diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py

index 7267529..098a6bb 100644

--- a/setup.py

+++ b/setup.py

@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ requirements = [

     "idna>=2.0",

     "pyasn1>=0.1.8",

     "six>=1.4.1",

-    "setuptools>=11.3",

+    "setuptools",

 ]

 setup_requirements = []

diff --git a/src/cryptography/hazmat/backends/__init__.py b/src/cryptography/hazmat/backends/__init__.py

index 96a431d..256fee3 100644

--- a/src/cryptography/hazmat/backends/__init__.py

+++ b/src/cryptography/hazmat/backends/__init__.py

@@ -17,7 +17,12 @@ def _available_backends():

     if _available_backends_list is None:

         _available_backends_list = [

-            ep.resolve()

+            # setuptools 11.3 deprecated support for the require parameter to

+            # load(), and introduced the new resolve() method instead.

+            # This can be removed if/when we can assume setuptools>=11.3. At

+            # some point we may wish to add a warning, to push people along,

+            # but at present this would result in too many warnings.

+            ep.resolve() if hasattr(ep, "resolve") else ep.load(require=False)

             for ep in pkg_resources.iter_entry_points(

                 "cryptography.backends"

             )