diff --git a/conda_lock/invoke_conda.py b/conda_lock/invoke_conda.py
index 692ac4e47..941f8071e 100644
--- a/conda_lock/invoke_conda.py
+++ b/conda_lock/invoke_conda.py
@@ -8,10 +8,10 @@
 import tempfile
 import threading
 
-from distutils.version import LooseVersion
 from typing import IO, Dict, Iterator, List, Optional, Sequence, Union
 
 from ensureconda.api import determine_micromamba_version, ensureconda
+from packaging.version import Version
 
 from conda_lock.models.channel import Channel
 
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ def determine_conda_executable(
     for candidate in _determine_conda_executable(conda_executable, mamba, micromamba):
         if candidate is not None:
             if is_micromamba(candidate):
-                if determine_micromamba_version(str(candidate)) < LooseVersion("0.17"):
+                if determine_micromamba_version(str(candidate)) < Version("0.17"):
                     mamba_root_prefix()
             return candidate
     raise RuntimeError("Could not find conda (or compatible) executable")
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 523167336..cb87a06d0 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ dependencies = [
     # conda-lock dependencies
     "click >=8.0",
     "click-default-group",
-    "ensureconda >=1.3",
+    "ensureconda >=1.4.4",
     "gitpython >=3.1.30",
     "jinja2",
     "pydantic >=1.10",