diff --git a/examples/README.md b/examples/README.md
index a9b62f168a..1806d55702 100644
--- a/examples/README.md
+++ b/examples/README.md
@@ -97,13 +97,23 @@ the smallest complete one.
 - With hatchling, use `only-include` + `sources`, **not** `packages`:
 
   ```toml
-  [tool.hatch.build.targets.wheel]
+  [tool.hatch.build]
   only-include = ["python/isaaccapture_examples/<name>"]
+
+  [tool.hatch.build.targets.wheel]
   sources = ["python"]
   ```
 
   `packages` keeps only the last path component, so it builds without complaint
-  and produces a wheel rooted at a bare top-level `<name>/`.
+  and produces a wheel rooted at a bare top-level `<name>/`. `only-include`
+  goes in `[tool.hatch.build]` so the sdist gets it too. Without it the sdist
+  takes the whole example directory: tracked media, stray `.mcap` recordings
+  and, in an example with its own `.gitignore` (hatchling reads only the
+  nearest one), `uv.lock` and build trees. Files the code reads from the
+  example root, such as teleop_ros2's `configs/`, are therefore not in the
+  sdist: run such an example from the source tree or the install tree.
+  `sources` stays on the wheel: the sdist must keep the `python/` prefix that
+  the wheel build looks for.
 - Keep `[tool.uv.sources]` last in the file. `install_python_example()` strips
   it from the installed copy by matching up to the next `[`, so a block after it
   loses its comments.
diff --git a/examples/camera_viz/pyproject.toml b/examples/camera_viz/pyproject.toml
index 05566aebc1..868c1cdebe 100644
--- a/examples/camera_viz/pyproject.toml
+++ b/examples/camera_viz/pyproject.toml
@@ -62,14 +62,16 @@ viewer = ["isaaccapture[cloudxr]", "pillow>=10.0"]
 # The native codec's .so is built in place by codec/build.sh, so it is picked up
 # from the source tree rather than shipped by this build. Hatchling reads only
 # this directory's .gitignore, so the codec build tree is excluded here.
-[tool.hatch.build.targets.wheel]
+[tool.hatch.build]
 only-include = ["python/isaaccapture_examples/camera_viz"]
-sources = ["python"]
 exclude = [
     "/python/isaaccapture_examples/camera_viz/codec/build",
     "/python/isaaccapture_examples/camera_viz/argus/build",
     "*.so",
 ]
 
+[tool.hatch.build.targets.wheel]
+sources = ["python"]
+
 [tool.uv]
 python-preference = "only-managed"
diff --git a/examples/cloudxr_mujoco_teleop/pyproject.toml b/examples/cloudxr_mujoco_teleop/pyproject.toml
index bbe0cb38d4..5d7e556265 100644
--- a/examples/cloudxr_mujoco_teleop/pyproject.toml
+++ b/examples/cloudxr_mujoco_teleop/pyproject.toml
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ dependencies = [
 #
 # vive_assets/ lives inside the package because the modules resolve it from
 # __file__, so the meshes must travel with them.
-[tool.hatch.build.targets.wheel]
+[tool.hatch.build]
 only-include = ["python/isaaccapture_examples/cloudxr_mujoco_teleop"]
+
+[tool.hatch.build.targets.wheel]
 sources = ["python"]
diff --git a/examples/deviceio_live_view/pyproject.toml b/examples/deviceio_live_view/pyproject.toml
index 243b533ec3..006adbaffc 100644
--- a/examples/deviceio_live_view/pyproject.toml
+++ b/examples/deviceio_live_view/pyproject.toml
@@ -23,8 +23,10 @@ dependencies = [
 
 # `only-include` + `sources`, not `packages`, and no __init__.py above
 # deviceio_live_view -- see the packaging rules in examples/README.md.
-[tool.hatch.build.targets.wheel]
+[tool.hatch.build]
 only-include = ["python/isaaccapture_examples/deviceio_live_view"]
+
+[tool.hatch.build.targets.wheel]
 sources = ["python"]
 
 [tool.uv.sources]
diff --git a/examples/haptic_feedback/pyproject.toml b/examples/haptic_feedback/pyproject.toml
index d8c5903789..cd532ecc76 100644
--- a/examples/haptic_feedback/pyproject.toml
+++ b/examples/haptic_feedback/pyproject.toml
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ dependencies = [
 
