diff --git a/mesonpy/__init__.py b/mesonpy/__init__.py
index 40b964585..365ad6edf 100644
--- a/mesonpy/__init__.py
+++ b/mesonpy/__init__.py
@@ -679,8 +679,8 @@ def __init__(  # noqa: C901
         self._build_dir = pathlib.Path(build_dir).absolute() if build_dir else (self._working_dir / 'build')
         self._editable_verbose = editable_verbose
         self._install_dir = self._working_dir / 'install'
-        self._meson_native_file = self._source_dir / '.mesonpy-native-file.ini'
-        self._meson_cross_file = self._source_dir / '.mesonpy-cross-file.ini'
+        self._meson_native_file = self._build_dir / 'meson-python-native-file.ini'
+        self._meson_cross_file = self._build_dir / 'meson-python-cross-file.ini'
         self._meson_args: MesonArgs = collections.defaultdict(list)
         self._env = os.environ.copy()
 
@@ -754,25 +754,18 @@ def __init__(  # noqa: C901
             [binaries]
             python = '{sys.executable}'
         ''')
-        native_file_mismatch = (
-            not self._meson_native_file.exists()
-            or self._meson_native_file.read_text() != native_file_data
-        )
-        if native_file_mismatch:
-            try:
-                self._meson_native_file.write_text(native_file_data)
-            except OSError:
-                # if there are permission errors or something else in the source
-                # directory, put the native file in the working directory instead
-                # (this won't survive multiple calls -- Meson will have to be reconfigured)
-                self._meson_native_file = self._working_dir / '.mesonpy-native-file.ini'
-                self._meson_native_file.write_text(native_file_data)
-
-        # Don't reconfigure if build directory doesn't have meson-private/coredata.data
-        # (means something went wrong)
-        # See https://github.com/mesonbuild/meson-python/pull/257#discussion_r1067385517
-        has_valid_build_dir = self._build_dir.joinpath('meson-private', 'coredata.dat').is_file()
-        self._configure(reconfigure=has_valid_build_dir and not native_file_mismatch)
+        self._meson_native_file.write_text(native_file_data)
+
+        # reconfigure if we have a valid Meson build directory. Meson
+        # uses the presence of the 'meson-private/coredata.dat' file
+        # in the build directory as indication that the build
+        # directory has already been configured and arranges this file
+        # to be created as late as possible or deleted if something
+        # goes wrong during setup.
+        reconfigure = self._build_dir.joinpath('meson-private/coredata.dat').is_file()
+
+        # run meson setup
+        self._configure(reconfigure=reconfigure)
 
         # set version if dynamic (this fetches it from Meson)
         if self._metadata and 'version' in self._metadata.dynamic:
@@ -798,11 +791,7 @@ def _meson(self, *args: str) -> None:
         return self._proc('meson', *args)
 
     def _configure(self, reconfigure: bool = False) -> None:
-        """Configure Meson project.
-
-        We will try to reconfigure the build directory if possible to avoid
-        expensive rebuilds.
-        """
+        """Configure Meson project."""
         sys_paths = mesonpy._introspection.SYSCONFIG_PATHS
         setup_args = [
             f'--prefix={sys.base_prefix}',
@@ -827,13 +816,7 @@ def _configure(self, reconfigure: bool = False) -> None:
         if reconfigure:
             setup_args.insert(0, '--reconfigure')
 
-        try:
-            self._meson('setup', *setup_args)
-        except subprocess.CalledProcessError:
-            if reconfigure:  # if failed reconfiguring, try a normal configure
-                self._configure()
-            else:
-                raise
+        self._meson('setup', *setup_args)
 
     def _validate_metadata(self) -> None:
         """Check the pyproject.toml metadata and see if there are any issues."""
@@ -1053,10 +1036,6 @@ def sdist(self, directory: Path) -> pathlib.Path:
 
         with tarfile.open(meson_dist_path, 'r:gz') as meson_dist, mesonpy._util.create_targz(sdist) as (tar, mtime):
             for member in meson_dist.getmembers():
-                # skip the generated meson native file
-                if member.name == f'{meson_dist_name}/.mesonpy-native-file.ini':
-                    continue
-
                 # calculate the file path in the source directory
                 assert member.name, member.name
                 member_parts = member.name.split('/')