diff --git a/python-sherpa.changes b/python-sherpa.changes
index 1dbd5f7..7e86b1c 100644
--- a/python-sherpa.changes
+++ b/python-sherpa.changes
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+-------------------------------------------------------------------
+Sun Feb 18 15:31:44 UTC 2024 - Ben Greiner <code@bnavigator.de>
+
+- Skip python312: Requires setuptools < 60 and distutils
+
 -------------------------------------------------------------------
 Fri Dec 15 03:54:30 UTC 2023 - Steve Kowalik <steven.kowalik@suse.com>
 
diff --git a/python-sherpa.spec b/python-sherpa.spec
index 145e7a8..7d87640 100644
--- a/python-sherpa.spec
+++ b/python-sherpa.spec
@@ -16,6 +16,9 @@
 #
 
 
+# requires distutils and setuptools < 60, which does not backport distutils. Unsuitable for python312
+# Track upstream progress in https://github.com/sherpa/sherpa/pull/1949
+%define skip_python312 1
 Name:           python-sherpa
 Version:        4.16.0
 Release:        0