diff --git a/docs/sources/reference/generated-files.md b/docs/sources/reference/generated-files.md
index f3e1644c..3a21cc61 100644
--- a/docs/sources/reference/generated-files.md
+++ b/docs/sources/reference/generated-files.md
@@ -109,12 +109,21 @@ Includes pyupgrade, isort, black, zpretty, flake8, codespell, check-manifest, py
 
 **Template:** {file}`pyproject.toml.j2`
 
-**Purpose:** Python tooling configuration for isort, black, codespell, check-manifest, and z3c.dependencychecker.
-Also includes towncrier configuration if a {file}`news/` folder exists.
+**Purpose:** Python distribution metadata and tooling configuration.
+
+Contrary to all other generated files, {file}`pyproject.toml` keeps whatever is within some special markers.
+
+These markers are meant to be around the `[project]` table, it should look like:
+
+```toml
+# START-MARKER-MANUAL-CONFIG
+[project]
+name = "plone.meta"
+version = "1.2.4"
+...
+# END-MARKER-MANUAL-CONFIG
+```
 
-:::{note}
-plone.meta overwrites {file}`pyproject.toml` completely, like all other generated files. All customization must go through {file}`.meta.toml`.
-:::
 
 ## tox.ini
 
diff --git a/news/315.feature.2 b/news/315.feature.2
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..23aca729
--- /dev/null
+++ b/news/315.feature.2
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Ensure the `[project]` table is not removed from `pyproject.toml` @gforcada
diff --git a/src/plone/meta/config_package.py b/src/plone/meta/config_package.py
index 92c20e22..3f4b3a2a 100755
--- a/src/plone/meta/config_package.py
+++ b/src/plone/meta/config_package.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 from functools import cached_property
 from importlib.metadata import version
 from packaging.version import Version
+from pathlib import Path
 
 import argparse
 import collections
@@ -425,6 +426,8 @@ def pyproject_toml(self):
                 "If you want to use Towncrier, you have to create a 'news/' folder manually.",
             )
 
+        options["project_metadata"] = self._get_manual_metadata()
+
         filename = self.copy_with_meta(
             "pyproject.toml.j2",
             **options,
@@ -432,6 +435,20 @@ def pyproject_toml(self):
         files.append(filename)
         return files
 
+    def _get_manual_metadata(self):
+        metadata = ""
+        suffix = "MARKER-MANUAL-CONFIG"
+        pyproject_path = Path(self.path) / "pyproject.toml"
+        if not pyproject_path.exists():
+            return ""
+        actual_pyproject = pyproject_path.read_text()
+        start_marker = actual_pyproject.find(f"# START-{suffix}")
+        end_marker = actual_pyproject.find(f"# END-{suffix}")
+        if start_marker > -1 and end_marker > -1:
+            end_marker = end_marker + len(f"# END-{suffix}")
+            metadata = actual_pyproject[start_marker:end_marker]
+        return metadata
+
     def tox(self):
         options = self._get_options_for(
             "tox",
diff --git a/src/plone/meta/default/pyproject.toml.j2 b/src/plone/meta/default/pyproject.toml.j2
index cfad7dcc..07ba76ac 100644
--- a/src/plone/meta/default/pyproject.toml.j2
+++ b/src/plone/meta/default/pyproject.toml.j2
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 [build-system]
 requires = ["setuptools>=68.2,<%(setuptools_upper_bound)s", "wheel"]
 
+%(project_metadata)s
+
 {% if news_folder_exists %}
 [tool.towncrier]
 directory = "news/"
diff --git a/tests/conftest.py b/tests/conftest.py
index 1c65e73a..2abf5009 100644
--- a/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/conftest.py
@@ -44,11 +44,23 @@ def mock_args(mock_git_repo):
 
 
 @pytest.fixture
-def package_config(meta_toml_factory, mock_args):
+def pyproject_toml(mock_git_repo):
+    """Create an empty pyproject.toml"""
+
+    def _create():
+        toml_path = mock_git_repo / "pyproject.toml"
+        toml_path.touch()
+
+    return _create
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def package_config(pyproject_toml, meta_toml_factory, mock_args):
     """Create a PackageConfiguration with mocked subprocess calls."""
     from plone.meta.config_package import PackageConfiguration
 
     meta_toml_factory()  # creates default .meta.toml
+    pyproject_toml()  # creates an empty pyproject.toml
     with (
         patch(
             "plone.meta.config_package.git_server_url",
diff --git a/tests/test_package_config_ci.py b/tests/test_package_config_ci.py
index 229b71c6..2b566b99 100644
--- a/tests/test_package_config_ci.py
+++ b/tests/test_package_config_ci.py
@@ -79,9 +79,11 @@ def test_flake8(self, package_config):
 
 class TestPyproject:
     def test_minimal_files(self, package_config):
+        pyproject_file_path = package_config.path / "pyproject.toml"
         result = package_config.pyproject_toml()
         assert len(result) == 1
-        assert (package_config.path / "pyproject.toml").exists()
+        text = pyproject_file_path.read_text()
+        assert len(text.splitlines()) > 50
 
     def test_if_news_folder_exists(self, package_config):
         (package_config.path / "news").mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
@@ -96,6 +98,21 @@ def test_if_changes_md_exists(self, package_config):
         assert len(result) == 2
         assert (package_config.path / "news" / ".changelog_template.jinja").exists()
 
+    def test_metadata_is_kept(self, package_config):
+        pyproject_file_path = package_config.path / "pyproject.toml"
+        text = [
+            "# START-MARKER-MANUAL-CONFIG",
+            "[project]",
+            'name="random-project"',
+            "# END-MARKER-MANUAL-CONFIG",
+        ]
+        pyproject_file_path.write_text("\n".join(text))
+        package_config.pyproject_toml()
+        final_toml_text = pyproject_file_path.read_text()
+        assert len(final_toml_text.splitlines()) > len(text)
+        for line in text:
+            assert line in final_toml_text
+
 
 class TestSetuptoolsUpperBound:
     @pytest.mark.parametrize(["is_native", "expected"], [[True, "82"], [False, "83"]])