diff --git a/MANIFEST.in b/MANIFEST.in
index 0781bf4..238dd17 100644
--- a/MANIFEST.in
+++ b/MANIFEST.in
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ include bluepyopt/ephys/templates/acc/_json_template.jinja2
 include bluepyopt/ephys/templates/acc/decor_acc_template.jinja2
 include bluepyopt/ephys/templates/acc/label_dict_acc_template.jinja2
 
-include.txt
+include README.rst
 include AUTHORS.txt
 include COPYING
 include COPYING.lesser
diff --git a/bluepyopt/ipyp/bpopt_tasksdb.py b/bluepyopt/ipyp/bpopt_tasksdb.py
index 5709209..5e960bc 100644
--- a/bluepyopt/ipyp/bpopt_tasksdb.py
+++ b/bluepyopt/ipyp/bpopt_tasksdb.py
@@ -29,7 +29,21 @@
 import itertools
 
 import numpy as np
-import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
+
+
+def _import_pyplot():
+    """Import matplotlib.pyplot, with a helpful error if it is missing.
+
+    matplotlib is an optional dependency of bpopt_tasksdb; install it via
+    ``pip install bluepyopt[ipyp]``.
+    """
+    try:
+        import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
+    except ImportError as e:
+        raise ImportError(
+            "bpopt_tasksdb requires matplotlib: pip install bluepyopt[ipyp]"
+        ) from e
+    return plt
 
 
 def get_engine_data(tasksdb_filename):
@@ -67,6 +81,8 @@ def get_engine_data(tasksdb_filename):
 def plot_usage(tasks, engine_number_map):
     """Plot usage stats"""
 
+    plt = _import_pyplot()
+
     plt.figure(figsize=(8, 8))
     for engine_uuid, task_list in tasks.items():
         engine_number = engine_number_map[engine_uuid]
@@ -91,6 +107,8 @@ def plot_usage(tasks, engine_number_map):
 
 def plot_duration_histogram(tasks):
     """Plot duration histogram"""
+    plt = _import_pyplot()
+
     plt.figure(figsize=(8, 8))
 
     durations = np.fromiter((t['duration']
@@ -137,6 +155,7 @@ def run(arg_list):
     plot_usage(tasks, engine_number_map)
     plot_duration_histogram(tasks)
 
+    plt = _import_pyplot()
     plt.show()
 
 
diff --git a/examples/BluePyOpt-ipyparallel.md b/examples/BluePyOpt-ipyparallel.md
index ab6b04a..c7eee5e 100644
--- a/examples/BluePyOpt-ipyparallel.md
+++ b/examples/BluePyOpt-ipyparallel.md
@@ -12,6 +12,11 @@ The `ipcontroller` gets its work from clients that connect to it.
 
 ## Installation
 
+> **Note:** As of recent versions, `ipyparallel` is no longer installed
+> automatically with `BluePyOpt`. Install it explicitly, either on its own
+> (`pip install ipyparallel`) or together with BluePyOpt via the extra:
+> `pip install bluepyopt[ipyp]`.
+
 `ipyparallel` can be installed using pip:
 
     # create and activate virtualenv
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index addb435..15fe290 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -17,8 +17,6 @@ dependencies = [
     "pandas>=0.18",
     "deap>=1.3.3",
     "efel>=2.13",
-    "ipyparallel",
-    "pickleshare>=0.7.3",
     "Jinja2>=2.8",
     "Pebble>=4.6.0",
     "NEURON>=7.8",
@@ -39,13 +37,15 @@ keywords = [
 ]
 
 [project.optional-dependencies]
-all = ["scoop>=0.7", "pyneuroml>=0.5.20", "libNeuroML>=0.3.1", "LFPy>=2.3", "arbor>=0.10,<0.12"]
-tests = ["pyneuroml>=0.5.20", "libNeuroML>=0.3.1", "LFPy>=2.3", "arbor>=0.10,<0.12"]
-tests-no-arbor = ["pyneuroml>=0.5.20", "libNeuroML>=0.3.1", "LFPy>=2.3"]
+all = ["scoop>=0.7", "pyneuroml>=0.5.20", "libNeuroML>=0.3.1", "LFPy>=2.3", "arbor>=0.10,<0.12", "ipyparallel", "matplotlib"]
+tests = ["pyneuroml>=0.5.20", "libNeuroML>=0.3.1", "LFPy>=2.3", "arbor>=0.10,<0.12", "matplotlib"]
+tests-no-arbor = ["pyneuroml>=0.5.20", "libNeuroML>=0.3.1", "LFPy>=2.3", "matplotlib"]
 scoop = ["scoop>=0.7"]
 neuroml = ["pyneuroml>=0.5.20", "libNeuroML>=0.3.1"]
 lfpy = ["LFPy>=2.3"]
 arbor = ["arbor>=0.10,<0.12"]
+# Dependencies for the optional ipyparallel-based bpopt_tasksdb helper script.
+ipyp = ["ipyparallel", "matplotlib"]
 
 [project.urls]
 Homepage = "https://github.com/openbraininstitute/BluePyOpt"
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ Tracker = "https://github.com/openbraininstitute/BluePyOpt/issues"
 Documentation = "https://bluepyopt.readthedocs.io/en/latest"
 
 [project.scripts]
-bpopt_tasksdb = "bluepyopt:ipyp.bpopt_tasksdb.main"
+bpopt_tasksdb = "bluepyopt.ipyp.bpopt_tasksdb:main"
 
 [tool.setuptools]
 include-package-data = true
@@ -72,7 +72,10 @@ bluepyopt = [
 ]
 
 [tool.setuptools.packages.find]
-exclude = ["examples*"]
+exclude = ["examples*", "bluepyopt.tests*"]
+
+[tool.setuptools.exclude-package-data]
+"*" = ["tests/*", "tests/**/*"]
 
 [tool.setuptools_scm]
 version_scheme = "python-simplified-semver"