diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index d551fd50..e1362f9d 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -88,6 +88,30 @@ The way to write stories as idiomatic Vue templates is heavily inspired by the g
 
    ```
 
+## Metadata
+
+The metadata for your stories is defined in the `<Stories>` component. Alternatively, you can use the `defineMeta` function in the `<script setup>` block of your story.
+In this case, you don't need to wrap your stories in a `<Stories>` component.
+
+  ```vue
+  <script setup lang="ts">
+  import Button from './Button.vue'
+
+  defineMeta({
+    title: 'Button',
+    component: Button,
+  })
+  </script>
+  <template>
+    <Story title="Primary">
+      <Button
+        background="#ff0"
+        label="Button"
+      />
+    </Story>
+  </template>
+  ```
+
 ## Adding documentation
 
 You can add documentation for your components directly in your story SFC using the custom `docs` block.
diff --git a/examples/vite/src/writing-stories/1.default-export-defineMeta.stories.vue b/examples/vite/src/writing-stories/1.default-export-defineMeta.stories.vue
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7253234f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/vite/src/writing-stories/1.default-export-defineMeta.stories.vue
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+<script setup lang="ts">
+import Button from '../components/Button.vue'
+
+defineMeta({
+  component: Button,
+  // 👇 The title is optional.
+  // See https://storybook.js.org/docs/vue/configure/overview#configure-story-loading
+  // to learn how to generate automatic titles
+  title: 'docs/1. Default export/native-defineMeta',
+})
+</script>
+<template>
+ <!--Define your stories here-->
+</template>
diff --git a/examples/vite/src/writing-stories/1.default-export.stories.vue b/examples/vite/src/writing-stories/1.default-export.stories.vue
index b20f423e..c11e5ae9 100644
--- a/examples/vite/src/writing-stories/1.default-export.stories.vue
+++ b/examples/vite/src/writing-stories/1.default-export.stories.vue
@@ -11,5 +11,6 @@ import Button from '../components/Button.vue'
     title="docs/1. Default export/native"
     :component="Button"
   >
+    <!--Define your stories here-->
   </Stories>
 </template>
diff --git a/src/core/parser.ts b/src/core/parser.ts
index ed74a596..d1e5077a 100644
--- a/src/core/parser.ts
+++ b/src/core/parser.ts
@@ -1,12 +1,38 @@
 import type { ElementNode, NodeTypes as _NodeTypes } from '@vue/compiler-core'
-import type { SFCDescriptor } from 'vue/compiler-sfc'
+import { TS_NODE_TYPES } from '@vue/compiler-dom'
+import type { SFCDescriptor, SFCScriptBlock } from 'vue/compiler-sfc'
 import {
+  MagicString,
   compileScript,
   compileTemplate,
   parse as parseSFC,
 } from 'vue/compiler-sfc'
 
+import { CallExpression, Node } from '@babel/types'
+
 import { sanitize } from '@storybook/csf'
+// Taken from https://github.com/vuejs/core/blob/2857a59e61c9955e15553180e7480aa40714151c/packages/compiler-sfc/src/script/utils.ts#L35-L42
+export function unwrapTSNode(node: Node): Node {
+  if (TS_NODE_TYPES.includes(node.type)) {
+    return unwrapTSNode((node as any).expression)
+  } else {
+    return node
+  }
+}
+export function isCallOf(
+  node: Node | null | undefined,
+  test: string | ((id: string) => boolean) | null | undefined,
+): node is CallExpression {
+  return !!(
+    node &&
+    test &&
+    node.type === 'CallExpression' &&
+    node.callee.type === 'Identifier' &&
+    (typeof test === 'string'
+      ? node.callee.name === test
+      : test(node.callee.name))
+  )
+}
 
 // import { NodeTypes } from '@vue/compiler-core'
 // Doesn't work, for some reason, maybe https://github.com/vuejs/core/issues/1228
@@ -33,7 +59,18 @@ export function parse(code: string) {
   if (descriptor.template === null) throw new Error('No template found in SFC')
 
   const resolvedScript = resolveScript(descriptor)
-  const { meta, stories } = parseTemplate(descriptor.template.content)
+  const parsedTemplate = parseTemplate(descriptor.template.content)
+  let { meta } = parsedTemplate
+  const { stories } = parsedTemplate
+  if (resolvedScript) {
+    const { meta: scriptMeta } = parseScript(resolvedScript)
+    if (meta && scriptMeta) {
+      throw new Error('Cannot define meta by both <Stories> and defineMeta')
+    }
+    if (scriptMeta) {
+      meta = scriptMeta
+    }
+  }
   const docsBlock = descriptor.customBlocks?.find(
     (block) => block.type === 'docs',
   )
@@ -47,7 +84,7 @@ export function parse(code: string) {
 }
 
 function parseTemplate(content: string): {
-  meta: ParsedMeta
+  meta?: ParsedMeta
   stories: ParsedStory[]
 } {
   const template = compileTemplate({
@@ -61,22 +98,31 @@ function parseTemplate(content: string): {
 
