diff --git a/.github/workflows/build.yml b/.github/workflows/build.yml
index 2ba10b77..d6a2f41c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build.yml
@@ -155,24 +155,21 @@ jobs:
           submodules: true
 
       - name: Build sdist
-        run: pipx run build --sdist
+        run: pipx run build --sdist -Csetup-args=-Dsdist_mode=true
 
       - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
         with:
           name: cibw-sdist
           path: dist/*.tar.gz
 
-  upload_pypi:
+  test_upload_pypi:
     needs: [build_wheels, build_sdist]
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    environment: pypi
+    environment:
+      name: testpypi
+      url: https://test.pypi.org/p/test_scs
     permissions:
       id-token: write
-    # We can also upload always, with skip-existing: true, below
-    # We upload on every push event (only master, above) that is a new tag
-    if: github.event_name == 'push' && startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags')
-    # Only run this step on GH release
-    # if: github.event_name == 'release' && github.event.action == 'published'
     steps:
       - uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
         with:
@@ -181,9 +178,23 @@ jobs:
           path: dist
           merge-multiple: true
 
+      - uses: pypa/gh-action-pypi-publish@release/v1
+        # To test:
+        with:
+          repository-url: https://test.pypi.org/legacy/
+
+  upload_pypi:
+    needs: [test_upload_pypi]
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    environment: pypi
+    permissions:
+      id-token: write
+    # We can also upload always, with skip-existing: true, below
+    # We upload on every push event (only master, above) that is a new tag
+    if: github.event_name == 'push' && startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags')
+    # Only run this step on GH release
+    # if: github.event_name == 'release' && github.event.action == 'published'
+    steps:
       - uses: pypa/gh-action-pypi-publish@release/v1
         with:
           skip-existing: true
-        # To test:
-        # with:
-        #  repository-url: https://test.pypi.org/legacy/
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 2fa6d2a6..d428a164 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -43,9 +43,10 @@ else
     endif
 endif
 
-# Since nothing above was required, we stop here if failed
-if not blas_deps[0].found()
-    error('OpenBLAS or Netlib BLAS/CBLAS is required on all platforms except Windows, and was not found.')
+# Since nothing above was required, we stop here if failed.
+# When creating an sdist we are not compiling / linking, so don't need to fail.
+if not blas_deps[0].found() and not get_option('sdist_mode')
+    error('OpenBLAS or Netlib BLAS/CBLAS is required on all platforms, and was not found.')
 endif
 
 fs = import('fs')
diff --git a/meson.options b/meson.options
index ba840d40..79b56784 100644
--- a/meson.options
+++ b/meson.options
@@ -5,3 +5,5 @@ option('link_blas_statically', type: 'boolean',
        value: false, description: 'copy BLAS compiled object into SCS module(s)')
 option('link_mkl', type: 'boolean',
        value: false, description: 'link to mkl-rt library')
+option('sdist_mode', type: 'boolean', value: false,
+       description: 'Set to true if building an sdist')