diff --git a/docs/changelog/1669.bugfix.rst b/docs/changelog/1669.bugfix.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5fa952b72
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/changelog/1669.bugfix.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+Disable distutils fixup for python 3 until `pypa/pip #7778 <https://github.com/pypa/pip/issues/7778>`_ is fixed and
+released - by :user:`gaborbernat`.
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 18642d636..0f0ab7a9f 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -5,8 +5,5 @@
 
 setup(
     use_scm_version={"write_to": "src/virtualenv/version.py", "write_to_template": '__version__ = "{version}"'},
-    setup_requires=[
-        # this cannot be enabled until https://github.com/pypa/pip/issues/7778 is addressed
-        # "setuptools_scm >= 2"
-    ],
+    setup_requires=["setuptools_scm >= 2"],
 )
diff --git a/src/virtualenv/create/via_global_ref/api.py b/src/virtualenv/create/via_global_ref/api.py
index 8ee0c5c8f..0d3907356 100644
--- a/src/virtualenv/create/via_global_ref/api.py
+++ b/src/virtualenv/create/via_global_ref/api.py
@@ -53,6 +53,8 @@ def create(self):
 
     def patch_distutils_via_pth(self):
         """Patch the distutils package to not be derailed by its configuration files"""
+        if self.interpreter.version_info.major == 3:
+            return  # TODO: remove this, for her to bypass: https://github.com/pypa/pip/issues/7778
         patch_file = Path(__file__).parent / "_distutils_patch_virtualenv.py"
         with ensure_file_on_disk(patch_file, self.app_data) as resolved_path:
             text = resolved_path.read_text()
diff --git a/tests/unit/seed/test_boostrap_link_via_app_data.py b/tests/unit/seed/test_boostrap_link_via_app_data.py
index 3c4c6697a..aefd9d68f 100644
--- a/tests/unit/seed/test_boostrap_link_via_app_data.py
+++ b/tests/unit/seed/test_boostrap_link_via_app_data.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 import pytest
 
 from virtualenv.discovery.py_info import PythonInfo
-from virtualenv.info import fs_supports_symlink
+from virtualenv.info import PY3, fs_supports_symlink
 from virtualenv.run import cli_run
 from virtualenv.seed.embed.wheels import BUNDLE_SUPPORT
 from virtualenv.seed.embed.wheels.acquire import BUNDLE_FOLDER
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ def read_only_folder(temp_app_data):
         os.chmod(str(temp_app_data), S_IWUSR | S_IREAD)
 
 
-@pytest.mark.skipif(sys.platform == "win32", reason="Windows only applies R/O to files")
+@pytest.mark.skipif(sys.platform == "win32" or PY3, reason="Windows only applies R/O to files")
 def test_base_bootstrap_link_via_app_data_not_writable(tmp_path, current_fastest, read_only_folder, monkeypatch):
     dest = tmp_path / "venv"
     result = cli_run(["--seeder", "app-data", "--creator", current_fastest, "--clear-app-data", "-vv", str(dest)])