diff --git a/novelwriter/__init__.py b/novelwriter/__init__.py
index fa3dd30e..82200f17 100644
--- a/novelwriter/__init__.py
+++ b/novelwriter/__init__.py
@@ -49,9 +49,9 @@ __license__    = "GPLv3"
 __author__     = "Veronica Berglyd Olsen"
 __maintainer__ = "Veronica Berglyd Olsen"
 __email__      = "code@vkbo.net"
-__version__    = "2.8a2"
-__hexversion__ = "0x020800a2"
-__date__       = "2025-07-16"
+__version__    = "2.8a3"
+__hexversion__ = "0x020800a3"
+__date__       = "2025-10-18"
 __status__     = "Stable"
 __domain__     = "novelwriter.io"
 
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index d5a0b673..5b5c3a9e 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -29,10 +29,12 @@ dynamic = ["version"]
 
 [dependency-groups]
 dev = [
+    { include-group = "build" },
     { include-group = "docs" },
     { include-group = "test" },
     { include-group = "lint" },
 ]
+build = ["build", "setuptools>=77.0.3"]
 docs = [
     "docutils>=0.17.1",
     "pygments>=2.7",
@@ -59,8 +61,8 @@ novelwriter = "novelwriter:main"
 [tool.setuptools.dynamic]
 version = { attr = "novelwriter.__init__.__version__" }
 
-[tool.setuptools]
-packages = ["novelwriter"]
+[tool.setuptools.packages.find]
+include = ["novelwriter*"]
 
 [tool.isort]
 py_version = "310"
diff --git a/setup/debian/control b/setup/debian/control
index 24f0cd25..30c7921c 100644
--- a/setup/debian/control
+++ b/setup/debian/control
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ Section: text
 Priority: optional
 Build-Depends:
   dh-python,
+  pybuild-plugin-pyproject,
+  python3-build,
   python3-setuptools,
   python3-all,
   debhelper (>= 9),
diff --git a/setup/make_release.sh b/setup/make_release.sh
index 97438bd9..8c59a933 100755
--- a/setup/make_release.sh
+++ b/setup/make_release.sh
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 set -e
 
-ENVPATH=/tmp/nwBuild
-
 if [ ! -f pkgutils.py ]; then
     echo "Must be called from the root folder of the source"
     exit 1
@@ -12,18 +10,12 @@ echo ""
 echo " Building Dependencies"
 echo "================================================================================"
 echo ""
-if [ ! -d $ENVPATH ]; then
-    python3 -m venv $ENVPATH
-fi
-source $ENVPATH/bin/activate
-pip3 install -r requirements.txt -r docs/requirements.txt
-python3 pkgutils.py build-assets
-python3 pkgutils.py icons optional
-deactivate
+uv run pkgutils.py build-assets
+uv run pkgutils.py icons optional
 
 echo ""
 echo " Building Linux Packages"
 echo "================================================================================"
 echo ""
-python3 pkgutils.py build-deb --sign
-python3 pkgutils.py build-ubuntu --sign
+uv run pkgutils.py build-deb --sign
+uv run pkgutils.py build-ubuntu --sign
diff --git a/utils/common.py b/utils/common.py
index 54528ba2..723da500 100644
--- a/utils/common.py
+++ b/utils/common.py
@@ -92,14 +92,19 @@ def copySourceCode(dst: Path) -> None:
 
 def copyPackageFiles(dst: Path, oldLicense: bool = False) -> None:
     """Copy files needed for packaging."""
-    copyFiles = ["LICENSE.md", "setup/LICENSE-Apache-2.0.txt", "CREDITS.md", "pyproject.toml"]
+    copyFiles = [
+        ROOT_DIR / "LICENSE.md",
+        SETUP_DIR / "LICENSE-Apache-2.0.txt",
+        ROOT_DIR / "CREDITS.md",
+        ROOT_DIR / "pyproject.toml",
+    ]
     for copyFile in copyFiles:
-        shutil.copyfile(copyFile, dst / copyFile)
+        shutil.copyfile(copyFile, dst / copyFile.name)
         print("Copied:", copyFile, flush=True)
 
     writeFile(dst / "MANIFEST.in", (
         "include LICENSE.md\n"
-        "include setup/LICENSE-Apache-2.0.txt\n"
+        "include LICENSE-Apache-2.0.txt\n"
         "include CREDITS.md\n"
         "recursive-include novelwriter/assets *\n"
     ))