diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index bdb0471..782bb21 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
 # Copyright (c) 2013 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
 #
 # Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
@@ -11,12 +10,20 @@
 # distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
 # WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or
 # implied.
-# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and           
-# limitations under the License.                                                
-                                                                                
-# THIS FILE IS MANAGED BY THE GLOBAL REQUIREMENTS REPO - DO NOT EDIT            
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+# THIS FILE IS MANAGED BY THE GLOBAL REQUIREMENTS REPO - DO NOT EDIT
 import setuptools
 
+# In python < 2.7.4, a lazy loading of package `pbr` will break
+# setuptools if some other modules registered functions in `atexit`.
+# solution from: http://bugs.python.org/issue15881#msg170215
+try:
+    import multiprocessing  # noqa
+except ImportError:
+    pass
+
 setuptools.setup(
-    setup_requires=['pbr'],
+    setup_requires=['pbr>=1.8'],
     pbr=True)