diff --git a/backend/src/hatchling/builders/config.py b/backend/src/hatchling/builders/config.py
index da4a9f9b9..d5b6b27dc 100644
--- a/backend/src/hatchling/builders/config.py
+++ b/backend/src/hatchling/builders/config.py
@@ -883,6 +883,11 @@ def load_vcs_exclusion_patterns(self) -> list[str]:
                     if glob_mode:
                         patterns.append(line)
 
+        # validate project root is not excluded by vcs
+        exclude_spec = pathspec.GitIgnoreSpec.from_lines(patterns)
+        if exclude_spec.match_file(self.root):
+            return []
+
         return patterns
 
     def normalize_build_directory(self, build_directory: str) -> str: