diff --git a/Lib/distutils/command/check.py b/Lib/distutils/command/check.py
index 73a30f3afd8..0a5976676a8 100644
--- a/Lib/distutils/command/check.py
+++ b/Lib/distutils/command/check.py
@@ -125,7 +125,13 @@ def _check_rst_data(self, data):
         # the include and csv_table directives need this to be a path
         source_path = self.distribution.script_name or 'setup.py'
         parser = Parser()
-        settings = frontend.OptionParser(components=(Parser,)).get_default_values()
+        try:
+            get_default_settings = frontend.get_default_settings
+        except AttributeError:
+            # Deprecated in Docutils 0.19, may be broken in Docutils 0.21.
+            settings = frontend.OptionParser(components=(Parser,)).get_default_values()
+        else:
+            settings = get_default_settings(Parser)
         settings.tab_width = 4
         settings.pep_references = None
         settings.rfc_references = None
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2024-02-09-17-56-06.gh-issue-115198.QKrxUQ.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2024-02-09-17-56-06.gh-issue-115198.QKrxUQ.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..78c10aeb4f9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2024-02-09-17-56-06.gh-issue-115198.QKrxUQ.rst
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Fix support of Docutils >= 0.19 in :mod:`distutils`.