diff --git a/MANIFEST.in b/MANIFEST.in
index 5f763b15c457..2ad81e43b6c0 100644
--- a/MANIFEST.in
+++ b/MANIFEST.in
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ include lib/matplotlib/mpl-data/images/*
 include lib/matplotlib/mpl-data/fonts/ttf/*
 include lib/matplotlib/mpl-data/fonts/pdfcorefonts/*
 include lib/matplotlib/mpl-data/fonts/afm/*
-recursive-include lib/matplotlib/mpl-data/sample_data/ *
+recursive-include lib/matplotlib/mpl-data/sample_data/*
 recursive-include LICENSE *
 recursive-include examples *
 recursive-include doc *