diff --git a/3.12-rc/alpine3.17/Dockerfile b/3.12-rc/alpine3.17/Dockerfile
index 032f53a30..e9e6f3a1b 100644
--- a/3.12-rc/alpine3.17/Dockerfile
+++ b/3.12-rc/alpine3.17/Dockerfile
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ RUN set -eux; \
 	;
 
 ENV GPG_KEY 7169605F62C751356D054A26A821E680E5FA6305
-ENV PYTHON_VERSION 3.12.0a7
+ENV PYTHON_VERSION 3.12.0b1
 
 RUN set -eux; \
 	\
@@ -130,9 +130,7 @@ RUN set -eux; \
 	done
 
 # if this is called "PIP_VERSION", pip explodes with "ValueError: invalid truth value '<VERSION>'"
-ENV PYTHON_PIP_VERSION 23.0.1
-# https://github.com/docker-library/python/issues/365
-ENV PYTHON_SETUPTOOLS_VERSION 65.5.1
+ENV PYTHON_PIP_VERSION 23.1.2
 # https://github.com/pypa/get-pip
 ENV PYTHON_GET_PIP_URL https://github.com/pypa/get-pip/raw/0d8570dc44796f4369b652222cf176b3db6ac70e/public/get-pip.py
 ENV PYTHON_GET_PIP_SHA256 96461deced5c2a487ddc65207ec5a9cffeca0d34e7af7ea1afc470ff0d746207
@@ -149,7 +147,6 @@ RUN set -eux; \
 		--no-cache-dir \
 		--no-compile \
 		"pip==$PYTHON_PIP_VERSION" \
-		"setuptools==$PYTHON_SETUPTOOLS_VERSION" \
 	; \
 	rm -f get-pip.py; \
 	\
diff --git a/3.12-rc/alpine3.18/Dockerfile b/3.12-rc/alpine3.18/Dockerfile
index d147a3cbf..8dc6a6b58 100644
--- a/3.12-rc/alpine3.18/Dockerfile
+++ b/3.12-rc/alpine3.18/Dockerfile
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ RUN set -eux; \
 	;
 
 ENV GPG_KEY 7169605F62C751356D054A26A821E680E5FA6305
-ENV PYTHON_VERSION 3.12.0a7
+ENV PYTHON_VERSION 3.12.0b1
 
 RUN set -eux; \
 	\
@@ -130,9 +130,7 @@ RUN set -eux; \
 	done
 
 # if this is called "PIP_VERSION", pip explodes with "ValueError: invalid truth value '<VERSION>'"
-ENV PYTHON_PIP_VERSION 23.0.1
-# https://github.com/docker-library/python/issues/365
-ENV PYTHON_SETUPTOOLS_VERSION 65.5.1
+ENV PYTHON_PIP_VERSION 23.1.2
 # https://github.com/pypa/get-pip
 ENV PYTHON_GET_PIP_URL https://github.com/pypa/get-pip/raw/0d8570dc44796f4369b652222cf176b3db6ac70e/public/get-pip.py
 ENV PYTHON_GET_PIP_SHA256 96461deced5c2a487ddc65207ec5a9cffeca0d34e7af7ea1afc470ff0d746207
@@ -149,7 +147,6 @@ RUN set -eux; \
 		--no-cache-dir \
 		--no-compile \
 		"pip==$PYTHON_PIP_VERSION" \
-		"setuptools==$PYTHON_SETUPTOOLS_VERSION" \
 	; \
 	rm -f get-pip.py; \
 	\
diff --git a/3.12-rc/bullseye/Dockerfile b/3.12-rc/bullseye/Dockerfile
index 981a49981..8d17c5abd 100644
--- a/3.12-rc/bullseye/Dockerfile
+++ b/3.12-rc/bullseye/Dockerfile
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ RUN set -eux; \
 	rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
 
