diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..47516634
--- /dev/null
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -0,0 +1,161 @@
+import os
+try:
+    from setuptools import setup, find_packages, Extension
+    haveSetuptools = True
+except ImportError:
+    haveSetuptools = False
+import sys
+
+from src.version import softwareVersion
+
+packageManager = {
+    "OpenBSD": "pkg_add",
+    "FreeBSD": "pkg_install",
+    "Debian": "apt-get install",
+    "Ubuntu": "apt-get install",
+    "openSUSE": "zypper install",
+    "Fedora": "dnf install",
+    "Guix": "guix package -i",
+}
+
+packageName = {
+    "PyQt": {
+        "OpenBSD": "py-qt4",
+        "FreeBSD": "py27-qt4",
+        "Debian": "python-qt4",
+        "Ubuntu": "python-qt4",
+        "openSUSE": "python-qt",
+        "Fedora": "PyQt4",
+        "Guix": "python2-pyqt@4.11.4",
+    },
+    "msgpack": {
+        "OpenBSD": "py-msgpack",
+        "FreeBSD": "py27-msgpack-python",
+        "Debian": "python-msgpack",
+        "Ubuntu": "python-msgpack",
+        "openSUSE": "python-msgpack-python",
+        "Fedora": "python2-msgpack",
+        "Guix": "python2-msgpack",
+    }
+}
+
+def detectOS():
+    if detectOS.result is not None:
+        return detectOS.result
+    if sys.platform.startswith('openbsd'):
+        detectOS.result = "OpenBSD"
+    elif sys.platform.startswith('freebsd'):
+        detectOS.result = "FreeBSD"
+    elif sys.platform.startswith('win'):
+        detectOS.result = "Windows"
+    elif os.path.isfile("/etc/os-release"):
+        with open("/etc/os-release", 'rt') as osRelease:
+            for line in osRelease:
+                if line.startswith("NAME="):
+                    if "fedora" in line.lower():
+                        detectOS.result = "Fedora"
+                    elif "opensuse" in line.lower():
+                        detectOS.result = "openSUSE"
+                    elif "ubuntu" in line.lower():
+                        detectOS.result = "Ubuntu"
+                    elif "debian" in line.lower():
+                        detectOS.result = "Debian"
+                    else:
+                        detectOS.result = None
+    return detectOS.result
+
+def detectPrereqs(missing=False):
+    available = []
+    try:
+        import PyQt4.QtCore
+        if not missing:
+            available.append("PyQt")
+    except ImportError:
+        if missing:
+            available.append("PyQt")
+    try:
+        import msgpack
+        if not missing:
+            available.append("msgpack")
+    except ImportError:
+        if missing:
+            available.append("msgpack")
+    return available
+
+def prereqToPackages():
+    print "You can install the requirements by running, as root:"
+    print "%s %s" % (packageManager[detectOS()], " ".join(packageName[x][detectOS()] for x in detectPrereqs(True)))
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    detectOS.result = None
+    detectPrereqs.result = None
+    if "PyQt" in detectPrereqs(True):
+        print "You only need PyQt if you want to use the GUI. When only running as a daemon, this can be skipped."
+        print "However, you would have to install it manually because setuptools does not support pyqt."
+    if detectPrereqs(True) != [] and detectOS() in packageManager:
+        if detectOS() is not None:
+            print "It looks like you're using %s. It is highly recommended to use the package manager instead of setuptools." % (detectOS())
+            prereqToPackages()
+            sys.exit()
+    if not haveSetuptools:
+        print "It looks like you're missing setuptools."
+        sys.exit()
+
+    here = os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__))
+    with open(os.path.join(here, 'README.md')) as f:
+        README = f.read()
+    with open(os.path.join(here, 'CHANGES.txt')) as f:
+        CHANGES = f.read()
+
+    bitmsghash = Extension('bitmsghash.bitmsghash',
+        sources = ['src/bitmsghash/bitmsghash.cpp'],
+        libraries = ['pthread', 'crypto'],
+    )
+
+    dist = setup(
+        name='pybitmessage',
+        version=softwareVersion,
+        description='',
+        long_description=README,
+        license='MIT',
+        # TODO: add author info
+        #author='',
+        #author_email='',
+        url='https://github.com/Bitmessage/PyBitmessage/',
+        # TODO: add keywords
+        #keywords='',
+        install_requires = ['msgpack-python'],
+        classifiers = [
+            "License :: OSI Approved :: MIT License"
+            "Operating System :: MacOS :: MacOS X",
+            "Operating System :: Microsoft :: Windows",
+            "Operating System :: POSIX :: Linux",
+            "Programming Language :: Python :: 2.7.3",
+            "Programming Language :: Python :: 2.7.4",
+            "Programming Language :: Python :: 2.7.5",
+            "Programming Language :: Python :: 2.7.6",
+            "Programming Language :: Python :: 2.7.7",
+            "Programming Language :: Python :: 2.7.8",
+            "Programming Language :: Python :: 2.7.9",
+            "Programming Language :: Python :: 2.7.10",
+            "Programming Language :: Python :: 2.7.11",
+            "Programming Language :: Python :: 2.7.12",
+            "Programming Language :: Python :: 2.7.13",
+        ],
+        package_dir={'':'src'},
+        packages=['','bitmessageqt', 'bitmessagecurses', 'messagetypes', 'network', 'pyelliptic', 'socks'],
+        package_data={'': ['bitmessageqt/*.ui', 'bitmsghash/*.cl', 'keys/*.pem', 'translations/*.ts', 'translations/*.qm', 'images/*.png', 'images/*.ico', 'images/*.icns']},
+        ext_modules = [bitmsghash],
+        zip_safe=False,
+        entry_points="""\
+        [console_scripts]
+        bitmessage = bitmessagemain:Main.start
+        """,
+    )
+    with open(os.path.join(dist.command_obj['install_scripts'].install_dir, 'bitmessage'), 'wt') as f:
+        f.write("#!/bin/sh\n")
+        f.write(dist.command_obj['build'].executable + " " + \
+            os.path.join(dist.command_obj['install'].install_lib, 
+            os.path.basename(dist.command_obj['bdist_egg'].egg_output),
+            'bitmessagemain.py') + "\n")
+    os.chmod(os.path.join(dist.command_obj['install_scripts'].install_dir, 'bitmessage'), 0555)