diff --git setup.py setup.py
index 26f052b..e63f1b5 100755
--- setup.py
+++ setup.py
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ dependency resolution is disabled.
 
     from twisted.python.dist import (
         STATIC_PACKAGE_METADATA, getDataFiles, getExtensions, getAllScripts,
-        getPackages, setup)
+        getPackages, setup, EXTRAS_REQUIRE)
 
     scripts = getAllScripts()
 
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ dependency resolution is disabled.
         packages=getPackages('twisted'),
         conditionalExtensions=getExtensions(),
         scripts=scripts,
+        extras_require=EXTRAS_REQUIRE,
         data_files=getDataFiles('twisted'),
         **STATIC_PACKAGE_METADATA))
 
diff --git twisted/python/dist.py twisted/python/dist.py
index 9566039..01c9397 100644
--- twisted/python/dist.py
+++ twisted/python/dist.py
@@ -49,6 +49,70 @@ twisted_subprojects = ["conch", "lore", "mail", "names",
                        "news", "pair", "runner", "web",
                        "words"]
 
+# These are the actual package names and versions that will
+# be used by extras_require. This is not passed setup
+# directly so that combinations of the packages can be created
+# without needed to copy package names multiple times.
+_extra_options = dict(
+    docs = ['sphinx >= 1.2.2',
+            'pydoctor >= 0.5'],
+    dev = ['twistedchecker >= 0.2.0',
+           'pyflakes >= 0.8.1',
+           'twisted-dev-tools >= 0.0.2'],
+    tls = ['pyopenssl >= 0.11',
+           'service_identity',
+           'PyCrypto'],
+    conch = ['gmpy',
+             'pyasn1'],
+    subunit = ['python-subunit'],
+    soap = ['soappy'],
+    serial = ['pyserial'],
+    pam = ['pam'],
+    ## the following are platform or graphics specific libraries
+    gtk = ['PyGTK'],
+    windows = ['pywin32'],
+    osx = ['pyobjc']
+)
+
+_platform_independent = [
+    _extra_options['docs'],
+    _extra_options['dev'],
+    _extra_options['tls'],
+    _extra_options['conch'],
+    _extra_options['subunit'],
+    _extra_options['soap'],
+    _extra_options['serial'],
+    _extra_options['pam']
+]
+
+# extras_require is a dictionary of items that can be passed to setup.py
+# to install optional dependencies. For example, to install the optional
+# dev dependencies one would type `pip install -e . "twisted[dev]"`
+# This has been supported by setuptools since 0.5a4
+EXTRAS_REQUIRE = dict(
+    docs = _extra_options['docs'],
+    dev = _extra_options['dev'],
+    tls = _extra_options['tls'],
+    conch = _extra_options['conch'],
+    subunit = _extra_options['subunit'],
+    soap = _extra_options['soap'],
+    serial = _extra_options['serial'],
+    gtk = _extra_options['gtk'],
+    pam = _extra_options['pam'],
+    non_plat = _platform_independent,
+    windows_plat = [
+        _extra_options['windows'],
+        _platform_independent
+    ],
+    osx_plat = [
+        _extra_options['osx'],
+        _platform_independent
+    ],
+    linux_plat = [
+        _extra_options['gtk'],
+        _platform_independent
+    ]
+)
 
 
 class ConditionalExtension(Extension):
diff --git twisted/python/test/test_dist.py twisted/python/test/test_dist.py
index d2288ee..7b36a52 100644
--- twisted/python/test/test_dist.py
+++ twisted/python/test/test_dist.py
@@ -9,13 +9,13 @@ Tests for parts of our release automation system.
 import os
 import sys
 
-from distutils.core import Distribution
+from setuptools.dist import Distribution
 
 from twisted.trial.unittest import TestCase
 
 from twisted.python import dist
 from twisted.python.dist import (get_setup_args, ConditionalExtension,
-    build_scripts_twisted)
+                                 build_scripts_twisted, EXTRAS_REQUIRE)
 from twisted.python.filepath import FilePath
 
 
@@ -58,6 +58,40 @@ class SetupTest(TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(ext.define_macros, [("whatever", 2), ("WIN32", 1)])
 
 
+class OptionalDependenciesTests(TestCase):
+    """
+    Tests for L{dist.EXTRA_REQUIRES}
+
+    Test whether or not the setuptools generates the correct Distribution
+    object when extra_requires are passed to it. As long as the distribution
+    object looks correct, it *should* generate the correct egg_info.
+    """
+    def test_distributeTakesExtrasRequire(self):
+        """
+        Test that setuptools' Distribution object can use extra_requires.
+        """
+        attrs = dict(extras_require=EXTRAS_REQUIRE)
+        dist = Distribution(attrs)
+        self.assertEqual(dist.extras_require, EXTRAS_REQUIRE)
+
+    def test_extrasRequireDictContainsKeys(self):
+        """
+        Test that the L{dist.EXTRA_REQUIRES} dictionary contains all of the
+        expected keys.
+        """
+        self.assertIn('docs', EXTRAS_REQUIRE)
+        self.assertIn('dev', EXTRAS_REQUIRE)
+        self.assertIn('tls', EXTRAS_REQUIRE)
+        self.assertIn('conch', EXTRAS_REQUIRE)
+        self.assertIn('subunit', EXTRAS_REQUIRE)
+        self.assertIn('soap', EXTRAS_REQUIRE)
+        self.assertIn('serial', EXTRAS_REQUIRE)
+        self.assertIn('gtk', EXTRAS_REQUIRE)
+        self.assertIn('pam', EXTRAS_REQUIRE)
+        self.assertIn('non_plat', EXTRAS_REQUIRE)
+        self.assertIn('windows_plat', EXTRAS_REQUIRE)
+        self.assertIn('osx_plat', EXTRAS_REQUIRE)
+        self.assertIn('linux_plat', EXTRAS_REQUIRE)
 
 class GetExtensionsTest(TestCase):
     """
diff --git twisted/topfiles/3696.misc twisted/topfiles/3696.misc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..78e79d4
--- /dev/null
+++ twisted/topfiles/3696.misc
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Optional dependencies can be installed using the extra_requires facility provided by setuptools
\ No newline at end of file