diff --git a/utils/npm-publish/__tests__/npm-publish.test.js b/utils/npm-publish/__tests__/npm-publish.test.js
index df74198e3b..066c277c24 100644
--- a/utils/npm-publish/__tests__/npm-publish.test.js
+++ b/utils/npm-publish/__tests__/npm-publish.test.js
@@ -119,6 +119,43 @@ describe("npm-publish", () => {
     );
   });
 
+  it("uses pkg.contents manifest when pkg.publishConfig.directory is defined", async () => {
+    const fancyPkg = new Package(
+      {
+        name: "fancy",
+        version: "1.10.100",
+        publishConfig: {
+          directory: "dist",
+        },
+      },
+      path.join(rootPath, "npmPublish/fancy"),
+      rootPath
+    );
+
+    readJSON.mockImplementationOnce((file, cb) =>
+      cb(null, {
+        name: "fancy-fancy",
+        version: "1.10.100",
+      })
+    );
+
+    await npmPublish(fancyPkg, tarFilePath);
+
+    expect(readJSON).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      path.join(fancyPkg.location, "dist/package.json"),
+      expect.any(Function)
+    );
+    expect(publish).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect.objectContaining({
+        name: "fancy-fancy",
+      }),
+      mockTarData,
+      expect.figgyPudding({
+        tag: "latest",
+      })
+    );
+  });
+
   it("respects opts.dryRun", async () => {
     const opts = new Map().set("dryRun", true);
 
diff --git a/utils/npm-publish/npm-publish.js b/utils/npm-publish/npm-publish.js
index fea180541f..741bdd4411 100644
--- a/utils/npm-publish/npm-publish.js
+++ b/utils/npm-publish/npm-publish.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 "use strict";
 
 const fs = require("fs-extra");
+const path = require("path");
 const log = require("npmlog");
 const { publish } = require("libnpmpublish");
 const pify = require("pify");
@@ -43,7 +44,16 @@ function npmPublish(pkg, tarFilePath, _opts, otpCache) {
   let chain = Promise.resolve();
 
   if (!opts.dryRun) {
-    chain = chain.then(() => Promise.all([fs.readFile(tarFilePath), readJSONAsync(pkg.manifestLocation)]));
+    chain = chain.then(() => {
+      let { manifestLocation } = pkg;
+
+      if (pkg.contents !== pkg.location) {
+        // "rebase" manifest used to generated directory
+        manifestLocation = path.join(pkg.contents, "package.json");
+      }
+
+      return Promise.all([fs.readFile(tarFilePath), readJSONAsync(manifestLocation)]);
+    });
     chain = chain.then(([tarData, manifest]) => {
       // non-default tag needs to override publishConfig.tag,
       // which is merged over opts.tag in libnpmpublish