diff --git a/MANIFEST.in b/MANIFEST.in
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..da874b55e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/MANIFEST.in
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+include README.md
+include LICENSE
+include NEWS
+include Snippets/*.py
+include Snippets/README.md
+include Doc/ttx.1
+include MetaTools/*.py
+include Lib/fontTools/ttLib/tables/table_API_readme.txt
+
+include *requirements.txt
+include tox.ini
+include run-tests.sh
+
+recursive-include Lib/fontTools testdata/*.ttx testdata/*.otx testdata/*.fea
+recursive-include Lib/fontTools testdata/*.lwfn testdata/*.pfa testdata/*.pfb
+recursive-include Lib/fontTools testdata/*.xml testdata/*.designspace
+
+include versioneer.py
+include Lib/fontTools/_version.py