@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ jobs:
     - name: Test Reference count
       run: $CI_ENV_EXEC pytest tests/test_reference_count_async.py --browser=${{ matrix.browser }}
     - name: Test Wheel Installation
-      run: $CI_ENV_EXEC pytest tests/test_installation.py --browser=${{ matrix.browser }}
+      run: $CI_ENV_EXEC pytest tests/test_installation.py::test_install --browser=${{ matrix.browser }}
     - name: Test Sync API
       run: $CI_ENV_EXEC pytest tests/sync --browser=${{ matrix.browser }} -n ${{ env.WORKERS }} -p pytest_dot_reporter -rfE --color=yes
     - name: Test Async API
@@ -196,6 +196,42 @@ jobs:
       if: ${{ !cancelled() && steps.install.outcome == 'success' }}
       run: $CI_ENV_EXEC pytest tests/async --browser=chromium --browser-channel=${{ matrix.browser-channel }} -n ${{ env.WORKERS }} -p pytest_dot_reporter -rfE --color=yes
 
+  sdist:
+    name: Source distribution
+    # The sdist has the driver without Node.js, for the installs that reject wheels
+    # (poetry's installer.no-binary) and the platforms without a wheel. It runs with
+    # the Node.js of PLAYWRIGHT_NODEJS_PATH.
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    timeout-minutes: 30
+    steps:
+    - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1 # v7.0.1
+    - name: Set up Python
+      uses: actions/setup-python@5fda3b95a4ea91299a34e894583c3862153e4b97 # v7.0.0
+      with:
+        python-version: "3.10"
+    - name: Set up Node.js
+      uses: actions/setup-node@949feb2413d6458794dcd2491c4babbbce0c15c1 # v7.1.0
+      with:
+        node-version: '24'
+    - name: Install dependencies
+      run: |
+        python -m pip install --upgrade pip
+        pip install -r local-requirements.txt
+        pip install -r requirements.txt
+        pip install -e .
+    - name: Get Playwright
+      run: python scripts/upstream.py checkout
+    # The wheel build puts the driver with Node.js into the checkout, for the
+    # install-deps step below. The test installs the sdist in its own venv.
+    - name: Build the driver and the wheel
+      run: python -m build --wheel
+    - name: Build the sdist
+      run: python -m build --sdist
+    - name: Install browser dependencies
+      run: python -m playwright install-deps chromium
+    - name: Test the sdist installation
+      run: pytest tests/test_installation.py::test_install_sdist --browser=chromium
+
   test_examples:
     name: Examples
     runs-on: ubuntu-22.04
 
@@ -48,20 +48,22 @@ jobs:
       run: python scripts/upstream.py checkout
     # Each wheel build builds the driver of its platform; the build of
     # .upstream/ is shared.
-    - name: Build the driver and the wheels
+    - name: Build the driver, the wheels and the sdist
       run: |
         for wheel in $(python setup.py --list-wheels); do
           PLAYWRIGHT_TARGET_WHEEL=$wheel python -m build --wheel --outdir dist
         done
-    - name: Check the wheels
+        python -m build --sdist --outdir dist
+    - name: Check the wheels and the sdist
       run: |
         ls -l dist
         test "$(ls dist/*.whl | wc -l)" -eq "$(python setup.py --list-wheels | wc -l)"
+        test -f "dist/playwright-${TAG#v}.tar.gz"
         for file in dist/*; do
-          if [[ "$(basename "$file")" != "playwright-${TAG#v}-"*.whl ]]; then
-            echo "Unexpected file for $TAG: $file"
-            exit 1
-          fi
+          case "$(basename "$file")" in
+            "playwright-${TAG#v}-"*.whl | "playwright-${TAG#v}.tar.gz") ;;
+            *) echo "Unexpected file for $TAG: $file"; exit 1 ;;
+          esac
         done
     - uses: actions/upload-artifact@cf430e030ddbb5b0abf93d22962f4752f3646cd9 # v7.0.2
       with:
 
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ pip install -r local-requirements.txt
 pip install -e .
 python scripts/upstream.py checkout
 python -m build --wheel        # builds the driver from .upstream/ into playwright/driver/
+python -m build --sdist        # the driver without Node.js; runs with PLAYWRIGHT_NODEJS_PATH
 playwright install chromium    # not --with-deps: sudo is denied here
 ./test.sh [browser]            # tests/sync and tests/async, under xvfb
 ./scripts/lint.sh              # the Lint job of CI; run it before you commit
 
