diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index d63e3f7..eb91960 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -1,13 +1,18 @@
 from setuptools import setup
-from setuptools_scm.git import parse as parse_git
 
 
 def doc_version():
-    git = parse_git(".")
-    if git.exact:
-        return git.format_with("v{tag}")
-    else:
-        return "latest"
+    try:
+        from setuptools_scm.git import parse as parse_git
+        git = parse_git(".")
+        if git.exact:
+            return git.format_with("v{tag}")
+        else:
+            return "latest"
+    except ImportError:
+        # PEP 517 compliant build tools will never reach this code path.
+        # Poetry reaches this code path.
+        return ""
 
 
 setup(