diff --git a/h5pyd/_hl/dataset.py b/h5pyd/_hl/dataset.py
index 3de3072..97439bb 100644
--- a/h5pyd/_hl/dataset.py
+++ b/h5pyd/_hl/dataset.py
@@ -1775,7 +1775,7 @@ def write_dset_tl(self, args):
         Thread-local method to write to a single dataset
         """
         dset = args[0]
-        idx = args[1]
+        # idx = args[1]
         write_args = args[2]
         write_vals = args[3]
         try:
@@ -1785,7 +1785,7 @@ def write_dset_tl(self, args):
         return
 
     def __getitem__(self, args):
-        """ 
+        """
         Read the same slice from each of the datasets
         managed by this MultiManager.
         """
@@ -1824,7 +1824,8 @@ def __getitem__(self, args):
             # TODO: Handle the case where some or all datasets share an HTTPConn object
 
         with ThreadPoolExecutor(max_workers=self.max_workers) as executor:
-            read_futures = [executor.submit(self.read_dset_tl, (self.datasets[i], i, args)) for i in range(len(self.datasets))]
+            read_futures = [executor.submit(self.read_dset_tl,
+                            (self.datasets[i], i, args)) for i in range(len(self.datasets))]
             ret_data = [None] * len(self.datasets)
 
             for future in as_completed(read_futures):
@@ -1878,7 +1879,8 @@ def __setitem__(self, args, vals):
                     next_port = low_port
 
         with ThreadPoolExecutor(max_workers=self.max_workers) as executor:
-            write_futures = [executor.submit(self.write_dset_tl, (self.datasets[i], i, args, vals[i])) for i in range(len(self.datasets))]
+            write_futures = [executor.submit(self.write_dset_tl,
+                             (self.datasets[i], i, args, vals[i])) for i in range(len(self.datasets))]
 
             for future in as_completed(write_futures):
                 try:
diff --git a/h5pyd/_hl/group.py b/h5pyd/_hl/group.py
index 79dfe3a..831b377 100644
--- a/h5pyd/_hl/group.py
+++ b/h5pyd/_hl/group.py
@@ -651,7 +651,7 @@ def __getitem__(self, name):
                 endpoint = self.id.http_conn.endpoint
                 username = self.id.http_conn.username
                 password = self.id.http_conn.password
-                f = File(external_domain, endpoint=endpoint, username=username, password=password, mode='r') 
+                f = File(external_domain, endpoint=endpoint, username=username, password=password, mode='r')
             except IOError:
                 # unable to find external link
                 raise KeyError("Unable to open file: " + link_json['h5domain'])
diff --git a/h5pyd/_hl/selections.py b/h5pyd/_hl/selections.py
index e91f233..26cacd7 100644
--- a/h5pyd/_hl/selections.py
+++ b/h5pyd/_hl/selections.py
@@ -519,7 +519,7 @@ def __getitem__(self, args):
                     #    raise TypeError(f'Illegal coordinate index "{arg}" must be a list of integers')
 
                     if x < 0 or x >= length:
-                        raise IndexError(f"Index ({arg}) out of range (0-{length-1})")
+                        raise IndexError(f"Index ({arg}) out of range (0-{length - 1})")
                     if prev is not None and x <= prev:
                         raise TypeError("Indexing elements must be in increasing order")
                     prev = x
@@ -528,7 +528,7 @@ def __getitem__(self, args):
                 select_type = H5S_SELLECT_FANCY
             elif isinstance(arg, int):
                 if arg < 0 or arg >= length:
-                    raise IndexError(f"Index ({arg}) out of range (0-{length-1})")
+                    raise IndexError(f"Index ({arg}) out of range (0-{length - 1})")
                 slices.append(arg)
             elif isinstance(arg, type(Ellipsis)):
                 slices.append(slice(0, length, 1))
@@ -659,7 +659,7 @@ def _translate_int(exp, length):
         exp = length + exp
 
     if not 0 <= exp < length:
-        raise IndexError(f"Index ({exp}) out of range (0-{length-1})")
+        raise IndexError(f"Index ({exp}) out of range (0-{length - 1})")
 
     return exp, 1, 1
 
diff --git a/h5pyd/version.py b/h5pyd/version.py
index df91860..e9a9c88 100644
--- a/h5pyd/version.py
+++ b/h5pyd/version.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 
 from __future__ import absolute_import
 
-from distutils.version import StrictVersion as _sv
+from packaging.version import Version, parse
 import sys
 import numpy
 
@@ -20,11 +20,11 @@
 
 hdf5_version = "REST"
 
-_exp = _sv(version)
+_exp = parse(version)
 
-version_tuple = _exp.version + (
-    ("".join(str(x) for x in _exp.prerelease),)
-    if _exp.prerelease is not None
+version_tuple = _exp._version + (
+    ("".join(str(x) for x in _exp.pre),)
+    if _exp.is_prerelease
     else ("",)
 )
 
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 12bc5c5..9f0bd5b 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@
         "requests_unixsocket",
         "pytz",
         "pyjwt",
+        "packaging"
         # "cryptography",
     ],
     setup_requires=["pkgconfig"],
diff --git a/test/hl/test_vlentype.py b/test/hl/test_vlentype.py
index 63e79ba..a1c0da4 100644
--- a/test/hl/test_vlentype.py
+++ b/test/hl/test_vlentype.py
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ def test_create_vlen_dset(self):
         e1 = ret_val[1]
         self.assertTrue(isinstance(e1, np.ndarray))
         self.assertEqual(e1.shape, (0,))
-        
+
         # create numpy object array
         e0 = np.array([1, 2, 3], dtype='uint16')
         e1 = np.array([1, 2, 3, 4], dtype='uint16')