diff --git a/.Rbuildignore b/.Rbuildignore
index 485da9a..306bfa8 100644
--- a/.Rbuildignore
+++ b/.Rbuildignore
@@ -13,3 +13,4 @@
 ^docs$
 ^pkgdown$
 ^CRAN-SUBMISSION$
+^LICENSE\.md$
diff --git a/DESCRIPTION b/DESCRIPTION
index 41f2d7e..64e13ff 100644
--- a/DESCRIPTION
+++ b/DESCRIPTION
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ Authors@R: c(
 Description: Simulates the process of installing a package and then
     attaching it. This is a key part of the 'devtools' package as it
     allows you to rapidly iterate while developing a package.
-License: GPL-3
+License: MIT + file LICENSE
 URL: https://github.com/r-lib/pkgload, https://pkgload.r-lib.org
 BugReports: https://github.com/r-lib/pkgload/issues
 Depends:
diff --git a/LICENSE b/LICENSE
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..eefc577
--- /dev/null
+++ b/LICENSE
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+YEAR: 2024
+COPYRIGHT HOLDER: pkgload authors
diff --git a/LICENSE.md b/LICENSE.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..463d8ec
--- /dev/null
+++ b/LICENSE.md
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+# MIT License
+
+Copyright (c) 2024 pkgload authors
+
+Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
+of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
+in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
+to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
+copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
+furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
+
+The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
+copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+
+THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
+IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
+FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
+AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
+LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
+OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
+SOFTWARE.