diff --git a/packaging/pep517_backend/_backend.py b/packaging/pep517_backend/_backend.py
index 14bc911aaae..d4451ac14e0 100644
--- a/packaging/pep517_backend/_backend.py
+++ b/packaging/pep517_backend/_backend.py
@@ -5,8 +5,11 @@ from __future__ import annotations
 import os
 import subprocess
 import sys
+import typing as t
 from configparser import ConfigParser
+from contextlib import suppress
 from importlib.metadata import import_module
+from io import StringIO
 from pathlib import Path
 
 from setuptools.build_meta import (
@@ -14,16 +17,25 @@ from setuptools.build_meta import (
     get_requires_for_build_sdist as _setuptools_get_requires_for_build_sdist,
 )
 
+with suppress(ImportError):
+    # NOTE: Only available for sdist builds that bundle manpages. Declared by
+    # NOTE: `get_requires_for_build_sdist()` when `--build-manpages` is passed.
+    from docutils.core import publish_file
+    from docutils.writers import manpage
+
 
 __all__ = (  # noqa: WPS317, WPS410
     'build_sdist', 'get_requires_for_build_sdist',
 )
 
 
+BUILD_MANPAGES_CONFIG_SETTING = '--build-manpages'
+"""Config setting name toggle that is used to request manpage in sdists."""
+
+
 def _make_in_tree_ansible_importable() -> None:
     """Add the library directory to module lookup paths."""
     lib_path = str(Path.cwd() / 'lib/')
-    os.environ['PYTHONPATH'] = lib_path  # NOTE: for subprocesses
     sys.path.insert(0, lib_path)  # NOTE: for the current runtime session
 
 
@@ -35,10 +47,11 @@ def _get_package_distribution_version() -> str:
     cfg_version = setup_cfg.get('metadata', 'version')
     importable_version_str = cfg_version.removeprefix('attr: ')
     version_mod_str, version_var_str = importable_version_str.rsplit('.', 1)
+    _make_in_tree_ansible_importable()
     return getattr(import_module(version_mod_str), version_var_str)
 
 
-def _generate_rst_in_templates() -> Path:
+def _generate_rst_in_templates() -> t.Iterable[Path]:
     """Create ``*.1.rst.in`` files out of CLI Python modules."""
     generate_man_cmd = (
         sys.executable,
@@ -53,41 +66,43 @@ def _generate_rst_in_templates() -> Path:
     return Path('docs/man/man1/').glob('*.1.rst.in')
 
 
-def _convert_rst_in_template_to_manpage(rst_in, version_number) -> None:
+def _convert_rst_in_template_to_manpage(
+        rst_doc_template: str,
+        destination_path: os.PathLike,
+        version_number: str,
+) -> None:
     """Render pre-made ``*.1.rst.in`` templates into manpages.
 
     This includes pasting the hardcoded version into the resulting files.
     The resulting ``in``-files are wiped in the process.
     """
-    templated_rst_doc = rst_in.with_suffix('')
-    templated_rst_doc.write_text(
-        rst_in.read_text().replace('%VERSION%', version_number))
+    templated_rst_doc = rst_doc_template.replace('%VERSION%', version_number)
 
-    rst_in.unlink()
-
-    rst2man_cmd = (
-        sys.executable,
-        Path(sys.executable).parent / 'rst2man.py',
-        templated_rst_doc,
-        templated_rst_doc.with_suffix(''),
-    )
-    subprocess.check_call(tuple(map(str, rst2man_cmd)))
-    templated_rst_doc.unlink()
+    with StringIO(templated_rst_doc) as in_mem_rst_doc:
+        publish_file(
+            source=in_mem_rst_doc,
+            destination_path=destination_path,
+            writer=manpage.Writer(),
+        )
 
 
 def build_sdist(  # noqa: WPS210, WPS430
          sdist_directory: os.PathLike,
          config_settings: dict[str, str] | None = None,
 ) -> str:
-    build_manpages_requested = '--build-manpages' in (
+    build_manpages_requested = BUILD_MANPAGES_CONFIG_SETTING in (
         config_settings or {}
     )
     if build_manpages_requested:
         Path('docs/man/man1/').mkdir(exist_ok=True, parents=True)
-        _make_in_tree_ansible_importable()
         version_number = _get_package_distribution_version()
         for rst_in in _generate_rst_in_templates():
-            _convert_rst_in_template_to_manpage(rst_in, version_number)
+            _convert_rst_in_template_to_manpage(
+                rst_doc_template=rst_in.read_text(),
+                destination_path=rst_in.with_suffix('').with_suffix(''),
+                version_number=version_number,
+            )
+            rst_in.unlink()
 
     return _setuptools_build_sdist(
         sdist_directory=sdist_directory,
@@ -98,10 +113,17 @@ def build_sdist(  # noqa: WPS210, WPS430
 def get_requires_for_build_sdist(
         config_settings: dict[str, str] | None = None,
 ) -> list[str]:
-    return _setuptools_get_requires_for_build_sdist(
-        config_settings=config_settings,
-    ) + [
+    build_manpages_requested = BUILD_MANPAGES_CONFIG_SETTING in (
+        config_settings or {}
+    )
+    build_manpages_requested = True  # FIXME: Once pypa/build#559 is addressed.
+
+    manpage_build_deps = [
         'docutils',  # provides `rst2man`
         'jinja2',  # used in `hacking/build-ansible.py generate-man`
         'pyyaml',  # needed for importing in-tree `ansible-core` from `lib/`
-    ]
+    ] if build_manpages_requested else []
+
+    return _setuptools_get_requires_for_build_sdist(
+        config_settings=config_settings,
+    ) + manpage_build_deps