diff --git a/irc/client.go b/irc/client.go
index 16837dec..d90789ea 100644
--- a/irc/client.go
+++ b/irc/client.go
@@ -828,7 +828,7 @@ func (client *Client) applyPreregMetadata(session *Session) {
 
 	target := client.Nick()
 	for k, v := range updates {
-		broadcastMetadataUpdate(client.server, maps.Keys(friends), session, target, k, v)
+		broadcastMetadataUpdate(client.server, maps.Keys(friends), session, target, k, v, true)
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/irc/handlers.go b/irc/handlers.go
index 878d5eb5..0440bf27 100644
--- a/irc/handlers.go
+++ b/irc/handlers.go
@@ -3195,11 +3195,11 @@ func metadataRegisteredHandler(client *Client, config *Config, subcommand string
 			// echo the value to the client whether or not there was a real update
 			rb.Add(nil, server.name, RPL_KEYVALUE, client.Nick(), target, key, "*", value)
 			if updated {
-				notifySubscribers(server, rb.session, targetObj, target, key, value)
+				notifySubscribers(server, rb.session, targetObj, target, key, value, true)
 			}
 		} else {
 			if updated := targetObj.DeleteMetadata(key); updated {
-				notifySubscribers(server, rb.session, targetObj, target, key, "")
+				notifySubscribers(server, rb.session, targetObj, target, key, "", false)
 			}
 			// acknowledge to the client whether or not there was a real update
 			rb.Add(nil, server.name, RPL_KEYNOTSET, client.Nick(), target, key, client.t("Key deleted"))
diff --git a/irc/metadata.go b/irc/metadata.go
index 762d6a99..b5e9a5a2 100644
--- a/irc/metadata.go
+++ b/irc/metadata.go
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ type MetadataHaver = interface {
 	CountMetadata() int
 }
 
-func notifySubscribers(server *Server, session *Session, targetObj MetadataHaver, targetName, key, value string) {
+func notifySubscribers(server *Server, session *Session, targetObj MetadataHaver, targetName, key, value string, set bool) {
 	var recipientSessions iter.Seq[*Session]
 
 	switch target := targetObj.(type) {
@@ -48,17 +48,17 @@ func notifySubscribers(server *Server, session *Session, targetObj MetadataHaver
 		return // impossible
 	}
 
-	broadcastMetadataUpdate(server, recipientSessions, session, targetName, key, value)
+	broadcastMetadataUpdate(server, recipientSessions, session, targetName, key, value, set)
 }
 
-func broadcastMetadataUpdate(server *Server, sessions iter.Seq[*Session], originator *Session, target, key, value string) {
+func broadcastMetadataUpdate(server *Server, sessions iter.Seq[*Session], originator *Session, target, key, value string, set bool) {
 	for s := range sessions {
 		// don't notify the session that made the change
 		if s == originator || !s.isSubscribedTo(key) {
 			continue
 		}
 
-		if value != "" {
+		if set {
 			s.Send(nil, server.name, "METADATA", target, key, "*", value)
 		} else {
 			s.Send(nil, server.name, "METADATA", target, key, "*")