diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 8ed6d62..491b39e 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -116,3 +116,6 @@ dmypy.json
 
 # Yarn cache
 .yarn/
+
+# This is generated by hatch
+jupyterlab_blockly/_version.py
diff --git a/jupyterlab_blockly/_version.py b/jupyterlab_blockly/_version.py
deleted file mode 100644
index bf5dc8c..0000000
--- a/jupyterlab_blockly/_version.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,23 +0,0 @@
-import json
-from pathlib import Path
-
-__all__ = ["__version__"]
-
-def _fetchVersion():
-    HERE = Path(__file__).parent.resolve()
-
-    for settings in HERE.rglob("package.json"):
-        try:
-            with settings.open() as f:
-                version = json.load(f)["version"]
-                return (
-                    version.replace("-alpha.", "a")
-                    .replace("-beta.", "b")
-                    .replace("-rc.", "rc")
-                )
-        except FileNotFoundError:
-            pass
-
-    raise FileNotFoundError(f"Could not find package.json under dir {HERE!s}")
-
-__version__ = _fetchVersion()
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 94f4d4e..e3beed4 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -37,6 +37,9 @@ dev = [
 [tool.hatch.version]
 source = "nodejs"
 
+[tool.hatch.build.hooks.version]
+path = "jupyterlab_blockly/_version.py"
+
 [tool.hatch.metadata.hooks.nodejs]
 fields = ["description", "authors", "urls"]
 
@@ -83,9 +86,7 @@ before-build-npm = [
 ]
 before-build-python = [
     # Build the assets
-    "jlpm build:prod",
-    # Clean the build artifacts to not include them in sdist
-    "jlpm clean"
+    "jlpm build:prod"
 ]
 
 [tool.check-wheel-contents]