diff --git a/setuptools/depends.py b/setuptools/depends.py
index 8be6928a31..adffd12db8 100644
--- a/setuptools/depends.py
+++ b/setuptools/depends.py
@@ -2,7 +2,8 @@
 import marshal
 import contextlib
 import dis
-from distutils.version import StrictVersion
+
+from setuptools.extern.packaging import version
 
 from ._imp import find_module, PY_COMPILED, PY_FROZEN, PY_SOURCE
 from . import _imp
@@ -21,7 +22,7 @@ def __init__(
             attribute=None, format=None):
 
         if format is None and requested_version is not None:
-            format = StrictVersion
+            format = version.Version
 
         if format is not None:
             requested_version = format(requested_version)
@@ -40,7 +41,7 @@ def full_name(self):
     def version_ok(self, version):
         """Is 'version' sufficiently up-to-date?"""
         return self.attribute is None or self.format is None or \
-            str(version) != "unknown" and version >= self.requested_version
+            str(version) != "unknown" and self.format(version) >= self.requested_version
 
     def get_version(self, paths=None, default="unknown"):
         """Get version number of installed module, 'None', or 'default'
@@ -78,7 +79,7 @@ def is_current(self, paths=None):
         version = self.get_version(paths)
         if version is None:
             return False
-        return self.version_ok(version)
+        return self.version_ok(str(version))
 
 
 def maybe_close(f):
diff --git a/setuptools/tests/test_setuptools.py b/setuptools/tests/test_setuptools.py
index 42f8e18bef..3609ab5ed8 100644
--- a/setuptools/tests/test_setuptools.py
+++ b/setuptools/tests/test_setuptools.py
@@ -7,10 +7,11 @@
 from distutils.errors import DistutilsOptionError
 from distutils.errors import DistutilsSetupError
 from distutils.core import Extension
-from distutils.version import LooseVersion
 
 import pytest
 
+from setuptools.extern.packaging import version
+
 import setuptools
 import setuptools.dist
 import setuptools.depends as dep
@@ -84,12 +85,12 @@ def testRequire(self):
 
         assert req.name == 'Json'
         assert req.module == 'json'
-        assert req.requested_version == '1.0.3'
+        assert req.requested_version == version.Version('1.0.3')
         assert req.attribute == '__version__'
         assert req.full_name() == 'Json-1.0.3'
 
         from json import __version__
-        assert req.get_version() == __version__
+        assert str(req.get_version()) == __version__
         assert req.version_ok('1.0.9')
         assert not req.version_ok('0.9.1')
         assert not req.version_ok('unknown')
@@ -97,11 +98,6 @@ def testRequire(self):
         assert req.is_present()
         assert req.is_current()
 
-        req = Require('Json 3000', '03000', 'json', format=LooseVersion)
-        assert req.is_present()
-        assert not req.is_current()
-        assert not req.version_ok('unknown')
-
         req = Require('Do-what-I-mean', '1.0', 'd-w-i-m')
         assert not req.is_present()
         assert not req.is_current()