diff --git a/py/misc/_dist.py b/py/misc/_dist.py
index dc07bee95..65709cea2 100644
--- a/py/misc/_dist.py
+++ b/py/misc/_dist.py
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ def setup(pkg, **kw):
     print "precompiling greenlet module" 
     try:
         x = py.magic.greenlet()
-    except ImportError:
+    except (RuntimeError, ImportError):
         print "could not precompile greenlet module, skipping"
 
     params = Params(pkg)