diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 9da6040c..5438adae 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -8,10 +8,10 @@ __pycache__/
 *.c
 
 # Distribution / packaging
+/build/
 .Python
 env/
 venv/
-build/
 develop-eggs/
 dist/
 downloads/
diff --git a/dev/build.sh b/dev/build.sh
index 0cbd4336..c5bff15a 100755
--- a/dev/build.sh
+++ b/dev/build.sh
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 set -e  # exit if an error occurs
 
-BUILD_PATH="build/`dev/abi.py`"
+BUILD_PATH="build/`dev/build/abi.py`"
 
 echo Rebuilding $BUILD_PATH...
 meson compile -C $BUILD_PATH
diff --git a/dev/abi.py b/dev/build/abi.py
similarity index 100%
rename from dev/abi.py
rename to dev/build/abi.py
diff --git a/dev/build/add_version_file_to_dist.sh b/dev/build/add_version_file_to_dist.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..dd95ae3b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dev/build/add_version_file_to_dist.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+set -e  # exit if an error occurs
+
+if [[ -z "$MESON_SOURCE_ROOT" ]]; then
+    echo "ERROR: Must be run inside a meson build environment where the variable MESON_SOURCE_ROOT is set." 1>&2
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+if [[ -z "$MESON_DIST_ROOT" ]]; then
+    echo "ERROR: Must be run inside a meson build environment where the variable MESON_DIST_ROOT is set." 1>&2
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+VERSION_PATH="raysect/_version.py"
+SRC_PATH="$MESON_SOURCE_ROOT/$VERSION_PATH"
+DIST_PATH="$MESON_DIST_ROOT/$VERSION_PATH"
+
+echo "Copying $VERSION_PATH to distribution path $DIST_PATH"
+cp $SRC_PATH $DIST_PATH
diff --git a/dev/update_version.sh b/dev/build/update_version.sh
similarity index 100%
rename from dev/update_version.sh
rename to dev/build/update_version.sh
diff --git a/dev/build_docs.sh b/dev/build_docs.sh
index a104fba8..115dd101 100755
--- a/dev/build_docs.sh
+++ b/dev/build_docs.sh
@@ -1,13 +1,10 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
 echo Building code...
-
 dev/build.sh
 
 echo Building docs...
-
 export PYTHONPATH=../:$PYTHONPATH
 
 cd docs
-
 make html
diff --git a/dev/clean.sh b/dev/clean.sh
index a6a5ca57..10e86408 100755
--- a/dev/clean.sh
+++ b/dev/clean.sh
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 set -e  # exit if an error occurs
 
-BUILD_PATH="build/`dev/abi.py`"
+BUILD_PATH="build/`dev/build/abi.py`"
 
 echo Cleaning $BUILD_PATH...
 meson compile -C $BUILD_PATH --clean
diff --git a/dev/root-meson.build b/dev/root-meson.build
index f77fa44a..a3034a21 100644
--- a/dev/root-meson.build
+++ b/dev/root-meson.build
@@ -1,8 +1,11 @@
 project('raysect', 'cython',
     default_options: ['python.install-env=auto'],
-    version: run_command(['dev/update_version.sh'], check: true).stdout().strip()
+    version: run_command(['dev/build/update_version.sh'], check: true).stdout().strip()
 )
 
+# when building a distribution, copy the dynamically generated _version.py to the distribution folder
+meson.add_dist_script('dev/build/add_version_file_to_dist.sh')
+
 py = import('python').find_installation(pure: false)
 numpy = dependency('numpy', method: 'config-tool')
 fs = import('fs')
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 7c309e19..62bcf36f 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -3,9 +3,12 @@
 
 project('raysect', 'cython',
     default_options: ['python.install-env=auto'],
-    version: run_command(['dev/update_version.sh'], check: true).stdout().strip()
+    version: run_command(['dev/build/update_version.sh'], check: true).stdout().strip()
 )
 
+# when building a distribution, copy the dynamically generated _version.py to the distribution folder
+meson.add_dist_script('dev/build/add_version_file_to_dist.sh')
+
 py = import('python').find_installation(pure: false)
 numpy = dependency('numpy', method: 'config-tool')
 fs = import('fs')