diff --git a/.github/workflows/python-app.yml b/.github/workflows/python-app.yml
index 79b82285..64462a66 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/python-app.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/python-app.yml
@@ -13,8 +13,7 @@ permissions:
   contents: read
 
 jobs:
-  build:
-
+  pythontests:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     strategy:
       matrix:
@@ -25,9 +24,6 @@ jobs:
       uses: actions/setup-python@v5
       with:
         python-version: ${{ matrix.python-version }}
-    - name: Install apt packages (for debbuild)
-      run: sudo apt-get install debhelper dh-python python3-pytest libboost-regex-dev build-essential
-      shell: bash
     - name: Install dependencies
       run: |
         python -m pip install --upgrade pip
@@ -40,10 +36,18 @@ jobs:
         flake8 . --count --select=E9,F63,F7,F82 --show-source --statistics --exclude examples/
         # exit-zero treats all errors as warnings. The GitHub editor is 127 chars wide
         flake8 . --count --exit-zero --max-complexity=10 --max-line-length=127 --statistics --exclude examples/
-    - name: Build debian packages
-      run:  make builddeb
     - name: Test with pytest
       run:  pytest
     - name: Run mypy
       run: |
         mypy --non-interactive --config-file mypy.ini -p problemtools
+
+  packages: # Use a separate job to test debian packaging to speed things up (no need to test this for every python version above)
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+    - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+    - name: Install apt packages (for debbuild)
+      run: sudo apt-get install debhelper dh-virtualenv dpkg-dev python3-venv automake g++ make libboost-regex-dev libgmp-dev python3 git build-essential
+      shell: bash
+    - name: Build debian packages
+      run:  make builddeb
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 0a24bfa5..18a3eccb 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 /support/default_validator/default_validator
 /support/interactive/interactive
 build/
+/problemtools/_version.py
 
 venv/
 .pytest_cache/
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 296634e5..bd3337bf 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -8,3 +8,7 @@ checktestdata: support/checktestdata/bootstrap
 
 support/checktestdata/bootstrap:
 	git submodule update --init
+
+clean:
+	make -C support clean
+	rm -rf problemtools.egg-info build
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 601de517..e9cef313 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -31,20 +31,17 @@ A few examples of problem packages can be found in [examples](examples).
 There are four supported ways of installing and running problemtools.
 (For non-Linux users, "Method 2" below, to use Docker, is probably the least painful.)
 
-### Method 1: Install the Python package
+### Method 1: Install the Python package using pipx
 
 Run
 ```
-sudo pip3 install git+https://github.com/kattis/problemtools
+pipx install git+https://github.com/kattis/problemtools
 ```
 
-Or if you don't want a system-wide installation,
-```
-pip3 install --user git+https://github.com/kattis/problemtools
-```
-With this second option, in order to get the command line scripts, you need
-to make sure that the local user bin path used (e.g., on Linux,
-`$HOME/.local/bin`) is in your `$PATH`.
+In order to get the command line scripts, you need to make sure that the local
+user bin path used (e.g., on Linux, `$HOME/.local/bin`) is in your `$PATH`. See
+[pipx' installation instructions](https://pipx.pypa.io/stable/installation/)
+for information on how to install `pipx` and set up your `$PATH`.
 
 In order for problemtools to build and run properly, you also need to have LaTeX
 and various LaTeX packages installed.  See [Requirements and
@@ -95,15 +92,20 @@ Hub, these are only updated sporadically for testing purposes and not
 kept up to date).
 
 
-### Method 3: Run directly from the repository.
+### Method 3: Run directly from the repository
 
-If you intend to help develop problemtools, or if you just want a
-bare-bones way of running them, this is your option.
+If you intend to help develop problemtools, or if you just want a bare-bones
+way of running them, this is your option.
 
 For this method, you need to clone the repository (just downloading a
 zip archive of it does not work because the project has submodules
 that are not included in that zip archive).
 
+Start by setting up your venv, e.g.,
+
+    python3 -m venv venv
+    venv/bin/pip install -r requirements.txt
+
 In order for the tools to work, you first have to compile the various
 support programs, which can be done by running `make` in the root
 directory of problemtools.
@@ -134,7 +136,7 @@ root of the repository).
 Apart from the build dependencies listed [below](#ubuntu), building
 the Debian package requires that the following tools are installed:
 
-    debhelper dh-python dpkg-dev
+    debhelper dh-virtualenv dpkg-dev
 
 The package can then be installed using (replace `<version>` as appropriate):
 
@@ -203,11 +205,11 @@ and a LaTeX installation.
 
