diff --git a/docs/configuration/index.md b/docs/configuration/index.md
index 14c899e76..c02e7e191 100644
--- a/docs/configuration/index.md
+++ b/docs/configuration/index.md
@@ -329,6 +329,20 @@ wheel.exclude = ["**.pyx"]
 Previously these were matched on the source path, rather than the wheel path,
 and didn't apply to CMake output.
 
+You can exclude files from the built wheel based on file extension as well (not
+guaranteed to be respected by editable installs):
+
+```toml
+[tool.scikit-build]
+wheel.exclude-exts = [".c", ".cuh", ".h"]
+```
+
+Default value: `[".pyc", ".pyo"]`
+
+:::{versionadded} 0.12
+
+Support to exclude based on file extension.
+
 :::
 
 :::{note}
diff --git a/src/scikit_build_core/build/_wheelfile.py b/src/scikit_build_core/build/_wheelfile.py
index 84fd46afd..39d55ffd5 100644
--- a/src/scikit_build_core/build/_wheelfile.py
+++ b/src/scikit_build_core/build/_wheelfile.py
@@ -148,7 +148,10 @@ def dist_info_contents(self) -> dict[str, bytes]:
         }
 
     def build(
-        self, wheel_dirs: Mapping[str, Path], exclude: Sequence[str] = ()
+        self,
+        wheel_dirs: Mapping[str, Path],
+        exclude: Sequence[str] = (),
+        exclude_exts: Sequence[str] = (),
     ) -> None:
         (targetlib,) = {"platlib", "purelib"} & set(wheel_dirs)
         assert {
@@ -175,7 +178,7 @@ def build(
                     continue
                 if any(x.endswith(".dist-info") for x in filename.parts):
                     continue
-                if filename.suffix in {".pyc", ".pyo"}:
+                if filename.suffix in exclude_exts:
                     continue
                 relpath = filename.relative_to(path)
                 if exclude_spec.match_file(relpath):
diff --git a/src/scikit_build_core/build/wheel.py b/src/scikit_build_core/build/wheel.py
index 670419d33..79b154719 100644
--- a/src/scikit_build_core/build/wheel.py
+++ b/src/scikit_build_core/build/wheel.py
@@ -495,7 +495,11 @@ def _build_wheel_impl_impl(
             ),
             wheel_dirs["metadata"],
         ) as wheel:
-            wheel.build(wheel_dirs, exclude=settings.wheel.exclude)
+            wheel.build(
+                wheel_dirs,
+                exclude=settings.wheel.exclude,
+                exclude_exts=settings.wheel.exclude_exts,
+            )
 
             str_pkgs = (
                 str(Path.cwd().joinpath(p).parent.resolve()) for p in packages.values()
diff --git a/src/scikit_build_core/settings/skbuild_model.py b/src/scikit_build_core/settings/skbuild_model.py
index a83abd2f8..0837e5554 100644
--- a/src/scikit_build_core/settings/skbuild_model.py
+++ b/src/scikit_build_core/settings/skbuild_model.py
@@ -309,6 +309,18 @@ class WheelSettings:
     may not respect this exclusion.
     """
 
+    exclude_exts: List[str] = dataclasses.field(
+        default_factory=lambda: [".pyc", ".pyo"],
+        metadata=SettingsFieldMetadata(display_default="true"),
+    )
+    """
+    A set of file extensions to exclude from the wheel.
+
+    This is additive to the SDist/Wheel exclude patterns. This applies to the final paths
+    in the wheel, and can exclude files from CMake output as well.  Editable installs
+    may not respect this exclusion.
+    """
+
     build_tag: str = ""
     """
     The build tag to use for the wheel. If empty, no build tag is used.