 ENV GPG_KEY 7169605F62C751356D054A26A821E680E5FA6305
-ENV PYTHON_VERSION 3.12.0a7
+ENV PYTHON_VERSION 3.12.0b1
 
 RUN set -eux; \
 	\
@@ -100,9 +100,7 @@ RUN set -eux; \
 	done
 
 # if this is called "PIP_VERSION", pip explodes with "ValueError: invalid truth value '<VERSION>'"
-ENV PYTHON_PIP_VERSION 23.0.1
-# https://github.com/docker-library/python/issues/365
-ENV PYTHON_SETUPTOOLS_VERSION 65.5.1
+ENV PYTHON_PIP_VERSION 23.1.2
 # https://github.com/pypa/get-pip
 ENV PYTHON_GET_PIP_URL https://github.com/pypa/get-pip/raw/0d8570dc44796f4369b652222cf176b3db6ac70e/public/get-pip.py
 ENV PYTHON_GET_PIP_SHA256 96461deced5c2a487ddc65207ec5a9cffeca0d34e7af7ea1afc470ff0d746207
@@ -119,7 +117,6 @@ RUN set -eux; \
 		--no-cache-dir \
 		--no-compile \
 		"pip==$PYTHON_PIP_VERSION" \
-		"setuptools==$PYTHON_SETUPTOOLS_VERSION" \
 	; \
 	rm -f get-pip.py; \
 	\
diff --git a/3.12-rc/buster/Dockerfile b/3.12-rc/buster/Dockerfile
index 5ab46c165..21ae2a48d 100644
--- a/3.12-rc/buster/Dockerfile
+++ b/3.12-rc/buster/Dockerfile
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ RUN set -eux; \
 	rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
 
 ENV GPG_KEY 7169605F62C751356D054A26A821E680E5FA6305
-ENV PYTHON_VERSION 3.12.0a7
+ENV PYTHON_VERSION 3.12.0b1
 
 RUN set -eux; \
 	\
@@ -100,9 +100,7 @@ RUN set -eux; \
 	done
 
 # if this is called "PIP_VERSION", pip explodes with "ValueError: invalid truth value '<VERSION>'"
-ENV PYTHON_PIP_VERSION 23.0.1
-# https://github.com/docker-library/python/issues/365
-ENV PYTHON_SETUPTOOLS_VERSION 65.5.1
+ENV PYTHON_PIP_VERSION 23.1.2
 # https://github.com/pypa/get-pip
 ENV PYTHON_GET_PIP_URL https://github.com/pypa/get-pip/raw/0d8570dc44796f4369b652222cf176b3db6ac70e/public/get-pip.py
 ENV PYTHON_GET_PIP_SHA256 96461deced5c2a487ddc65207ec5a9cffeca0d34e7af7ea1afc470ff0d746207
@@ -119,7 +117,6 @@ RUN set -eux; \
 		--no-cache-dir \
 		--no-compile \
 		"pip==$PYTHON_PIP_VERSION" \
-		"setuptools==$PYTHON_SETUPTOOLS_VERSION" \
 	; \
 	rm -f get-pip.py; \
 	\
diff --git a/3.12-rc/slim-bullseye/Dockerfile b/3.12-rc/slim-bullseye/Dockerfile
index 1409e0b80..2aec0c95c 100644
--- a/3.12-rc/slim-bullseye/Dockerfile
+++ b/3.12-rc/slim-bullseye/Dockerfile
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ RUN set -eux; \
 	rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
 