 The dependencies needed to *build/install* problemtools can be installed with:
 
-    sudo apt install automake g++ make libboost-regex-dev libgmp-dev libgmp10 libgmpxx4ldbl python3 python3-pytest python3-setuptools python3-yaml python3-plastex
+    sudo apt install python3-venv automake g++ make libboost-regex-dev libgmp-dev python3 git
 
 And the dependencies needed to *run* problemtools can be installed with:
 
-    sudo apt install ghostscript libgmpxx4ldbl python3-minimal python-pkg-resources python3-plastex python3-yaml texlive-fonts-recommended texlive-lang-cyrillic texlive-latex-extra texlive-plain-generic tidy
+    sudo apt install ghostscript python3 texlive-fonts-recommended texlive-lang-cyrillic texlive-latex-extra texlive-plain-generic tidy dvisvgm
 
 ### Fedora
 
diff --git a/bin/.run_in_venv.sh b/bin/.run_in_venv.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..dce93afb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bin/.run_in_venv.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+#
+# Helper script for the other wrapper scripts to check that a venv exists, or
+# give a helpful message if it doesn't.
+
+VENVPATH="$(dirname "$(dirname "$(readlink -f "$0")")")/venv"
+
+if [ ! -x "$VENVPATH/bin/python" ]; then
+    echo "I could not find a python venv at $VENVPATH."
+    echo "To use these wrapper scripts, please set up a venv by:"
+    echo " cd $(dirname "$VENVPATH")"
+    echo " python3 -m venv venv"
+    echo " venv/bin/pip install -r requirements.txt"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+export PYTHONPATH
+PYTHONPATH="$(dirname "$(dirname "$(readlink -f "$0")")")${PYTHONPATH:+:}$PYTHONPATH"
+exec "$VENVPATH/bin/python" -m "$@"
diff --git a/bin/problem2html.sh b/bin/problem2html.sh
index eaa9d2d9..4068fbb3 100755
--- a/bin/problem2html.sh
+++ b/bin/problem2html.sh
@@ -5,6 +5,4 @@
 # installing problemtools on the system properly, this script should
 # not be used.
 
-export PYTHONPATH
-PYTHONPATH="$(dirname "$(dirname "$(readlink -f "$0")")")${PYTHONPATH:+:}$PYTHONPATH"
-exec python3 -m problemtools.problem2html "$@"
+exec "$(dirname "$(readlink -f "$0")")/.run_in_venv.sh" problemtools.problem2html "$@"
diff --git a/bin/problem2pdf.sh b/bin/problem2pdf.sh
index 949c11e8..8995152d 100755
--- a/bin/problem2pdf.sh
+++ b/bin/problem2pdf.sh
@@ -5,6 +5,4 @@
 # installing problemtools on the system properly, this script should
 # not be used.
 
-export PYTHONPATH
-PYTHONPATH="$(dirname "$(dirname "$(readlink -f "$0")")")${PYTHONPATH:+:}$PYTHONPATH"
-exec python3 -m problemtools.problem2pdf "$@"
+exec "$(dirname "$(readlink -f "$0")")/.run_in_venv.sh" problemtools.problem2pdf "$@"
diff --git a/bin/verifyproblem.sh b/bin/verifyproblem.sh
index 364d70c8..48ce5407 100755
--- a/bin/verifyproblem.sh
+++ b/bin/verifyproblem.sh
@@ -5,6 +5,4 @@
 # installing problemtools on the system properly, this script should
 # not be used.
 
-export PYTHONPATH
-PYTHONPATH="$(dirname "$(dirname "$(readlink -f "$0")")")${PYTHONPATH:+:}$PYTHONPATH"
-exec python3 -m problemtools.verifyproblem "$@"
+exec "$(dirname "$(readlink -f "$0")")/.run_in_venv.sh" problemtools.verifyproblem "$@"
diff --git a/debian/compat b/debian/compat
deleted file mode 100644
index ec635144..00000000
--- a/debian/compat
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-9
diff --git a/debian/control b/debian/control
index 42797c8b..4ba8bd76 100644
--- a/debian/control
+++ b/debian/control
@@ -2,13 +2,13 @@ Source: kattis-problemtools
 Section: devel
 Priority: optional
 Maintainer: Per Austrin <austrin@kattis.com>
-Build-Depends: debhelper (>= 8.0.0), g++ (>= 4.8), dh-python, python3, python3-setuptools, python3-pytest, python3-yaml, python3-setuptools, python3-pytest, libboost-regex-dev, libgmp-dev, automake, autoconf
+Build-Depends: debhelper-compat (= 13), g++ (>= 4.8), dh-virtualenv, python3, libboost-regex-dev, libgmp-dev, automake, autoconf, git
 Standards-Version: 3.9.4
 Homepage: https://github.com/Kattis/problemtools
 