@@ -15,16 +15,28 @@
 import subprocess
 import sys
 
-from playwright._impl._driver import compute_driver_executable, get_driver_env
+from playwright._impl._driver import (
+    compute_driver_executable,
+    get_driver_env,
+    node_launch_error,
+)
+from playwright._impl._errors import Error
 
 
 def main() -> None:
     try:
         driver_executable, driver_cli = compute_driver_executable()
-        completed_process = subprocess.run(
-            [driver_executable, driver_cli, *sys.argv[1:]], env=get_driver_env()
-        )
+        try:
+            completed_process = subprocess.run(
+                [driver_executable, driver_cli, *sys.argv[1:]], env=get_driver_env()
+            )
+        except OSError as error:
+            raise node_launch_error(driver_executable, error)
         sys.exit(completed_process.returncode)
+    except Error as error:
+        # No Node.js to run the driver with: a message, not a traceback.
+        print(error.message, file=sys.stderr)
+        sys.exit(1)
     except KeyboardInterrupt:
         sys.exit(130)
 
 
@@ -19,18 +19,29 @@
 from typing import Tuple
 
 import playwright
+from playwright._impl._errors import Error
 from playwright._repo_version import version
 
 
 def compute_driver_executable() -> Tuple[str, str]:
     driver_path = Path(inspect.getfile(playwright)).parent / "driver"
     cli_path = str(driver_path / "package" / "cli.js")
-    if sys.platform == "win32":
-        return (
-            os.getenv("PLAYWRIGHT_NODEJS_PATH", str(driver_path / "node.exe")),
-            cli_path,
+    node_path = os.getenv("PLAYWRIGHT_NODEJS_PATH")
+    if node_path:
+        return (node_path, cli_path)
+    bundled_node = driver_path / ("node.exe" if sys.platform == "win32" else "node")
+    if not bundled_node.is_file():
+        # The source distribution ships the driver without Node.js.
+        raise Error(
+            "This installation of Playwright does not include Node.js. "
+            "Set PLAYWRIGHT_NODEJS_PATH pointing to Node.js executable."
         )
-    return (os.getenv("PLAYWRIGHT_NODEJS_PATH", str(driver_path / "node")), cli_path)
+    return (str(bundled_node), cli_path)
+
+
+def node_launch_error(executable: str, error: OSError) -> Error:
+    """The error for a spawn of the driver that failed."""
+    return Error(f"Cannot launch Node.js executable at {executable}: {error}")
 
 
 def get_driver_env() -> dict:
 
@@ -29,7 +29,11 @@
 from abc import ABC, abstractmethod
 from typing import Any, Callable, Dict, List, Optional, Union
 
-from playwright._impl._driver import compute_driver_executable, get_driver_env
+from playwright._impl._driver import (
+    compute_driver_executable,
+    get_driver_env,
+    node_launch_error,
+)
 from playwright._impl.errors import Error
 from playwright._impl.utils.tasks import wait_for_next_task
 
@@ -133,17 +137,20 @@ async def connect(self) -> None:
                 startupinfo.wShowWindow = subprocess.SW_HIDE
 
             executable_path, entrypoint_path = compute_driver_executable()
-            self._proc = await asyncio.create_subprocess_exec(
-                executable_path,
-                entrypoint_path,
-                "run-driver",
-                stdin=asyncio.subprocess.PIPE,
-                stdout=asyncio.subprocess.PIPE,
-                stderr=_get_stderr_fileno(),
-                limit=32768,
-                env=env,
-                startupinfo=startupinfo,
-            )
+            try:
+                self._proc = await asyncio.create_subprocess_exec(
+                    executable_path,
+                    entrypoint_path,
+                    "run-driver",
+                    stdin=asyncio.subprocess.PIPE,
+                    stdout=asyncio.subprocess.PIPE,
+                    stderr=_get_stderr_fileno(),
+                    limit=32768,
+                    env=env,
+                    startupinfo=startupinfo,
+                )
+            except OSError as error:
+                raise node_launch_error(executable_path, error)
         except Exception as exc:
             self.on_error_future.set_exception(exc)
             raise exc
 
