diff --git a/MANIFEST.in b/MANIFEST.in
index aac0c2ccae..d77d3b5e50 100644
--- a/MANIFEST.in
+++ b/MANIFEST.in
@@ -1,8 +1,2 @@
-include versioneer.py
-include monai/_version.py
-include monai/config/check_env.py
-
-include README.md
-include LICENSE
-
+recursive-include monai/csrc *.cpp *.cu *.h *.cuh
 prune tests
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index aa434b364f..b466ae7533 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -18,7 +18,8 @@ name = "monai"
 description = "AI Toolkit for Healthcare Imaging"
 readme = { file = "README.md", content-type = "text/markdown" }
 requires-python = ">=3.10"
-license = { text = "Apache License 2.0" }
+license = "Apache-2.0"
+license-files = ["LICENSE"]
 authors = [{ name = "MONAI Consortium", email = "monai.contact@gmail.com" }]
 classifiers = [
   "Intended Audience :: Developers",
@@ -187,7 +188,8 @@ testing = [
 ]
 
 [tool.setuptools]
-license-files = ["LICENSE"]
+# C++/CUDA sources under monai/csrc are compiled into monai._C; they are not Python packages or package data
+include-package-data = false
 
 [tool.setuptools.dynamic]
 version = {attr = "monai.__version__"}