diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index 7b8597880..c8fd9c459 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -59,6 +59,9 @@ matrix:
             - python3 
             - python3-pip
             - *gcc5_pkgs
+    - os: osx
+      osx_image: xcode9.2
+         
           
 cache:
   directories:
diff --git a/dlib/travis/build-and-test.sh b/dlib/travis/build-and-test.sh
index 977501c95..d2ddde919 100755
--- a/dlib/travis/build-and-test.sh
+++ b/dlib/travis/build-and-test.sh
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ if [ "$VARIANT" = "python-api" ]; then
 fi
 
 if [ "$VARIANT" = "python3-api" ]; then
+  pip3 install -U setuptools
   python3 setup.py test --clean
   pip install --user numpy
   python3 setup.py test --clean