@@ -28,6 +28,9 @@
        LICENSE           - the Node.js license
        package/**        - the playwright-core npm package
 
+The ``any`` bundle, for the source distribution, has only ``package/**``: it runs
+with the Node.js of ``PLAYWRIGHT_NODEJS_PATH``.
+
 A bundle that exists is not built again. ``.upstream/`` must be checked out at the
 commit in ``DRIVER_VERSION`` (``python scripts/upstream.py checkout``), with no local
 changes. npm uses the registry and the credentials of a root-level ``.npmrc`` when
@@ -63,7 +66,7 @@
 
 class Platform(NamedTuple):
     suffix: str  # bundle suffix; matches the "zip_name" values in setup.py
-    node_dir: str  # the nodejs.org archive name infix: node-v<ver>-<node_dir>
+    node_dir: str  # the nodejs.org archive name infix: node-v<ver>-<node_dir>; "" for no Node.js
     windows: bool
 
 
@@ -75,6 +78,7 @@ class Platform(NamedTuple):
     Platform("linux-arm64", "linux-arm64", False),
     Platform("win32_x64", "win-x64", True),
     Platform("win32_arm64", "win-arm64", True),
+    Platform("any", "", False),  # the source distribution: no Node.js
 ]
 
 
@@ -240,7 +244,8 @@ def assemble(
     if bundle_dir.exists():
         shutil.rmtree(bundle_dir)
     bundle_dir.mkdir(parents=True)
-    fetch_node(platform, node_version, bundle_dir, work_dir)
+    if platform.node_dir:
+        fetch_node(platform, node_version, bundle_dir, work_dir)
     shutil.copytree(package_dir, bundle_dir / "package")
     destination = DRIVER_DIR / f"playwright-{commit}-{platform.suffix}.zip"
     zip_bundle(bundle_dir, destination)
 
@@ -27,12 +27,22 @@
 # in .upstream/, the microsoft/playwright checkout at the commit in DRIVER_VERSION,
 # and adds the Node.js binary of NODE_VERSION. The bundles are named after the
 # commit (driver/playwright-<commit>-<suffix>.zip), so a roll builds new ones.
+#
+# A sdist build (python -m build --sdist) builds the "any" bundle the same way, but
+# without the Node.js binary, and ships it. A wheel built from the sdist packs that
+# bundle, so it is py3-none-any and runs with the Node.js of PLAYWRIGHT_NODEJS_PATH.
 def read_driver_version() -> str:
     return (Path(__file__).parent / "DRIVER_VERSION").read_text().strip()
 
 
 driver_version = read_driver_version()
 
+# The sdist unpacks with its metadata at the root; a checkout has none there.
+building_from_sdist = (Path(__file__).parent / "PKG-INFO").is_file()
+
+# "wheel" is the platform tag of the wheel name, as in base_wheel_bundles.
+sdist_bundle = {"wheel": "any.whl", "zip_name": "any"}
+
 base_wheel_bundles = [
     {
         "wheel": "macosx_10_13_x86_64.whl",
@@ -90,6 +100,7 @@ def read_driver_version() -> str:
     exit(0)
 
 from setuptools import setup  # noqa: E402
+from setuptools.command.sdist import sdist as SDistCommand  # noqa: E402
 
 try:
     from auditwheel.wheeltools import InWheel
@@ -107,10 +118,18 @@ def extractall(zip: zipfile.ZipFile, path: str) -> None:
             os.chmod(extracted_path, attr)
 
 
+def driver_bundle_path(zip_name: str) -> str:
+    return f"driver/playwright-{driver_version}-{zip_name}.zip"
+
+
 def ensure_driver_bundle(zip_name: str) -> None:
-    destination_path = f"driver/playwright-{driver_version}-{zip_name}.zip"
+    destination_path = driver_bundle_path(zip_name)
     if os.path.exists(destination_path):
         return
+    if building_from_sdist:
+        raise RuntimeError(
+            f"Driver bundle {destination_path} is missing from the source distribution."
+        )
     # Build only this platform's bundle, so that a wheel build downloads just the
     # one Node.js binary it needs.
     build_script = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), "scripts", "build_driver.py")
@@ -121,6 +140,16 @@ def ensure_driver_bundle(zip_name: str) -> None:
         )
 