 # `only-include` + `sources`, not `packages`, and no __init__.py above
 # haptic_feedback -- see the packaging rules in examples/README.md.
-[tool.hatch.build.targets.wheel]
+[tool.hatch.build]
 only-include = ["python/isaaccapture_examples/haptic_feedback"]
+
+[tool.hatch.build.targets.wheel]
 sources = ["python"]
diff --git a/examples/mcap_record_replay/pyproject.toml b/examples/mcap_record_replay/pyproject.toml
index d6bb76e974..89806645f9 100644
--- a/examples/mcap_record_replay/pyproject.toml
+++ b/examples/mcap_record_replay/pyproject.toml
@@ -25,8 +25,10 @@ dependencies = [
 # must stay without an __init__.py. `only-include` + `sources`, not `packages`:
 # the latter keeps only the last path component and would root the wheel at a
 # bare top-level `mcap_record_replay/`.
-[tool.hatch.build.targets.wheel]
+[tool.hatch.build]
 only-include = ["python/isaaccapture_examples/mcap_record_replay"]
+
+[tool.hatch.build.targets.wheel]
 sources = ["python"]
 
 [tool.uv.sources]
diff --git a/examples/noitom/pyproject.toml b/examples/noitom/pyproject.toml
index 5400dcb080..a678b544ad 100644
--- a/examples/noitom/pyproject.toml
+++ b/examples/noitom/pyproject.toml
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@ dependencies = [
 
 # `only-include` + `sources`, not `packages`, and no __init__.py above
 # noitom -- see the packaging rules in examples/README.md.
-[tool.hatch.build.targets.wheel]
+[tool.hatch.build]
 only-include = ["python/isaaccapture_examples/noitom"]
+
+[tool.hatch.build.targets.wheel]
 sources = ["python"]
diff --git a/examples/oglo_tactile/pyproject.toml b/examples/oglo_tactile/pyproject.toml
index 66df54bb70..fa9226b858 100644
--- a/examples/oglo_tactile/pyproject.toml
+++ b/examples/oglo_tactile/pyproject.toml
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ dependencies = [
 
 # `only-include` + `sources`, not `packages`, and no __init__.py above
 # oglo_tactile -- see the packaging rules in examples/README.md.
-[tool.hatch.build.targets.wheel]
+[tool.hatch.build]
 only-include = ["python/isaaccapture_examples/oglo_tactile"]
+
+[tool.hatch.build.targets.wheel]
 sources = ["python"]
diff --git a/examples/oxr/pyproject.toml b/examples/oxr/pyproject.toml
index a000590c7a..266122c2bc 100644
--- a/examples/oxr/pyproject.toml
+++ b/examples/oxr/pyproject.toml
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ dependencies = [
 
 # `only-include` + `sources`, not `packages`, and no __init__.py above
 # oxr -- see the packaging rules in examples/README.md.
-[tool.hatch.build.targets.wheel]
+[tool.hatch.build]
 only-include = ["python/isaaccapture_examples/oxr"]
+
+[tool.hatch.build.targets.wheel]
 sources = ["python"]
diff --git a/examples/retargeting/pyproject.toml b/examples/retargeting/pyproject.toml
index d20a54ad63..e630959e9f 100644
--- a/examples/retargeting/pyproject.toml
+++ b/examples/retargeting/pyproject.toml
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@ dependencies = [
 # must stay without an __init__.py. `only-include` + `sources`, not `packages`:
 # the latter keeps only the last path component and would root the wheel at a
 # bare top-level `retargeting/`.
-[tool.hatch.build.targets.wheel]
+[tool.hatch.build]
 only-include = ["python/isaaccapture_examples/retargeting"]
+
+[tool.hatch.build.targets.wheel]
 sources = ["python"]
diff --git a/examples/sharpa_avatar/pyproject.toml b/examples/sharpa_avatar/pyproject.toml
index 5e4366e18d..e4d7ba5ef4 100644
--- a/examples/sharpa_avatar/pyproject.toml
+++ b/examples/sharpa_avatar/pyproject.toml
@@ -22,8 +22,10 @@ dependencies = [
 
 # `only-include` + `sources`, not `packages`, and no __init__.py above
 # sharpa_avatar -- see the packaging rules in examples/README.md.
-[tool.hatch.build.targets.wheel]
+[tool.hatch.build]
 only-include = ["python/isaaccapture_examples/sharpa_avatar"]
+
+[tool.hatch.build.targets.wheel]
 sources = ["python"]
 
 [tool.uv.sources]
diff --git a/examples/soma_body_publisher/pyproject.toml b/examples/soma_body_publisher/pyproject.toml
index 30a18ac0d9..d557635a52 100644
--- a/examples/soma_body_publisher/pyproject.toml
+++ b/examples/soma_body_publisher/pyproject.toml
@@ -16,8 +16,10 @@ dependencies = [
     "py-soma-x==0.3.1",
 ]
 
