diff --git a/MANIFEST.in b/MANIFEST.in
deleted file mode 100644
index d4acfceb..00000000
--- a/MANIFEST.in
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,2 +0,0 @@
-include proto_cmd.py
-include src/*.proto
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 152cd7a0..1c34a3fe 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -31,11 +31,12 @@ erl_test: erl_compile
 # Python specific build steps
 python_compile:
 	@echo "==> Python (compile)"
+	@./proto_cmd.py build_proto
 	@./setup.py build
 
 python_clean:
 	@echo "==> Python (clean)"
-	@./setup.py clean
+	@./proto_cmd.py clean_proto
 
 python_release: python_compile
 	@echo "==> Python (release)"
diff --git a/proto_cmd.py b/proto_cmd.py
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index fa5e5a99..9b979e24
--- a/proto_cmd.py
+++ b/proto_cmd.py
@@ -1,8 +1,11 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+
 from distutils.spawn import find_executable
 from distutils.command.build import build
 from distutils.command.clean import clean
 from distutils.cmd import Command
 from distutils import log
+from distutils.core import setup
 import sys
 import os
 
@@ -86,5 +89,4 @@ def generate_proto(self, source, outputdir):
     if result is not None and result[1] is not 0:
       raise SystemError("protoc command failed: '%s'" % protoc_command.join(' '))
 
-# Inject our .proto compiler into the front of the build commands
-build.sub_commands.insert(0, ('build_proto', None))
+setup(packages=['riak_pb'], cmdclass={'build_proto': build_proto, 'clean_proto': clean_proto})
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index cf9be168..0496d033 100755
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python
 
 from setuptools import setup
-from proto_cmd import build_proto, clean_proto
 
 setup(name='riak_pb',
       version='1.2.1',
@@ -19,7 +18,5 @@
       classifiers=['License :: OSI Approved :: Apache Software License',
                    'Intended Audience :: Developers',
                    'Operating System :: OS Independent',
-                   'Topic :: Database'],
-      cmdclass={'build_proto': build_proto,
-                'clean': clean_proto}
+                   'Topic :: Database']
       )