diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 81a1c32baf34..70b078a73d27 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ requires-python = ">=3.11"
 [project.optional-dependencies]
 # Should be a copy of the build dependencies below.
 dev = [
-    "meson-python>=0.13.1,<0.17.0",
+    "meson-python>=0.13.1,!=0.17.*",
     "pybind11>=2.13.2,!=2.13.3",
     "setuptools_scm>=7",
     # Not required by us but setuptools_scm without a version, cso _if_
@@ -70,7 +70,9 @@ dev = [
 build-backend = "mesonpy"
 # Also keep in sync with optional dependencies above.
 requires = [
-    "meson-python>=0.13.1,<0.17.0",
+    # meson-python 0.17.x breaks symlinks in sdists. You can remove this pin if
+    # you really need it and aren't using an sdist.
+    "meson-python>=0.13.1,!=0.17.*",
     "pybind11>=2.13.2,!=2.13.3",
     "setuptools_scm>=7",
 ]