diff --git a/.github/workflows/python-cli.yml b/.github/workflows/python-cli.yml
index 8c052326..e177d257 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/python-cli.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/python-cli.yml
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: PyO3/maturin-action@v1
         with:
           target: ${{ matrix.platform.target }}
-          args: --release --out dist --find-interpreter --manifest-path crates/cli/Cargo.toml
+          args: --release --out dist --find-interpreter --manifest-path crates/cli/Cargo.toml -F duckdb/bundled
           sccache: "true"
           manylinux: auto
       - name: Upload wheels
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: PyO3/maturin-action@v1
         with:
           target: ${{ matrix.platform.target }}
-          args: --release --out dist --find-interpreter --manifest-path crates/cli/Cargo.toml
+          args: --release --out dist --find-interpreter --manifest-path crates/cli/Cargo.toml -F duckdb/bundled
           sccache: "true"
           manylinux: musllinux_1_2
       - name: Upload wheels
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: PyO3/maturin-action@v1
         with:
           target: ${{ matrix.platform.target }}
-          args: --release --out dist --find-interpreter --manifest-path crates/cli/Cargo.toml
+          args: --release --out dist --find-interpreter --manifest-path crates/cli/Cargo.toml -F duckdb/bundled
           sccache: "true"
       - name: Upload wheels
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: PyO3/maturin-action@v1
         with:
           target: ${{ matrix.platform.target }}
-          args: --release --out dist --find-interpreter --manifest-path crates/cli/Cargo.toml
+          args: --release --out dist --find-interpreter --manifest-path crates/cli/Cargo.toml -F duckdb/bundled
           sccache: "true"
       - name: Upload wheels
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
diff --git a/crates/cli/Cargo.toml b/crates/cli/Cargo.toml
index a1a161a2..02aaf787 100644
--- a/crates/cli/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/cli/Cargo.toml
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ python = ["dep:pyo3", "pgstac"]
 anyhow.workspace = true
 axum.workspace = true
 clap = { workspace = true, features = ["derive"] }
+duckdb.workspace = true  # we depend on it directly so that we can bundle it for the Python wheels
 object_store.workspace = true
 pyo3 = { workspace = true, optional = true }
 reqwest.workspace = true
diff --git a/crates/cli/src/lib.rs b/crates/cli/src/lib.rs
index 484190d7..fb00441e 100644
--- a/crates/cli/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/cli/src/lib.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 use anyhow::{anyhow, Error, Result};
 use clap::{Parser, Subcommand};
+use duckdb as _;
 use stac::{geoparquet::Compression, Collection, Format, Item, Links, Migrate, Validate};
 use stac_api::{GetItems, GetSearch, Search};
 use stac_server::Backend;