diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -5,11 +5,12 @@
 # See top-level LICENSE file for more information
 
 from distutils.cmd import Command
-from distutils.command.build import build
 from io import open
 from os import environ, path, system
 
 from setuptools import find_packages, setup
+from setuptools.command.build_py import build_py
+from setuptools.command.sdist import sdist
 
 here = path.abspath(path.dirname(__file__))
 
@@ -89,22 +90,43 @@
 class TSBuildExportCommand(TSCommand):
     description = "Builds swh_ql.so and swh_ql.wasm and exports them to static/"
 
+    def initialize_options(self):
+        self.build_lib = None
+        super().initialize_options()
+
+    def finalize_options(self):
+        self.set_undefined_options("build", ("build_lib", "build_lib"))
+        super().finalize_options()
+
     def run(self):
         self.run_command("ts_install")
         self.run_command("ts_build")
 
-        system("echo 'static files generated. copying them to static/ dir'")
-        system("mkdir static")
-        system("cp query_language/swh_ql.so static/swh_ql.so")
-        system("cp query_language/swh_ql.wasm static/swh_ql.wasm")
+        system("echo 'static files generated. copying them to package dir'")
+        system(f"cp query_language/swh_ql.so {self.build_lib}/swh/search/swh_ql.so")
+        system(f"cp query_language/swh_ql.wasm {self.build_lib}/swh/search/swh_ql.wasm")
 
 
-class custom_build(build):
+class custom_build(build_py):
     def run(self):
+        super().run()
+
         if not self.dry_run:
             self.run_command("ts_build_export")
 
-        super().run()
+
+class custom_sdist(sdist):
+    def make_release_tree(self, base_dir, files):
+        super().make_release_tree(base_dir, files)
+        # TODO: build the .c file and .wasm but not .so, because it's architecture-
+        # dependent, and shouldn't be in a sdist (aka *source* distribution)
+        if not self.dry_run:
+            self.run_command("ts_install")
+            self.run_command("ts_build")
+
+            system("echo 'static files generated. copying them to package dir'")
+            system(f"cp query_language/swh_ql.so {base_dir}/swh/search/swh_ql.so")
+            system(f"cp query_language/swh_ql.wasm {base_dir}/swh/search/swh_ql.wasm")
 
 
 setup(
@@ -141,7 +163,8 @@
         "Documentation": "https://docs.softwareheritage.org/devel/swh-search/",
     },
     cmdclass={
-        "build": custom_build,
+        "build_py": custom_build,
+        "sdist": custom_sdist,
         "ts_install": TSInstallCommand,
         "ts_generate": TSGenerateCommand,
         "ts_build_so": TSBuildSoCommand,
@@ -149,5 +172,5 @@
         "ts_build": TSBuildCommand,
         "ts_build_export": TSBuildExportCommand,
     },
-    data_files=[("share/swh/search", ["static/swh_ql.so", "static/swh_ql.wasm"])],
+    zip_safe=False,
 )