diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 93de7602..aa445007 100755
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -2,19 +2,27 @@
 
 from setuptools import setup, find_packages
 import os
+import subprocess
 
 from bitcoin import __version__
 
 here = os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__))
-with open(os.path.join(here, 'README.md')) as f:
-    README = f.read()
+readme_path = os.path.join(here, 'README.md')
+try:
+    args = 'pandoc', '--from', 'markdown', '--to', 'rst', readme_path
+    readme = subprocess.check_output(args).decode()
+except Exception as error:
+    print('README.md conversion to reStructuredText failed. Error:')
+    print(error)
+    with open(readme_path) as read_file:
+        readme = read_file.read()
 
 requires = []
 
 setup(name='python-bitcoinlib',
       version=__version__,
       description='The Swiss Army Knife of the Bitcoin protocol.',
-      long_description=README,
+      long_description=readme,
       classifiers=[
           "Programming Language :: Python",
           "License :: OSI Approved :: GNU Lesser General Public License v3 or later (LGPLv3+)",