diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index 0c76f5c1a..e701ce14f 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ matrix:
         apt:
           sources: 
             - ubuntu-toolchain-r-test
+            - virtualenv
           packages: 
             - python3 
             - python3-pip
diff --git a/dlib/travis/build-and-test.sh b/dlib/travis/build-and-test.sh
index f74c58f73..5a6c9eaca 100755
--- a/dlib/travis/build-and-test.sh
+++ b/dlib/travis/build-and-test.sh
@@ -25,11 +25,10 @@ if [ "$VARIANT" = "python-api" ]; then
 fi
 
 if [ "$VARIANT" = "python3-api" ]; then
-  #python3 setup.py test --clean
-  #pip3 install --user numpy
-  #python3 setup.py test --clean
-
-  python3 setup.py build --clean
+  virtualenv -p python3 dlibtest
+  source dlibtest/bin/activate
+  pip3 install -U setuptools
+  python3 setup.py test --clean
   pip3 install --user numpy
-  python3 setup.py build --clean
+  python3 setup.py test --clean
 fi