-[tool.hatch.build.targets.wheel]
+[tool.hatch.build]
 only-include = ["python/isaaccapture_examples/soma_body_publisher"]
+
+[tool.hatch.build.targets.wheel]
 sources = ["python"]
 
 [tool.uv.sources]
diff --git a/examples/soma_hand_publisher/pyproject.toml b/examples/soma_hand_publisher/pyproject.toml
index bcd25a8e39..175071a4f7 100644
--- a/examples/soma_hand_publisher/pyproject.toml
+++ b/examples/soma_hand_publisher/pyproject.toml
@@ -16,8 +16,10 @@ dependencies = [
     "py-soma-x==0.3.1",
 ]
 
-[tool.hatch.build.targets.wheel]
+[tool.hatch.build]
 only-include = ["python/isaaccapture_examples/soma_hand_publisher"]
+
+[tool.hatch.build.targets.wheel]
 sources = ["python"]
 
 [tool.uv.sources]
diff --git a/examples/tactile/pyproject.toml b/examples/tactile/pyproject.toml
index d9cdeedcab..5815914fbe 100644
--- a/examples/tactile/pyproject.toml
+++ b/examples/tactile/pyproject.toml
@@ -15,8 +15,10 @@ dependencies = [
     "numpy>=1.23.0",
 ]
 
-[tool.hatch.build.targets.wheel]
+[tool.hatch.build]
 only-include = ["python/isaaccapture_examples/tactile"]
+
+[tool.hatch.build.targets.wheel]
 sources = ["python"]
 
 [tool.uv.sources]
diff --git a/examples/teleop/pyproject.toml b/examples/teleop/pyproject.toml
index df1020cdff..f6bc6163ce 100644
--- a/examples/teleop/pyproject.toml
+++ b/examples/teleop/pyproject.toml
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@ ui = ["isaaccapture[ui]"]
 #
 # config/ lives inside the package because the bimanual examples resolve it
 # from __file__, so the YAML and URDF must travel with them.
-[tool.hatch.build.targets.wheel]
+[tool.hatch.build]
 only-include = ["python/isaaccapture_examples/teleop"]
+
+[tool.hatch.build.targets.wheel]
 sources = ["python"]
diff --git a/examples/teleop_ros2/pyproject.toml b/examples/teleop_ros2/pyproject.toml
index ee1a93acbb..dab128e039 100644
--- a/examples/teleop_ros2/pyproject.toml
+++ b/examples/teleop_ros2/pyproject.toml
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@ testpaths = ["../../tests/python/examples/teleop_ros2"]
 # must stay without an __init__.py. `only-include` + `sources`, not `packages`:
 # the latter keeps only the last path component and would root the wheel at a
 # bare top-level `teleop_ros2/`.
-[tool.hatch.build.targets.wheel]
+[tool.hatch.build]
 only-include = ["python/isaaccapture_examples/teleop_ros2"]
+
+[tool.hatch.build.targets.wheel]
 sources = ["python"]
diff --git a/examples/teleop_session_manager/pyproject.toml b/examples/teleop_session_manager/pyproject.toml
index 466cf4a909..89a7cae256 100644
--- a/examples/teleop_session_manager/pyproject.toml
+++ b/examples/teleop_session_manager/pyproject.toml
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@ dependencies = [
 # must stay without an __init__.py. `only-include` + `sources`, not `packages`:
 # the latter keeps only the last path component and would root the wheel at a
 # bare top-level `teleop_session_manager/`.
-[tool.hatch.build.targets.wheel]
+[tool.hatch.build]
 only-include = ["python/isaaccapture_examples/teleop_session_manager"]
+
+[tool.hatch.build.targets.wheel]
 sources = ["python"]
diff --git a/examples/vehicle_teleop/pyproject.toml b/examples/vehicle_teleop/pyproject.toml
index f00cb0236f..f45de644eb 100644
--- a/examples/vehicle_teleop/pyproject.toml
+++ b/examples/vehicle_teleop/pyproject.toml
@@ -29,8 +29,10 @@ dependencies = [
 
 # `only-include` + `sources`, not `packages`, and no __init__.py above
 # vehicle_teleop -- see the packaging rules in examples/README.md.
-[tool.hatch.build.targets.wheel]
+[tool.hatch.build]
 only-include = ["python/isaaccapture_examples/vehicle_teleop"]
+
+[tool.hatch.build.targets.wheel]
 sources = ["python"]
 
 [[tool.uv.index]]