import inkex
 
+try:
+    from packaging.version import Version
+except ImportError:
+    raise inkex.DependencyError("""Failed to import module 'packaging'.
+Please make sure it is installed (e.g. using 'pip install packaging'
+or 'sudo apt-get install python3-packaging') and try again.
+""")
+
 try:
     import scour
     from scour.scour import scourString
 except ImportError:
     raise inkex.DependencyError("""Failed to import module 'scour'.
 Please make sure it is installed (e.g. using 'pip install scour'
-  or 'sudo apt-get install python-scour') and try again.
+  or 'sudo apt-get install python3-scour') and try again.
 """)
 
 
@@ -56,7 +63,7 @@ class ScourInkscape(inkex.OutputExtension):
         if self.options.scour_version_warn_old:
             scour_version = scour.__version__
             scour_version_min = self.options.scour_version
-            if StrictVersion(scour_version) < StrictVersion(scour_version_min):
+            if Version(scour_version) < Version(scour_version_min):
                 raise inkex.AbortExtension(f"""
 The extension 'Optimized SVG Output' is designed for Scour {scour_version_min} or later but you're
  using the older version Scour {scour_version}.
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 01e2756833805fa87c6613351773923d9a73ebb4..1849abca1045b6cd1ab5fde323e4d5ae4e855d5c 100755
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ setup(
             'Programming Language :: Python :: 3.7',
         ],
         packages=['inkex', 'inkex.elements', 'inkex.tester'],
-        install_requires=['scour', 'numpy', 'pyserial', 'cssselect'],
+        install_requires=['scour', 'numpy', 'pyserial', 'cssselect', 'packaging'],
         setup_requires=["pytest-runner"],
         tests_require=["pytest", "pytest-cov"]
 )