diff --git a/src/script/lua_api/l_metadata.h b/src/script/lua_api/l_metadata.h
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 /*
 Minetest
-Copyright (C) 2013 celeron55, Perttu Ahola <celeron55@gmail.com>
+Copyright (C) 2013-8 celeron55, Perttu Ahola <celeron55@gmail.com>
+Copyright (C) 2017-8 rubenwardy <rw@rubenwardy.com>
 
 This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
 it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by

diff --git a/src/script/lua_api/l_object.cpp b/src/script/lua_api/l_object.cpp
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc.,
 #include "lua_api/l_internal.h"
 #include "lua_api/l_inventory.h"
 #include "lua_api/l_item.h"
+#include "lua_api/l_playermeta.h"
 #include "common/c_converter.h"
 #include "common/c_content.h"
 #include "log.h"
@@ -1218,16 +1219,15 @@ int ObjectRef::l_set_attribute(lua_State *L)
 {
 	ObjectRef *ref = checkobject(L, 1);
 	PlayerSAO* co = getplayersao(ref);
-	if (co == NULL) {
+	if (co == NULL)
 		return 0;
-	}
 
 	std::string attr = luaL_checkstring(L, 2);
 	if (lua_isnil(L, 3)) {
-		co->removeExtendedAttribute(attr);
+		co->getMeta().removeString(attr);
 	} else {
 		std::string value = luaL_checkstring(L, 3);
-		co->setExtendedAttribute(attr, value);
+		co->getMeta().setString(attr, value);
 	}
 	return 1;
 }
@@ -1237,14 +1237,13 @@ int ObjectRef::l_get_attribute(lua_State *L)
 {
 	ObjectRef *ref = checkobject(L, 1);
 	PlayerSAO* co = getplayersao(ref);
-	if (co == NULL) {
+	if (co == NULL)
 		return 0;
-	}
 
 	std::string attr = luaL_checkstring(L, 2);
 
 	std::string value;
-	if (co->getExtendedAttribute(attr, &value)) {
+	if (co->getMeta().getStringToRef(attr, value)) {
 		lua_pushstring(L, value.c_str());
 		return 1;
 	}
@@ -1253,6 +1252,19 @@ int ObjectRef::l_get_attribute(lua_State *L)
 }
 
 
+// get_meta(self, attribute)
+int ObjectRef::l_get_meta(lua_State *L)
+{
+	ObjectRef *ref = checkobject(L, 1);
+	PlayerSAO *co = getplayersao(ref);
+	if (co == NULL)
+		return 0;
+
+	PlayerMetaRef::create(L, &co->getMeta());
+	return 1;
+}
+
+
 // set_inventory_formspec(self, formspec)
 int ObjectRef::l_set_inventory_formspec(lua_State *L)
 {
@@ -1884,6 +1896,7 @@ const luaL_Reg ObjectRef::methods[] = {
 	luamethod(ObjectRef, set_breath),
 	luamethod(ObjectRef, get_attribute),
 	luamethod(ObjectRef, set_attribute),
+	luamethod(ObjectRef, get_meta),
 	luamethod(ObjectRef, set_inventory_formspec),
 	luamethod(ObjectRef, get_inventory_formspec),
 	luamethod(ObjectRef, set_formspec_prepend),

diff --git a/src/script/lua_api/l_object.h b/src/script/lua_api/l_object.h
@@ -250,6 +250,9 @@ class ObjectRef : public ModApiBase {
 	// get_attribute(self, attribute)
 	static int l_get_attribute(lua_State *L);
 
+	// get_meta(self)
+	static int l_get_meta(lua_State *L);
+
 	// set_inventory_formspec(self, formspec)
 	static int l_set_inventory_formspec(lua_State *L);
 

