diff --git a/MANIFEST.in b/MANIFEST.in
index 3d74903..f5d7850 100644
--- a/MANIFEST.in
+++ b/MANIFEST.in
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 recursive-include meshchatx/public *
+recursive-exclude meshchatx/public/repository-server-bundled *
 recursive-include meshchatx/src/backend *
 include meshchatx/src/version.py
 include meshchatx/src/__init__.py
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 62edff2..f1b3bb6 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -76,6 +76,9 @@ namespaces = false
 [tool.setuptools.package-data]
 meshchatx = ["public/**/*", "public/*", "src/backend/data/community_interfaces.json", "src/backend/data/licenses_frontend.json", "src/backend/data/THIRD_PARTY_NOTICES.txt", "src/frontend/public/repository-server-index.html"]
 
+[tool.setuptools.exclude-package-data]
+meshchatx = ["public/repository-server-bundled/**"]
+
 [build-system]
 requires = ["setuptools>=65.0", "wheel"]
 build-backend = "setuptools.build_meta"
diff --git a/scripts/build/fetch_repository_wheels.py b/scripts/build/fetch_repository_wheels.py
index f34573a..74f2828 100644
--- a/scripts/build/fetch_repository_wheels.py
+++ b/scripts/build/fetch_repository_wheels.py
@@ -7,6 +7,10 @@ ship with the same artifact layout as the Vite output. At runtime,
 copies any missing ``*.whl`` files from that directory into each identity's
 ``repository-server/bundled`` folder (no network required).
 
+The PyPI/sdist wheel intentionally omits this tree (see ``MANIFEST.in`` and
+``tool.setuptools.exclude-package-data``); use this script for desktop/full
+builds or refresh bundled wheels in the app when online.
+
 Usage::
 
     python3 scripts/build/fetch_repository_wheels.py [--dest DIR]