   const roots =
     template.ast?.children.filter((node) => node.type === ELEMENT) ?? []
-  if (roots.length !== 1) {
-    throw new Error('Expected exactly one <Stories> element as root.')
+  if (roots.length === 0) {
+    throw new Error(
+      'No root element found in template, must be <Stories> or <Story>',
+    )
   }
 
   const root = roots[0]
-  if (root.type !== ELEMENT || root.tag !== 'Stories')
-    throw new Error('Expected root to be a <Stories> element.')
-  const meta = {
-    title: extractTitle(root),
-    component: extractComponent(root),
-    tags: [],
+  let meta
+  let storyNodes = roots
+  if (root.type === ELEMENT && root.tag === 'Stories') {
+    meta = {
+      title: extractTitle(root),
+      component: extractComponent(root),
+      tags: [],
+    }
+    storyNodes = root.children ?? []
   }
 
   const stories: ParsedStory[] = []
-  for (const story of root.children ?? []) {
-    if (story.type !== ELEMENT || story.tag !== 'Story') continue
+  for (const story of storyNodes ?? []) {
+    if (story.type !== ELEMENT || story.tag !== 'Story') {
+      throw new Error(
+        'Only <Story> elements are allowed as children of <Stories> or as root element',
+      )
+    }
 
     const title = extractTitle(story)
     if (!title) throw new Error('Story is missing a title')
@@ -142,3 +188,77 @@ function extractProp(node: ElementNode, name: string) {
     )
   }
 }
+
+interface ScriptCompileContext {
+  hasDefineMetaCall: boolean
+  meta?: ParsedMeta
+}
+function parseScript(resolvedScript: SFCScriptBlock): { meta?: ParsedMeta } {
+  if (!resolvedScript.scriptSetupAst) {
+    return { meta: undefined }
+  }
+  const ctx: ScriptCompileContext = {
+    hasDefineMetaCall: false,
+  }
+  const content = new MagicString(resolvedScript.content)
+  for (const node of resolvedScript.scriptSetupAst) {
+    if (node.type === 'ExpressionStatement') {
+      const expr = unwrapTSNode(node.expression)
+      // process `defineMeta` calls
+      if (processDefineMeta(ctx, expr)) {
+        // The ast is sadly out of sync with the content, so we have to find the meta call in the content
+        const startOffset = content.original.indexOf('defineMeta')
+        content.remove(startOffset, node.end! - node.start! + startOffset)
+      }
+    }
+  }
+  resolvedScript.content = content.toString()
+  return ctx.meta ? { meta: ctx.meta } : {}
+}
+
+// Similar to https://github.com/vuejs/core/blob/2857a59e61c9955e15553180e7480aa40714151c/packages/compiler-sfc/src/script/defineEmits.ts
+function processDefineMeta(ctx: ScriptCompileContext, node: Node) {
+  const defineMetaName = 'defineMeta'
+  if (!isCallOf(node, defineMetaName)) {
+    return false
+  }
+  if (ctx.hasDefineMetaCall) {
+    throw new Error(`duplicate ${defineMetaName}() call at ${node.start}`)
+  }
+  ctx.hasDefineMetaCall = true
+  const metaDecl = unwrapTSNode(node.arguments[0])
+  const meta: ParsedMeta = {
+    tags: [],
+  }
+  if (metaDecl.type === 'ObjectExpression') {
+    for (const prop of metaDecl.properties) {
+      if (prop.type === 'ObjectProperty') {
+        const key = unwrapTSNode(prop.key)
+        const valueNode = unwrapTSNode(prop.value)
+        if (key.type === 'Identifier') {
+          const value =
+            valueNode.type === 'StringLiteral'
+              ? valueNode.value
+              : valueNode.type === 'Identifier'
+              ? valueNode.name
+              : undefined
+          if (!value) {
+            throw new Error(
+              `defineMeta() ${key.name} must be a string literal or identifier`,
+            )
+          }
+          if (key.name === 'title') {
+            meta.title = value
+          } else if (key.name === 'component') {
+            meta.component = value
+          } else if (key.name === 'tags') {
+            meta.tags = value.split(',').map((tag) => tag.trim())
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    }
+  }
+  ctx.meta = meta
+
+  return true
+}
diff --git a/src/core/transform.ts b/src/core/transform.ts
index 8da7e0ad..b0d1d891 100644
--- a/src/core/transform.ts
+++ b/src/core/transform.ts
@@ -86,8 +86,8 @@ async function transformTemplate(
     meta,
     stories,
     docs,
-  }: { meta: ParsedMeta; stories: ParsedStory[]; docs?: string },
-  resolvedScript?: SFCScriptBlock,
+  }: { meta?: ParsedMeta; stories: ParsedStory[]; docs?: string },
+  resolvedScript?: SFCScriptBlock
 ) {
   let result = generateDefaultImport(meta, docs)
   for (const story of stories) {
@@ -101,13 +101,10 @@ async function transformTemplate(
   return result
 }
 