 Package: kattis-problemtools
 Architecture: any
-Depends: ${shlibs:Depends}, ${python3:Depends}, ${misc:Depends}, python3-plastex, python3-pkg-resources, texlive-plain-generic, texlive-fonts-recommended, texlive-latex-extra, texlive-lang-cyrillic, tidy, ghostscript, dvisvgm
+Depends: ${shlibs:Depends}, ${misc:Depends}, python3, texlive-plain-generic, texlive-fonts-recommended, texlive-latex-extra, texlive-lang-cyrillic, tidy, ghostscript, dvisvgm
 Recommends: gcc, g++
 Description: Kattis Problem Tools
  These are tools to manage and verify problem packages in the
diff --git a/debian/kattis-problemtools.links b/debian/kattis-problemtools.links
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..39354ac1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/debian/kattis-problemtools.links
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+opt/venvs/kattis-problemtools/bin/verifyproblem usr/bin/verifyproblem
+opt/venvs/kattis-problemtools/bin/problem2pdf usr/bin/problem2pdf
+opt/venvs/kattis-problemtools/bin/problem2html usr/bin/problem2html
diff --git a/debian/rules b/debian/rules
index 76a72e36..2c10725f 100755
--- a/debian/rules
+++ b/debian/rules
@@ -4,12 +4,17 @@
 # Uncomment this to turn on verbose mode.
 #export DH_VERBOSE=1
 
-# Uncomment this to turn off cleanup.
-export PYBUILD_DISABLE=clean
+%:
+	dh $@ --with python-virtualenv
 
-export PYBUILD_AFTER_CLEAN=make -C support distclean
-export PYBUILD_TEST_PYTEST=1
-export no_proxy=github.com
+override_dh_virtualenv:
+	dh_virtualenv --builtin-venv --python /usr/bin/python3
 
-%:
-	dh $@ --with python3 --buildsystem=pybuild
+override_dh_strip:
+	dh_strip --exclude=/PIL/ --exclude=/pillow.libs/
+
+override_dh_shlibdeps:
+	dh_shlibdeps -X/x86/ -X/PIL/.libs/ -X/pillow.libs/
+
+override_dh_dwz:
+	dh_dwz --exclude=/PIL/ --exclude=/pillow.libs/
diff --git a/problemtools/__init__.py b/problemtools/__init__.py
index 8dee4bf8..e69de29b 100644
--- a/problemtools/__init__.py
+++ b/problemtools/__init__.py
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-from ._version import __version__
diff --git a/problemtools/_version.py b/problemtools/_version.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 98cf094a..00000000
--- a/problemtools/_version.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,2 +0,0 @@
-# Auto-generated from git changelog, do not edit!
-__version__ = '1.20231016'
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1152c3d6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+[build-system]
+requires = ["setuptools >= 77.0.0", "setuptools-scm"]
+build-backend = "setuptools.build_meta"
+
+[project]
+name = "problemtools"
+authors = [
+    {name = "Per Austrin", email = "austrin@kattis.com"},
+]
+description = "Kattis Problem Tools"
+readme = "README.md"
+license = "MIT"
+dependencies = [
+    "PyYAML",
+    "plasTeX>=3.0",
+]
+dynamic = [ "version" ]
+
+[project.scripts]
+verifyproblem = "problemtools.verifyproblem:main"
+problem2html = "problemtools.problem2html:main"
+problem2pdf = "problemtools.problem2pdf:main"
+
+[project.urls]
+Repository = "https://github.com/Kattis/problemtools"
+
+[tool.setuptools]
+include-package-data = true
+
+[tool.setuptools.packages.find]
+include = ["problemtools", "problemtools.*"]
+
+[tool.setuptools_scm]
+version_file = "problemtools/_version.py"
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index ecf975e2..c7dfe198 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -1 +1,2 @@
--e .
\ No newline at end of file
+PyYAML
+plasTeX>=3.0
diff --git a/setup.cfg b/setup.cfg
deleted file mode 100644
index 68d7b004..00000000
--- a/setup.cfg
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,5 +0,0 @@
-[aliases]
-# Temporarily disabled until we can make it play well with debhelper
-# pybuild (issue is that pytest-runner is not available in
-# deb-packaged form from standard repos)
-#test=pytest
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index a10457e0..410e76b6 100755
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -1,96 +1,69 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python3
 
