ExtUtils::MakeMaker::CPANfile loads cpanfile in your distribution and modifies parameters for WriteMakefile in your Makefile.PL. Just use it instead of ExtUtils::MakeMaker (which should be loaded internally), and prepare cpanfile. As of version 0.03, ExtUtils::MakeMaker::CPANfile also removes WriteMakefile parameters that the installed version of ExtUtils::MakeMaker doesn't know, to avoid warnings. WWW: http://search.cpan.org/dist/ExtUtils-MakeMaker-CPANfile/