diff --git a/docs/conf.py b/docs/conf.py
index b89984d..83e19a2 100644
--- a/docs/conf.py
+++ b/docs/conf.py
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ import sys, os
 
 sys.path.insert(0, os.path.abspath('..'))
 
-import setup
+import pytest_bdd
 
 # -- General configuration -----------------------------------------------------
 
@@ -51,9 +51,9 @@ copyright = u'2013, Oleg Pidsadnyi'
 # built documents.
 #
 # The short X.Y version.
-version = setup.version
+version = pytest_bdd.__version__
 # The full version, including alpha/beta/rc tags.
-release = setup.version
+release = pytest_bdd.__version__
 
 # The language for content autogenerated by Sphinx. Refer to documentation
 # for a list of supported languages.
diff --git a/pytest_bdd/__init__.py b/pytest_bdd/__init__.py
index 36a63ed..e1207b0 100644
--- a/pytest_bdd/__init__.py
+++ b/pytest_bdd/__init__.py
@@ -1,4 +1,10 @@
-from pytest_bdd.steps import given, when, then  # pragma: no cover
-from pytest_bdd.scenario import scenario  # pragma: no cover
+__version__ = '2.1.0'
 
-__all__ = [given.__name__, when.__name__, then.__name__, scenario.__name__]  # pragma: no cover
+try:
+    from pytest_bdd.steps import given, when, then  # pragma: no cover
+    from pytest_bdd.scenario import scenario  # pragma: no cover
+
+    __all__ = [given.__name__, when.__name__, then.__name__, scenario.__name__]  # pragma: no cover
+except ImportError:
+    # avoid import errors when only __version__ is needed (for setup.py) 
+    pass
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index acffec7..ac3010a 100755
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -6,8 +6,7 @@ import sys
 from setuptools import setup
 from setuptools.command.test import test as TestCommand
 
-
-version = '2.1.0'
+import pytest_bdd
 
 
 class Tox(TestCommand):
@@ -38,7 +37,7 @@ setup(
     license='MIT license',
     author_email='oleg.podsadny@gmail.com',
     url='https://github.com/olegpidsadnyi/pytest-bdd',
-    version=version,
+    version=pytest_bdd.__version__,
     classifiers=[
         'Development Status :: 6 - Mature',
         'Intended Audience :: Developers',