 ENV GPG_KEY 7169605F62C751356D054A26A821E680E5FA6305
-ENV PYTHON_VERSION 3.12.0a7
+ENV PYTHON_VERSION 3.12.0b1
 
 RUN set -eux; \
 	\
@@ -134,9 +134,7 @@ RUN set -eux; \
 	done
 
 # if this is called "PIP_VERSION", pip explodes with "ValueError: invalid truth value '<VERSION>'"
-ENV PYTHON_PIP_VERSION 23.0.1
-# https://github.com/docker-library/python/issues/365
-ENV PYTHON_SETUPTOOLS_VERSION 65.5.1
+ENV PYTHON_PIP_VERSION 23.1.2
 # https://github.com/pypa/get-pip
 ENV PYTHON_GET_PIP_URL https://github.com/pypa/get-pip/raw/0d8570dc44796f4369b652222cf176b3db6ac70e/public/get-pip.py
 ENV PYTHON_GET_PIP_SHA256 96461deced5c2a487ddc65207ec5a9cffeca0d34e7af7ea1afc470ff0d746207
@@ -162,7 +160,6 @@ RUN set -eux; \
 		--no-cache-dir \
 		--no-compile \
 		"pip==$PYTHON_PIP_VERSION" \
-		"setuptools==$PYTHON_SETUPTOOLS_VERSION" \
 	; \
 	rm -f get-pip.py; \
 	\
diff --git a/3.12-rc/slim-buster/Dockerfile b/3.12-rc/slim-buster/Dockerfile
index 9f1b87193..40cab1b0e 100644
--- a/3.12-rc/slim-buster/Dockerfile
+++ b/3.12-rc/slim-buster/Dockerfile
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ RUN set -eux; \
 	rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
 
 ENV GPG_KEY 7169605F62C751356D054A26A821E680E5FA6305
-ENV PYTHON_VERSION 3.12.0a7
+ENV PYTHON_VERSION 3.12.0b1
 
 RUN set -eux; \
 	\
@@ -134,9 +134,7 @@ RUN set -eux; \
 	done
 
 # if this is called "PIP_VERSION", pip explodes with "ValueError: invalid truth value '<VERSION>'"
-ENV PYTHON_PIP_VERSION 23.0.1
-# https://github.com/docker-library/python/issues/365
-ENV PYTHON_SETUPTOOLS_VERSION 65.5.1
+ENV PYTHON_PIP_VERSION 23.1.2
 # https://github.com/pypa/get-pip
 ENV PYTHON_GET_PIP_URL https://github.com/pypa/get-pip/raw/0d8570dc44796f4369b652222cf176b3db6ac70e/public/get-pip.py
 ENV PYTHON_GET_PIP_SHA256 96461deced5c2a487ddc65207ec5a9cffeca0d34e7af7ea1afc470ff0d746207
@@ -162,7 +160,6 @@ RUN set -eux; \
 		--no-cache-dir \
 		--no-compile \
 		"pip==$PYTHON_PIP_VERSION" \
-		"setuptools==$PYTHON_SETUPTOOLS_VERSION" \
 	; \
 	rm -f get-pip.py; \
 	\
diff --git a/3.12-rc/windows/windowsservercore-1809/Dockerfile b/3.12-rc/windows/windowsservercore-1809/Dockerfile
index cfeffd978..b0c71dfce 100644
--- a/3.12-rc/windows/windowsservercore-1809/Dockerfile
+++ b/3.12-rc/windows/windowsservercore-1809/Dockerfile
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ SHELL ["powershell", "-Command", "$ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'; $ProgressPref
 # https://github.com/docker-library/python/pull/557
 ENV PYTHONIOENCODING UTF-8
 
-ENV PYTHON_VERSION 3.12.0a7
+ENV PYTHON_VERSION 3.12.0b1
 
 RUN $url = ('https://www.python.org/ftp/python/{0}/python-{1}-amd64.exe' -f ($env:PYTHON_VERSION -replace '[a-z]+[0-9]*$', ''), $env:PYTHON_VERSION); \
 	Write-Host ('Downloading {0} ...' -f $url); \
@@ -51,9 +51,7 @@ RUN $url = ('https://www.python.org/ftp/python/{0}/python-{1}-amd64.exe' -f ($en
 	Write-Host 'Complete.'
 