-from setuptools import setup, find_packages
-from setuptools.command.bdist_egg import bdist_egg as _bdist_egg
-import distutils.cmd
-from distutils.command.build import build as _build
 import os
 import subprocess
 
+import setuptools
+import setuptools.command.build
+import setuptools.command.sdist
 
-class BuildSupport(distutils.cmd.Command):
+
+class BuildSupport(setuptools.Command):
     """A custom command to build the support programs."""
 
     description = 'build the problemtools support programs'
 
-    def initialize_options(self):
-        pass
+    build_lib: str | None
 
-    def finalize_options(self):
-        pass
+    def initialize_options(self) -> None:
+        self.build_lib = None
+
+    def finalize_options(self) -> None:
+        self.set_undefined_options('build_py', ('build_lib', 'build_lib'))
 
     def run(self):
-        """Run command."""
-        # FIXME this seems very fragile...
-        dest = os.path.join(os.path.realpath(self.distribution.command_obj['build'].build_lib),
-                            'problemtools', 'support')
+        dest = os.path.join(os.path.realpath(self.build_lib), 'problemtools', 'support')
         command = ['make', '-C', 'support', 'install', 'DESTDIR=%s' % dest]
-        self.announce('Running command: %s' % ' '.join(command), level=distutils.log.INFO)
         subprocess.check_call(command)
 
+class CheckoutChecktestdata(setuptools.Command):
+    """A custom command to build the support programs."""
 
-class bdist_egg(_bdist_egg):
-    """Updated bdist_egg command that also builds support."""
+    description = 'checkout the git submodule for checktestdata (via make)'
 
-    def run(self):
-        self.run_command('build_support')
-        _bdist_egg.run(self)
+    def initialize_options(self) -> None:
+        pass
 
+    def finalize_options(self) -> None:
+        pass
 
-class build(_build):
-    """Updated build command that also builds support."""
+    def run(self):
+        command = ['make', 'checktestdata']
+        subprocess.check_call(command)
 
+# It's *very* unclear from setuptools' documentation what the best way to do this is.
+#
+# I think that the ideal way would be to insert BuildSupport as a SubCommand
+# (https://setuptools.pypa.io/en/latest/userguide/extension.html), but I cannot find
+# any documented way to inject a new subcommand (aside from overwriting one of
+# the existing `build_*`, but those are only run conditionally).
+class build(setuptools.command.build.build):
     def run(self):
         self.run_command('build_support')
-        _build.run(self)
-
+        super().run()
 
-def get_version():
-    base_dir = os.path.dirname(__file__)
-
-    __version__ = None
-    try:
-        update_script = os.path.join(base_dir, 'admin', 'update_version.py.sh')
-        __version__ = subprocess.check_output([update_script]).decode('utf-8').strip()
-    except:
-        pass
+# To make python -m build work from a fresh checkout, we also need to hook sdist to
+# do a git submodule checkout so that the source code for checktestdata is included
+# in the sdist (an alternative approach would be to include .git in the sdist (eww).
+class sdist(setuptools.command.sdist.sdist):
+    def run(self):
+        self.run_command('checkout_checktestdata')
+        super().run()
 
-    if __version__ is None:
-        version_file = os.path.join(base_dir, 'problemtools', '_version.py')
-        with open(version_file, 'r') as version_in:
-            exec(version_in.read())
-
-    return __version__
-
-
-setup(name='problemtools',
-      version=get_version(),
-      description='Kattis Problem Tools',
-      maintainer='Per Austrin',
-      maintainer_email='austrin@kattis.com',
-      url='https://github.com/Kattis/problemtools',
-      license='MIT',
-      packages=find_packages(),
-      entry_points = {
-          'console_scripts': [
-              'verifyproblem=problemtools.verifyproblem:main',
-              'problem2html=problemtools.problem2html:main',
-              'problem2pdf=problemtools.problem2pdf:main',
-              'generatedata=problemtools.generatedata:main',
-          ]
-      },
-      include_package_data=True,
-      install_requires=[
-          'PyYAML',
-          'plasTeX>=3.0;python_version>="3"'
-      ],
-#      Temporarily disabled, see setup.cfg
-#      For now tests can be run manually with pytest
-#      setup_requires=['pytest-runner'],
-#      tests_require=['pytest'],
-      cmdclass={
+setuptools.setup(cmdclass={
           'build_support': BuildSupport,
-          'bdist_egg': bdist_egg,
-          'build': build
+          'build': build,
+          'checkout_checktestdata': CheckoutChecktestdata,
+          'sdist': sdist,
       },
 )