diff --git a/src/script/lua_api/l_playermeta.cpp b/src/script/lua_api/l_playermeta.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,121 @@
+/*
+Minetest
+Copyright (C) 2013 celeron55, Perttu Ahola <celeron55@gmail.com>
+Copyright (C) 2017-8 rubenwardy <rw@rubenwardy.com>
+
+This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by
+the Free Software Foundation; either version 2.1 of the License, or
+(at your option) any later version.
+
+This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+GNU Lesser General Public License for more details.
+
+You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License along
+with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc.,
+51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA.
+*/
+
+#include "lua_api/l_playermeta.h"
+#include "lua_api/l_internal.h"
+#include "common/c_content.h"
+
+/*
+	PlayerMetaRef
+*/
+PlayerMetaRef *PlayerMetaRef::checkobject(lua_State *L, int narg)
+{
+	luaL_checktype(L, narg, LUA_TUSERDATA);
+	void *ud = luaL_checkudata(L, narg, className);
+	if (!ud)
+		luaL_typerror(L, narg, className);
+
+	return *(PlayerMetaRef **)ud; // unbox pointer
+}
+
+Metadata *PlayerMetaRef::getmeta(bool auto_create)
+{
+	return metadata;
+}
+
+void PlayerMetaRef::clearMeta()
+{
+	metadata->clear();
+}
+
+void PlayerMetaRef::reportMetadataChange()
+{
+	// TODO
+}
+
+// garbage collector
+int PlayerMetaRef::gc_object(lua_State *L)
+{
+	PlayerMetaRef *o = *(PlayerMetaRef **)(lua_touserdata(L, 1));
+	delete o;
+	return 0;
+}
+
+// Creates an PlayerMetaRef and leaves it on top of stack
+// Not callable from Lua; all references are created on the C side.
+void PlayerMetaRef::create(lua_State *L, Metadata *metadata)
+{
+	PlayerMetaRef *o = new PlayerMetaRef(metadata);
+	*(void **)(lua_newuserdata(L, sizeof(void *))) = o;
+	luaL_getmetatable(L, className);
+	lua_setmetatable(L, -2);
+}
+
+void PlayerMetaRef::Register(lua_State *L)
+{
+	lua_newtable(L);
+	int methodtable = lua_gettop(L);
+	luaL_newmetatable(L, className);
+	int metatable = lua_gettop(L);
+
+	lua_pushliteral(L, "__metatable");
+	lua_pushvalue(L, methodtable);
+	lua_settable(L, metatable); // hide metatable from Lua getmetatable()
+
+	lua_pushliteral(L, "metadata_class");
+	lua_pushlstring(L, className, strlen(className));
+	lua_settable(L, metatable);
+
+	lua_pushliteral(L, "__index");
+	lua_pushvalue(L, methodtable);
+	lua_settable(L, metatable);
+
+	lua_pushliteral(L, "__gc");
+	lua_pushcfunction(L, gc_object);
+	lua_settable(L, metatable);
+
+	lua_pushliteral(L, "__eq");
+	lua_pushcfunction(L, l_equals);
+	lua_settable(L, metatable);
+
+	lua_pop(L, 1); // drop metatable
+
+	luaL_openlib(L, 0, methods, 0);
+	lua_pop(L, 1);
+
+	// Cannot be created from Lua
+	// lua_register(L, className, create_object);
+}
+
+// clang-format off
+const char PlayerMetaRef::className[] = "PlayerMetaRef";
+const luaL_Reg PlayerMetaRef::methods[] = {
+	luamethod(MetaDataRef, get_string),
+	luamethod(MetaDataRef, set_string),
+	luamethod(MetaDataRef, get_int),
+	luamethod(MetaDataRef, set_int),
+	luamethod(MetaDataRef, get_float),
+	luamethod(MetaDataRef, set_float),
+	luamethod(MetaDataRef, to_table),
+	luamethod(MetaDataRef, from_table),
+	luamethod(MetaDataRef, equals),
+	{0,0}
+};
+// clang-format on
diff --git a/src/script/lua_api/l_playermeta.h b/src/script/lua_api/l_playermeta.h
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+/*
+Minetest
+Copyright (C) 2013 celeron55, Perttu Ahola <celeron55@gmail.com>
+Copyright (C) 2017-8 rubenwardy <rw@rubenwardy.com>
+
+This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by
+the Free Software Foundation; either version 2.1 of the License, or
+(at your option) any later version.
+
+This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+GNU Lesser General Public License for more details.
+
+You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License along
+with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc.,
+51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA.
+*/
+
+#pragma once
+
+#include "lua_api/l_base.h"
+#include "lua_api/l_metadata.h"
+#include "irrlichttypes_bloated.h"
+#include "inventory.h"
+#include "metadata.h"
+
+class PlayerMetaRef : public MetaDataRef
+{
+private:
+	Metadata *metadata = nullptr;
+
+	static const char className[];
+	static const luaL_Reg methods[];
+
+	static PlayerMetaRef *checkobject(lua_State *L, int narg);
+
+	virtual Metadata *getmeta(bool auto_create);
+
+	virtual void clearMeta();
+
+	virtual void reportMetadataChange();
+
+	// garbage collector
+	static int gc_object(lua_State *L);
+
+public:
+	PlayerMetaRef(Metadata *metadata) : metadata(metadata) {}
+	~PlayerMetaRef() = default;
+
+	// Creates an ItemStackMetaRef and leaves it on top of stack
+	// Not callable from Lua; all references are created on the C side.
+	static void create(lua_State *L, Metadata *metadata);
+
+	static void Register(lua_State *L);
+};
diff --git a/src/script/scripting_server.cpp b/src/script/scripting_server.cpp
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc.,
 #include "lua_api/l_nodetimer.h"
 #include "lua_api/l_noise.h"
 #include "lua_api/l_object.h"
+#include "lua_api/l_playermeta.h"
 #include "lua_api/l_particles.h"
 #include "lua_api/l_rollback.h"
 #include "lua_api/l_server.h"
@@ -99,6 +100,7 @@ void ServerScripting::InitializeModApi(lua_State *L, int top)
 	NodeMetaRef::Register(L);
 	NodeTimerRef::Register(L);
 	ObjectRef::Register(L);
+	PlayerMetaRef::Register(L);
 	LuaSettings::Register(L);
 	StorageRef::Register(L);
 	ModChannelRef::Register(L);

diff --git a/src/serverenvironment.cpp b/src/serverenvironment.cpp
@@ -535,7 +535,7 @@ void ServerEnvironment::saveLoadedPlayers()
 
 	for (RemotePlayer *player : m_players) {
 		if (player->checkModified() || (player->getPlayerSAO() &&
-				player->getPlayerSAO()->extendedAttributesModified())) {
+				player->getPlayerSAO()->getMeta().isModified())) {
 			try {
 				m_player_database->savePlayer(player);
 			} catch (DatabaseException &e) {