 # if this is called "PIP_VERSION", pip explodes with "ValueError: invalid truth value '<VERSION>'"
-ENV PYTHON_PIP_VERSION 23.0.1
-# https://github.com/docker-library/python/issues/365
-ENV PYTHON_SETUPTOOLS_VERSION 65.5.1
+ENV PYTHON_PIP_VERSION 23.1.2
 # https://github.com/pypa/get-pip
 ENV PYTHON_GET_PIP_URL https://github.com/pypa/get-pip/raw/0d8570dc44796f4369b652222cf176b3db6ac70e/public/get-pip.py
 ENV PYTHON_GET_PIP_SHA256 96461deced5c2a487ddc65207ec5a9cffeca0d34e7af7ea1afc470ff0d746207
@@ -75,7 +73,6 @@ RUN Write-Host ('Downloading get-pip.py ({0}) ...' -f $env:PYTHON_GET_PIP_URL);
 		--no-cache-dir \
 		--no-compile \
 		('pip=={0}' -f $env:PYTHON_PIP_VERSION) \
-		('setuptools=={0}' -f $env:PYTHON_SETUPTOOLS_VERSION) \
 	; \
 	Remove-Item get-pip.py -Force; \
 	\
diff --git a/3.12-rc/windows/windowsservercore-ltsc2022/Dockerfile b/3.12-rc/windows/windowsservercore-ltsc2022/Dockerfile
index 25def3c83..c27c25a0a 100644
--- a/3.12-rc/windows/windowsservercore-ltsc2022/Dockerfile
+++ b/3.12-rc/windows/windowsservercore-ltsc2022/Dockerfile
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ SHELL ["powershell", "-Command", "$ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'; $ProgressPref
 # https://github.com/docker-library/python/pull/557
 ENV PYTHONIOENCODING UTF-8
 
-ENV PYTHON_VERSION 3.12.0a7
+ENV PYTHON_VERSION 3.12.0b1
 
 RUN $url = ('https://www.python.org/ftp/python/{0}/python-{1}-amd64.exe' -f ($env:PYTHON_VERSION -replace '[a-z]+[0-9]*$', ''), $env:PYTHON_VERSION); \
 	Write-Host ('Downloading {0} ...' -f $url); \
@@ -51,9 +51,7 @@ RUN $url = ('https://www.python.org/ftp/python/{0}/python-{1}-amd64.exe' -f ($en
 	Write-Host 'Complete.'
 
 # if this is called "PIP_VERSION", pip explodes with "ValueError: invalid truth value '<VERSION>'"
-ENV PYTHON_PIP_VERSION 23.0.1
-# https://github.com/docker-library/python/issues/365
-ENV PYTHON_SETUPTOOLS_VERSION 65.5.1
+ENV PYTHON_PIP_VERSION 23.1.2
 # https://github.com/pypa/get-pip
 ENV PYTHON_GET_PIP_URL https://github.com/pypa/get-pip/raw/0d8570dc44796f4369b652222cf176b3db6ac70e/public/get-pip.py
 ENV PYTHON_GET_PIP_SHA256 96461deced5c2a487ddc65207ec5a9cffeca0d34e7af7ea1afc470ff0d746207
@@ -75,7 +73,6 @@ RUN Write-Host ('Downloading get-pip.py ({0}) ...' -f $env:PYTHON_GET_PIP_URL);
 		--no-cache-dir \
 		--no-compile \
 		('pip=={0}' -f $env:PYTHON_PIP_VERSION) \
-		('setuptools=={0}' -f $env:PYTHON_SETUPTOOLS_VERSION) \
 	; \
 	Remove-Item get-pip.py -Force; \
 	\
diff --git a/Dockerfile-linux.template b/Dockerfile-linux.template
index 8b5102b54..c3f206af3 100644
--- a/Dockerfile-linux.template
+++ b/Dockerfile-linux.template
@@ -306,8 +306,10 @@ RUN set -eux; \
 
