diff --git a/sphinx/builders/html/__init__.py b/sphinx/builders/html/__init__.py
index e023e8194..4a6bc6ce0 100644
--- a/sphinx/builders/html/__init__.py
+++ b/sphinx/builders/html/__init__.py
@@ -229,8 +229,11 @@ class StandaloneHTMLBuilder(Builder):
             source_class=DocTreeInput,
             destination=StringOutput(encoding='unicode'),
         )
-        op = pub.setup_option_parser(output_encoding='unicode', traceback=True)
-        pub.settings = op.get_default_values()
+        if docutils.__version_info__[:2] >= (0, 19):
+            pub.get_settings(output_encoding='unicode', traceback=True)
+        else:
+            op = pub.setup_option_parser(output_encoding='unicode', traceback=True)
+            pub.settings = op.get_default_values()
         self._publisher = pub
 
     def init(self) -> None:
diff --git a/sphinx/io.py b/sphinx/io.py
index 5ab7b2b63..1c36a791d 100644
--- a/sphinx/io.py
+++ b/sphinx/io.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import codecs
 import warnings
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Any, List, Type
 
+import docutils
 from docutils import nodes
 from docutils.core import Publisher
 from docutils.frontend import Values
@@ -212,5 +213,8 @@ def create_publisher(app: "Sphinx", filetype: str) -> Publisher:
     # Propagate exceptions by default when used programmatically:
     defaults = {"traceback": True, **app.env.settings}
     # Set default settings
-    pub.settings = pub.setup_option_parser(**defaults).get_default_values()  # type: ignore
+    if docutils.__version_info__[:2] >= (0, 19):
+        pub.get_settings(**defaults)  # type: ignore[arg-type]
+    else:
+        pub.settings = pub.setup_option_parser(**defaults).get_default_values()  # type: ignore
     return pub