diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index c17065c..4a4833f 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -1,8 +1,12 @@
 # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 from __future__ import with_statement
+import sys
 
 from setuptools import setup
 
+needs_pytest = {'pytest', 'test', 'ptr'}.intersection(sys.argv)
+pytest_runner = ['pytest-runner'] if needs_pytest else []
+
 
 def get_version(fname='mccabe.py'):
     with open(fname) as f:
@@ -33,7 +37,7 @@ def get_long_description():
     license='Expat license',
     py_modules=['mccabe'],
     zip_safe=False,
-    setup_requires=['pytest-runner'],
+    setup_requires=pytest_runner,
     tests_require=['pytest'],
     entry_points={
         'flake8.extension': [