 # if this is called "PIP_VERSION", pip explodes with "ValueError: invalid truth value '<VERSION>'"
 ENV PYTHON_PIP_VERSION {{ .pip.version }}
+{{ if .setuptools then ( -}}
 # https://github.com/docker-library/python/issues/365
 ENV PYTHON_SETUPTOOLS_VERSION {{ .setuptools.version }}
+{{ ) else "" end -}}
 # https://github.com/pypa/get-pip
 ENV PYTHON_GET_PIP_URL {{ .pip.url }}
 ENV PYTHON_GET_PIP_SHA256 {{ .pip.sha256 }}
@@ -337,7 +339,9 @@ RUN set -eux; \
 		--no-cache-dir \
 		--no-compile \
 		"pip==$PYTHON_PIP_VERSION" \
+{{ if .setuptools then ( -}}
 		"setuptools==$PYTHON_SETUPTOOLS_VERSION" \
+{{ ) else "" end -}}
 	; \
 	rm -f get-pip.py; \
 	\
diff --git a/Dockerfile-windows.template b/Dockerfile-windows.template
index 556f6705e..faa47356e 100644
--- a/Dockerfile-windows.template
+++ b/Dockerfile-windows.template
@@ -46,8 +46,10 @@ RUN $url = ('https://www.python.org/ftp/python/{0}/python-{1}-amd64.exe' -f ($en
 
 # if this is called "PIP_VERSION", pip explodes with "ValueError: invalid truth value '<VERSION>'"
 ENV PYTHON_PIP_VERSION {{ .pip.version }}
+{{ if .setuptools then ( -}}
 # https://github.com/docker-library/python/issues/365
 ENV PYTHON_SETUPTOOLS_VERSION {{ .setuptools.version }}
+{{ ) else "" end -}}
 # https://github.com/pypa/get-pip
 ENV PYTHON_GET_PIP_URL {{ .pip.url }}
 ENV PYTHON_GET_PIP_SHA256 {{ .pip.sha256 }}
@@ -69,7 +71,9 @@ RUN Write-Host ('Downloading get-pip.py ({0}) ...' -f $env:PYTHON_GET_PIP_URL);
 		--no-cache-dir \
 		--no-compile \
 		('pip=={0}' -f $env:PYTHON_PIP_VERSION) \
+{{ if .setuptools then ( -}}
 		('setuptools=={0}' -f $env:PYTHON_SETUPTOOLS_VERSION) \
+{{ ) else "" end -}}
 	; \
 	Remove-Item get-pip.py -Force; \
 	\
diff --git a/versions.json b/versions.json
index 927ed2ab7..6453e4dbe 100644
--- a/versions.json
+++ b/versions.json
@@ -45,10 +45,7 @@
     "pip": {
       "sha256": "96461deced5c2a487ddc65207ec5a9cffeca0d34e7af7ea1afc470ff0d746207",
       "url": "https://github.com/pypa/get-pip/raw/0d8570dc44796f4369b652222cf176b3db6ac70e/public/get-pip.py",
-      "version": "23.0.1"
-    },
-    "setuptools": {
-      "version": "65.5.1"
+      "version": "23.1.2"
     },
     "variants": [
       "bullseye",
@@ -60,7 +57,7 @@
       "windows/windowsservercore-ltsc2022",
       "windows/windowsservercore-1809"
     ],
-    "version": "3.12.0a7"
+    "version": "3.12.0b1"
   },
   "3.7": {
     "pip": {
diff --git a/versions.sh b/versions.sh
index 209690cd4..749aca617 100755
--- a/versions.sh
+++ b/versions.sh
@@ -125,34 +125,53 @@ for version in "${versions[@]}"; do
 			| grep -E '^[^[:space:]]+_VERSION[[:space:]]*='
 	)"
 	pipVersion="$(sed -nre 's/^_PIP_VERSION[[:space:]]*=[[:space:]]*"(.*?)".*/\1/p' <<<"$ensurepipVersions")"
-	setuptoolsVersion="$(sed -nre 's/^_SETUPTOOLS_VERSION[[:space:]]*=[[:space:]]*"(.*?)".*/\1/p' <<<"$ensurepipVersions")"
-	# make sure we got something
-	if [ -z "$pipVersion" ] || [ -z "$setuptoolsVersion" ]; then
-		echo >&2 "error: $version: missing either pip ($pipVersion) or setuptools ($setuptoolsVersion) version"
+	if [ -z "$pipVersion" ]; then
+		echo >&2 "error: $version: missing pip version"
 		exit 1
 	fi
-	# make sure what we got is valid versions
-	if ! wget -q -O /dev/null -o /dev/null --spider "https://pypi.org/pypi/pip/$pipVersion/json" || ! wget -q -O /dev/null -o /dev/null --spider "https://pypi.org/pypi/setuptools/$setuptoolsVersion/json"; then
-		echo >&2 "error: $version: either pip ($pipVersion) or setuptools ($setuptoolsVersion) version seems to be invalid?"
+	if ! wget -q -O /dev/null -o /dev/null --spider "https://pypi.org/pypi/pip/$pipVersion/json"; then
+		echo >&2 "error: $version: pip version ($pipVersion) seems to be invalid?"
 		exit 1
 	fi
 
