diff --git a/development_setup.py b/development_setup.py
index 07fe82345..77acafa42 100644
--- a/development_setup.py
+++ b/development_setup.py
@@ -4,9 +4,6 @@
 import pathlib
 import subprocess
 import sys
-import tarfile
-
-import requests
 
 submodules = [
     "cobmo",
@@ -49,37 +46,7 @@ def main():
     # Install HiGHS solver.
     if run_all or run_highs:
         print("Installing HiGHS solver.")
-        # Make HiGHS directory.
-        (base_path / "highs").mkdir(exist_ok=True)
-        # Construct HiGHS binary download URL.
-        base_url = "https://github.com/JuliaBinaryWrappers/HiGHSstatic_jll.jl/releases/download/"
-        version_string = "HiGHSstatic-v1.2.2%2B0/HiGHSstatic.v1.2.2"
-        if sys.platform == "win32":
-            architecture_string = "x86_64-w64-mingw32"
-        elif sys.platform == "darwin":
-            architecture_string = "x86_64-apple-darwin"
-        else:
-            architecture_string = "x86_64-linux-gnu-cxx11"
-        url = f"{base_url}{version_string}.{architecture_string}.tar.gz"
-        # Download and unpack HiGHS binary files.
-        try:
-            with requests.get(url, stream=True) as request:
-                request.raise_for_status()
-                with open(base_path / "highs" / "highs.tar.gz", "wb") as file:
-                    for chunk in request.iter_content(chunk_size=10240):
-                        file.write(chunk)
-                with tarfile.open(base_path / "highs" / "highs.tar.gz") as file:
-                    file.extractall(base_path / "highs")
-            # Remove downloaded archive file.
-            (base_path / "highs" / "highs.tar.gz").unlink()
-        except requests.ConnectionError:
-            # Soft-fail on download connection errors.
-            print(
-                "WARNING: HiGHS solver could not be installed automatically. "
-                "Please configure optimization solver for MESMO manually."
-            )
-        else:
-            print("Successfully installed HiGHS solver.")
+        subprocess.check_call([sys.executable, "-m", "poetry", "run", "python", f"{base_path / 'highs_setup.py'}"])
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
diff --git a/highs_setup.py b/highs_setup.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8dc078c74
--- /dev/null
+++ b/highs_setup.py
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+"""HiGHS solver setup script."""
+
+import pathlib
+import sys
+import tarfile
+
+import requests
+
+# Get repository base path.
+base_path = pathlib.Path(__file__).parent.absolute()
+
+
+def main():
+    # Make HiGHS directory.
+    (base_path / "highs").mkdir(exist_ok=True)
+    # Construct HiGHS binary download URL.
+    base_url = "https://github.com/JuliaBinaryWrappers/HiGHSstatic_jll.jl/releases/download/"
+    version_string = "HiGHSstatic-v1.2.2%2B0/HiGHSstatic.v1.2.2"
+    if sys.platform == "win32":
+        architecture_string = "x86_64-w64-mingw32"
+    elif sys.platform == "darwin":
+        architecture_string = "x86_64-apple-darwin"
+    else:
+        architecture_string = "x86_64-linux-gnu-cxx11"
+    url = f"{base_url}{version_string}.{architecture_string}.tar.gz"
+    # Download and unpack HiGHS binary files.
+    try:
+        with requests.get(url, stream=True) as request:
+            request.raise_for_status()
+            with open(base_path / "highs" / "highs.tar.gz", "wb") as file:
+                for chunk in request.iter_content(chunk_size=10240):
+                    file.write(chunk)
+            with tarfile.open(base_path / "highs" / "highs.tar.gz") as file:
+                file.extractall(base_path / "highs")
+        # Remove downloaded archive file.
+        (base_path / "highs" / "highs.tar.gz").unlink()
+    except requests.ConnectionError:
+        # Soft-fail on download connection errors.
+        print(
+            "WARNING: HiGHS solver could not be installed automatically. "
+            "Please configure optimization solver for MESMO manually."
+        )
+    else:
+        print("Successfully installed HiGHS solver.")
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()