diff --git a/tiledb/sm/serialization/group.cc b/tiledb/sm/serialization/group.cc
index de861167727..2615b822411 100644
--- a/tiledb/sm/serialization/group.cc
+++ b/tiledb/sm/serialization/group.cc
@@ -70,7 +70,8 @@ Status group_metadata_to_capnp(
   auto config_builder = group_metadata_builder->initConfig();
   RETURN_NOT_OK(config_to_capnp(group->config(), &config_builder));
 
-  auto metadata = group->metadata();
+  Metadata* metadata = load ? group->metadata() : group->unsafe_metadata();
+
   if (metadata->num()) {
     auto metadata_builder = group_metadata_builder->initMetadata();
     RETURN_NOT_OK(metadata_to_capnp(metadata, &metadata_builder));