-	# TODO remove this once Python 3.7 and 3.8 are either "new enough setuptools" or EOL
-	setuptoolsVersion="$(
-		{
-			echo "$setuptoolsVersion"
-			echo "$minimumSetuptoolsVersion"
-		} | sort -rV | head -1
-	)"
+	setuptoolsVersion="$(sed -nre 's/^_SETUPTOOLS_VERSION[[:space:]]*=[[:space:]]*"(.*?)".*/\1/p' <<<"$ensurepipVersions")"
+	case "$rcVersion" in
+		3.7 | 3.8 | 3.9 | 3.10 | 3.11)
+			if [ -z "$setuptoolsVersion" ]; then
+				echo >&2 "error: $version: missing setuptools version"
+				exit 1
+			fi
+			if ! wget -q -O /dev/null -o /dev/null --spider "https://pypi.org/pypi/setuptools/$setuptoolsVersion/json"; then
+				echo >&2 "error: $version: setuptools version ($setuptoolsVersion) seems to be invalid?"
+				exit 1
+			fi
 
-	# https://github.com/docker-library/python/issues/781 (TODO remove this once 3.10, 3.11, and 3.12 embed a newer setuptools and this section no longer applies)
-	if [ "$setuptoolsVersion" = '65.5.0' ]; then
-		setuptoolsVersion='65.5.1'
-	fi
+			# TODO remove this once Python 3.7 and 3.8 are either "new enough setuptools" or EOL
+			setuptoolsVersion="$(
+				{
+					echo "$setuptoolsVersion"
+					echo "$minimumSetuptoolsVersion"
+				} | sort -rV | head -1
+			)"
+
+			# https://github.com/docker-library/python/issues/781 (TODO remove this if 3.10 and 3.11 embed a newer setuptools and this section no longer applies)
+			if [ "$setuptoolsVersion" = '65.5.0' ]; then
+				setuptoolsVersion='65.5.1'
+			fi
+			;;
+
+		*)
+			# https://github.com/python/cpython/issues/95299 -> https://github.com/python/cpython/commit/ece20dba120a1a4745721c49f8d7389d4b1ee2a7
+			if [ -n "$setuptoolsVersion" ]; then
+				echo >&2 "error: $version: unexpected setuptools: $setuptoolsVersion"
+				exit 1
+			fi
+			;;
+	esac
 
 	# TODO wheelVersion, somehow: https://github.com/docker-library/python/issues/365#issuecomment-914669320
 
-	echo "$version: $fullVersion (pip $pipVersion, setuptools $setuptoolsVersion${hasWindows:+, windows})"
+	echo "$version: $fullVersion (pip $pipVersion${setuptoolsVersion:+, setuptools $setuptoolsVersion}${hasWindows:+, windows})"
 
 	export fullVersion pipVersion setuptoolsVersion hasWindows
 	json="$(jq <<<"$json" -c '
@@ -163,9 +182,6 @@ for version in "${versions[@]}"; do
 				url: env.getPipUrl,
 				sha256: env.getPipSha256,
 			},
-			setuptools: {
-				version: env.setuptoolsVersion,
-			},
 			variants: [
 				(
 					"bullseye",
@@ -182,7 +198,11 @@ for version in "${versions[@]}"; do
 					| "windows/windowsservercore-" + .)
 				else empty end
 			],
-		}
+		} + if env.setuptoolsVersion != "" then {
+			setuptools: {
+				version: env.setuptoolsVersion,
+			},
+		} else {} end
 	')"
 done