diff --git a/synth.py b/synth.py
index 21100c749..07c293339 100644
--- a/synth.py
+++ b/synth.py
@@ -45,7 +45,12 @@
 s.move(library / "google/cloud/bigtable_admin_v2")
 s.move(library / "tests")
 
-# Work around non-standard installations
+# ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Work around non-standard installations (missing setuptools).
+#
+# These replacements can be removed after migrating to the microgenerator,
+# which will generate them directly.
+# ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 admin_clients = [
     "google/cloud/bigtable_admin_v2/gapic/bigtable_instance_admin_client.py",
@@ -69,6 +74,23 @@
 """
 )
 
+s.replace(
+    "google/cloud/bigtable_v2/gapic/bigtable_client.py",
+    """\
+_GAPIC_LIBRARY_VERSION = pkg_resources.get_distribution\(
+    'google-cloud-bigtable',
+\).version
+""",
+    """\
+try:
+    _GAPIC_LIBRARY_VERSION = pkg_resources.get_distribution(
+        "google-cloud-bigtable"
+    ).version
+except pkg_resources.DistributionNotFound:  # pragma: NO COVER
+    _GAPIC_LIBRARY_VERSION = None
+"""
+)
+
 # ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Add templated files
 # ----------------------------------------------------------------------------