 
+class PlaywrightSDistCommand(SDistCommand):
+    def make_distribution(self) -> None:
+        # The driver without Node.js, built from .upstream/ like the platform
+        # bundles; the wheel build of the sdist packs it. The file list comes
+        # from egg_info (the files that git tracks), so the bundle is added here.
+        ensure_driver_bundle(sdist_bundle["zip_name"])
+        self.filelist.append(driver_bundle_path(sdist_bundle["zip_name"]))
+        super().make_distribution()
+
+
 class PlaywrightBDistWheelCommand(BDistWheelCommand):
     def run(self) -> None:
         # setuptools copies the package into build/lib and keeps what is there: a
@@ -132,7 +161,9 @@ def run(self) -> None:
         self._download_and_extract_local_driver()
 
         wheel = None
-        if os.getenv("PLAYWRIGHT_TARGET_WHEEL", None):
+        if building_from_sdist:
+            wheel = sdist_bundle
+        elif os.getenv("PLAYWRIGHT_TARGET_WHEEL", None):
             wheel = list(
                 filter(
                     lambda wheel: wheel["wheel"]
@@ -162,14 +193,16 @@ def _build_wheel(
         # Although the build produces every platform's bundle, only this wheel's
         # target platform driver is extracted and packed below, so the wheel
         # stays single-platform.
-        zip_file = f"driver/playwright-{driver_version}-{wheel_bundle['zip_name']}.zip"
+        zip_file = driver_bundle_path(wheel_bundle["zip_name"])
         extract_dir = f"driver/{wheel_bundle['zip_name']}"
         if os.path.exists(extract_dir):
             shutil.rmtree(extract_dir)
         with zipfile.ZipFile(zip_file, "r") as zip:
             extractall(zip, extract_dir)
         wheel_location = without_platform + wheel_bundle["wheel"]
-        shutil.copy(base_wheel_location, wheel_location)
+        # The base wheel is py3-none-any already: the "any" wheel adds to it in place.
+        if wheel_location != base_wheel_location:
+            shutil.copy(base_wheel_location, wheel_location)
         with zipfile.ZipFile(
             wheel_location, mode="a", compression=zipfile.ZIP_DEFLATED
         ) as zip:
@@ -183,7 +216,8 @@ def _build_wheel(
                 "playwright/driver/README.md",
                 f"{wheel_bundle['wheel']} driver package",
             )
-        os.remove(base_wheel_location)
+        if wheel_location != base_wheel_location:
+            os.remove(base_wheel_location)
         for whlfile in glob.glob(os.path.join(self.dist_dir, "*.whl")):
             os.makedirs("wheelhouse", exist_ok=True)
             if InWheel:
@@ -197,26 +231,32 @@ def _build_wheel(
     def _download_and_extract_local_driver(
         self,
     ) -> None:
-        zip_names_for_current_system = set(
-            map(
-                lambda wheel: wheel["zip_name"],
-                filter(
-                    lambda wheel: wheel["machine"] == platform.machine().lower()
-                    and wheel["platform"] == sys.platform,
-                    base_wheel_bundles,
-                ),
+        if building_from_sdist:
+            zip_name = sdist_bundle["zip_name"]
+        else:
+            zip_names_for_current_system = set(
+                map(
+                    lambda wheel: wheel["zip_name"],
+                    filter(
+                        lambda wheel: wheel["machine"] == platform.machine().lower()
+                        and wheel["platform"] == sys.platform,
+                        base_wheel_bundles,
+                    ),
+                )
             )
-        )
-        assert len(zip_names_for_current_system) == 1
-        zip_name = zip_names_for_current_system.pop()
+            assert len(zip_names_for_current_system) == 1
+            zip_name = zip_names_for_current_system.pop()
         ensure_driver_bundle(zip_name)
-        zip_file = f"driver/playwright-{driver_version}-{zip_name}.zip"
+        zip_file = driver_bundle_path(zip_name)
         if os.path.exists("playwright/driver"):
             shutil.rmtree("playwright/driver")
         with zipfile.ZipFile(zip_file, "r") as zip:
             extractall(zip, "playwright/driver")
 
 
 setup(
-    cmdclass={"bdist_wheel": PlaywrightBDistWheelCommand},
+    cmdclass={
+        "sdist": PlaywrightSDistCommand,
+        "bdist_wheel": PlaywrightBDistWheelCommand,
+    },
 )