-function generateDefaultImport(
-  { title, component }: ParsedMeta,
-  docs?: string,
-) {
+function generateDefaultImport(meta?: ParsedMeta, docs?: string) {
   return `export default {
-    ${title ? `title: '${title}',` : ''}
-    ${component ? `component: ${component},` : ''}
+    ${meta?.title ? `title: '${meta.title}',` : ''}
+    ${meta?.component ? `component: ${meta.component},` : ''}
     //decorators: [ ... ],
     parameters: {
       ${docs ? `docs: { page: MDXContent },` : ''}
@@ -118,7 +115,7 @@ function generateDefaultImport(
 
 function generateStoryImport(
   { id, title, play, template }: ParsedStory,
-  resolvedScript?: SFCScriptBlock,
+  resolvedScript?: SFCScriptBlock
 ) {
   const { code } = compileTemplate({
     source: template.trim(),
@@ -137,7 +134,7 @@ function generateStoryImport(
 
   const renderFunction = code.replace(
     'export function render',
-    `function render${id}`,
+    `function render${id}`
   )
 
   // Each named export is a story, has to return a Vue ComponentOptionsBase
diff --git a/test/index.test.ts b/test/index.test.ts
index d9f92a21..205a54b7 100644
--- a/test/index.test.ts
+++ b/test/index.test.ts
@@ -26,6 +26,30 @@ describe('transform', () => {
       "
     `)
   })
+  it('handles a simple story without Stories container', async () => {
+    const code =
+      '<template><Story title="Primary">hello</Story></template>'
+    const result = await transform(code)
+    expect(result).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`
+      "const _sfc_main = {};
+      export default {
+        //decorators: [ ... ],
+        parameters: {},
+      };
+
+      function renderPrimary(_ctx, _cache) {
+        return \\"hello\\";
+      }
+      export const Primary = () =>
+        Object.assign({ render: renderPrimary }, _sfc_main);
+      Primary.storyName = \\"Primary\\";
+
+      Primary.parameters = {
+        docs: { source: { code: \`hello\` } },
+      };
+      "
+    `)
+  })
   it('extracts title from Stories', async () => {
     const code =
       '<template><Stories title="test"><Story title="Primary">hello</Story></Stories></template>'
@@ -52,6 +76,43 @@ describe('transform', () => {
       "
     `)
   })
+  it('extracts title from defineMeta', async () => {
+    const code =
+      '<script setup>defineMeta({ title: "test" })</script><template><Story title="Primary">hello</Story></template>'
+    const result = await transform(code)
+    expect(result).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`
+      "const _sfc_main = {
+        setup(__props, { expose: __expose }) {
+          __expose();
+
+          const __returned__ = {};
+          Object.defineProperty(__returned__, \\"__isScriptSetup\\", {
+            enumerable: false,
+            value: true,
+          });
+          return __returned__;
+        },
+      };
+      export default {
+        title: \\"test\\",
+
+        //decorators: [ ... ],
+        parameters: {},
+      };
+
+      function renderPrimary(_ctx, _cache, $props, $setup, $data, $options) {
+        return \\"hello\\";
+      }
+      export const Primary = () =>
+        Object.assign({ render: renderPrimary }, _sfc_main);
+      Primary.storyName = \\"Primary\\";
+
+      Primary.parameters = {
+        docs: { source: { code: \`hello\` } },
+      };
+      "
+    `)
+  })
   it('throws error if story does not have a title', async () => {
     const code = '<template><Stories><Story>hello</Story></Stories></template>'
     await expect(() =>
@@ -84,6 +145,42 @@ describe('transform', () => {
       "
     `)
   })
+  it('extracts component from defineMeta', async () => {
+    const code =
+      '<script setup>const MyComponent = {}; defineMeta({component: MyComponent})</script><template><Story title="Primary">hello</Story></template>'
+    const result = await transform(code)
+    expect(result).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`
+      "const _sfc_main = {
+        setup(__props, { expose: __expose }) {
+          __expose();
+          const MyComponent = {};
+          const __returned__ = { MyComponent };
+          Object.defineProperty(__returned__, \\"__isScriptSetup\\", {
+            enumerable: false,
+            value: true,
+          });
+          return __returned__;
+        },
+      };
+      export default {
+        component: MyComponent,
+        //decorators: [ ... ],
+        parameters: {},
+      };
+
+      function renderPrimary(_ctx, _cache, $props, $setup, $data, $options) {
+        return \\"hello\\";
+      }
+      export const Primary = () =>
+        Object.assign({ render: renderPrimary }, _sfc_main);
+      Primary.storyName = \\"Primary\\";
+
+      Primary.parameters = {
+        docs: { source: { code: \`hello\` } },
+      };
+      "
+    `)
+  })
   it('handles title with spaces', async () => {
     const code =
       '<template><Stories><Story title="Primary story">hello</Story></Stories></template>'