diff --git a/roles/wsgi_website/tasks/main.yml b/roles/wsgi_website/tasks/main.yml
index b2ce178b4e8dc385d2fd8bd791304810aa2048cd..cbcde9753a182697cba81d214e45057c7f598035 100644
--- a/roles/wsgi_website/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/roles/wsgi_website/tasks/main.yml
@@ -114,8 +114,10 @@
     group: "{{ user }}"
     mode: 02750
 
+# setuptools is excluded on Stretch, because it would pull-in the
+# pkg-resources package that then messes with pip freeze etc.
 - name: Create Python virtual environment
-  command: '/usr/bin/virtualenv --python "{{ python_interpreter }}" --prompt "({{ fqdn }})" "{{ home }}/virtualenv"'
+  command: '/usr/bin/virtualenv {{ no_setuptools }} --python "{{ python_interpreter }}" --prompt "({{ fqdn }})" "{{ home }}/virtualenv"'
   args:
     creates: "{{ home }}/virtualenv/bin/{{ python_interpreter | basename }}"
   become: true
@@ -126,10 +128,11 @@
     #   created (thanks to 'creates' parameter).
     - skip_ansible_lint
 
-- name: Install latest pip in virtual environment
+- name: Install latest pip and setuptools in virtual environment
   pip:
     name:
       - "pip>=18.0.0,<19.0.0"
+      - "setuptools>=40.0.0,<41.0.0"
     virtualenv: "{{ home }}/virtualenv"
   become: true
   become_user: "{{ admin }}"
@@ -174,6 +177,20 @@
   with_items:
     - package: gunicorn
       version: "{{ gunicorn_version }}"
+  when: "not wsgi_requirements"
+  register: install_wsgi_server
+  notify:
+    - Restart WSGI services
+
+- name: Install futures Python 2 backport (for WSGI server)
+  become: true
+  become_user: "{{ admin }}"
+  pip:
+    name: "{{ item.package }}"
+    version: "{{ item.version }}"
+    state: present
+    virtualenv: "{{ home }}/virtualenv"
+  with_items:
     - package: futures
       version: "{{ futures_version }}"
   when: "not wsgi_requirements"