diff --git a/Lib/distutils/command/check.py b/Lib/distutils/command/check.py
index 7ebe707cff4963..ff2074902461d2 100644
--- a/Lib/distutils/command/check.py
+++ b/Lib/distutils/command/check.py
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ def check_restructuredtext(self):
 
     def _check_rst_data(self, data):
         """Returns warnings when the provided data doesn't compile."""
-        source_path = StringIO()
+        source_path = self.distribution.script_name or 'setup.py'
         parser = Parser()
         settings = frontend.OptionParser(components=(Parser,)).get_default_values()
         settings.tab_width = 4
@@ -135,6 +135,7 @@ def _check_rst_data(self, data):
                           error_handler=settings.error_encoding_error_handler)
 
         document = nodes.document(settings, reporter, source=source_path)
+        # the include and csv_table directives need this to be a path
         document.note_source(source_path, -1)
         try:
             parser.parse(data, document)
diff --git a/Lib/distutils/tests/includetest.rst b/Lib/distutils/tests/includetest.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..d7b4ae38b09d86
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Lib/distutils/tests/includetest.rst
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+This should be included.
diff --git a/Lib/distutils/tests/test_check.py b/Lib/distutils/tests/test_check.py
index 3d22868e313be7..7bafd0ed14144d 100644
--- a/Lib/distutils/tests/test_check.py
+++ b/Lib/distutils/tests/test_check.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 """Tests for distutils.command.check."""
 import textwrap
 import unittest
+from pathlib import Path
 from test.support import run_unittest
 
 from distutils.command.check import check, HAS_DOCUTILS
@@ -13,6 +14,10 @@
     pygments = None
 
 
+HERE = Path(__file__).parent
+INCLUDE_TEST_PATH = (HERE / 'includetest.rst').relative_to(Path.cwd())
+
+
 class CheckTestCase(support.LoggingSilencer,
                     support.TempdirManager,
                     unittest.TestCase):
@@ -99,6 +104,11 @@ def test_check_restructuredtext(self):
         cmd = self._run(metadata, strict=1, restructuredtext=1)
         self.assertEqual(cmd._warnings, 0)
 
+        # check that includes work to test #31292
+        metadata['long_description'] = 'title\n=====\n\n.. include:: {}'.format(INCLUDE_TEST_PATH)
+        cmd = self._run(metadata, strict=1, restructuredtext=1)
+        self.assertEqual(cmd._warnings, 0)
+
     @unittest.skipUnless(HAS_DOCUTILS, "won't test without docutils")
     def test_check_restructuredtext_with_syntax_highlight(self):
         # Don't fail if there is a `code` or `code-block` directive
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2017-08-30-20-27-00.bpo-31292.dKIaZb.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2017-08-30-20-27-00.bpo-31292.dKIaZb.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..60c232af449de5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2017-08-30-20-27-00.bpo-31292.dKIaZb.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+Fix ``setup.py check --restructuredtext`` for
+files containing ``.. include::`` directives.