diff --git a/src/Assets/Asset.php b/src/Assets/Asset.php
index 63bfb36d..1cadb11b 100644
--- a/src/Assets/Asset.php
+++ b/src/Assets/Asset.php
@@ -65,6 +65,12 @@ public function meta($key = null)
             return $meta;
         }
 
+        // this handles asset::make() without save()
+        // e.g. when checking a file exists already when uploading
+        if (! $this->disk()->exists($this->path())) {
+            return ['data' => []];
+        }
+
         return Blink::once($this->metaCacheKey(), function () {
             if ($model = app('statamic.eloquent.assets.model')::where([
                 'container' => $this->containerHandle(),
@@ -101,7 +107,7 @@ public function metaExists()
                     'container' => $this->containerHandle(),
                     'folder' => $this->folder(),
                     'basename' => $this->basename(),
-                ])->count() > 0;
+                ])->exists();
         });
     }
 
diff --git a/src/Assets/AssetContainerContents.php b/src/Assets/AssetContainerContents.php
index 24191f79..7fe075e4 100644
--- a/src/Assets/AssetContainerContents.php
+++ b/src/Assets/AssetContainerContents.php
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ public function add($path)
             $this->add($dir);
         }
 
-        $this->folders->push(['path' => $path]);
+        $this->folders->push(['path' => $path, 'type' => 'dir']);
 
         return $this;
     }
diff --git a/tests/Assets/AssetTest.php b/tests/Assets/AssetTest.php
index 232a942b..58ecb9b7 100644
--- a/tests/Assets/AssetTest.php
+++ b/tests/Assets/AssetTest.php
@@ -54,4 +54,21 @@ public function saving_an_asset_clears_the_eloquent_blink_cache()
 
         $this->assertFalse(Facades\Blink::has("eloquent-asset-{$asset->id()}"));
     }
+
+    #[Test]
+    public function making_an_asset_without_saving_doesnt_make_a_meta_exists_blink_cache_entry()
+    {
+        Facades\Blink::flush();
+
+        $this->assertCount(0, Facades\Blink::allStartingWith('eloquent-asset-meta-exists-'));
+
+        Storage::disk('test')->put('test.jpg', '');
+        $asset = Facades\Asset::make()->container('test')->path('test.jpg');
+
+        $this->assertCount(0, Facades\Blink::allStartingWith('eloquent-asset-meta-exists-'));
+
+        $asset->save();
+
+        $this->assertCount(1, Facades\Blink::allStartingWith('eloquent-asset-meta-exists-'));
+    }
 }