diff --git a/include/libcamera/internal/pipeline_handler.h b/include/libcamera/internal/pipeline_handler.h
index 10206945d..60811ce33 100644
--- a/include/libcamera/internal/pipeline_handler.h
+++ b/include/libcamera/internal/pipeline_handler.h
@@ -71,11 +71,11 @@ public:
 	{
 		Request::Private *d = request->_d();
 
-		auto &m = d->metadata2();
+		auto &m = d->metadata();
 		const auto c = m.checkpoint();
 
 		std::ignore = m.set(ctrl, value);
-		d->metadata().set(ctrl, value);
+		d->metadata2().set(ctrl, value);
 
 		const auto diff = c.diffSince();
 		if (diff)
@@ -90,8 +90,8 @@ public:
 		void operator()(const Control<T> &ctrl,
 			        const internal::cxx20::type_identity_t<T> &value) const
 		{
-			d->metadata().set(ctrl, value);
-			std::ignore = d->metadata2().set(ctrl, value);
+			std::ignore = d->metadata().set(ctrl, value);
+			d->metadata2().set(ctrl, value);
 		}
 	};
 
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ public:
 	void metadataAvailable(Request *request, Func func)
 	{
 		Request::Private *d = request->_d();
-		const auto c = d->metadata2().checkpoint();
+		const auto c = d->metadata().checkpoint();
 
 		std::invoke(func, MetadataSetter{ d });
 
diff --git a/include/libcamera/internal/request.h b/include/libcamera/internal/request.h
index 3e10ae051..bd03f4e40 100644
--- a/include/libcamera/internal/request.h
+++ b/include/libcamera/internal/request.h
@@ -37,9 +37,9 @@ public:
 	Camera *camera() const { return camera_; }
 	bool hasPendingBuffers() const;
 
-	ControlList &metadata() { return metadata_; }
+	[[nodiscard]] MetadataList &metadata() { return metadata_; }
 #ifndef __DOXYGEN__
-	[[nodiscard]] MetadataList &metadata2() { return metadata2_; }
+	ControlList &metadata2() { return metadata2_; }
 #endif
 
 	bool completeBuffer(FrameBuffer *buffer);
@@ -67,8 +67,8 @@ private:
 	std::unordered_set<FrameBuffer *> pending_;
 	std::map<FrameBuffer *, EventNotifier> notifiers_;
 	std::unique_ptr<Timer> timer_;
-	ControlList metadata_;
-	MetadataList metadata2_;
+	MetadataList metadata_;
+	ControlList metadata2_;
 };
 
 } /* namespace libcamera */
diff --git a/include/libcamera/request.h b/include/libcamera/request.h
index 96755a655..fb7d1e55c 100644
--- a/include/libcamera/request.h
+++ b/include/libcamera/request.h
@@ -51,9 +51,9 @@ public:
 	void reuse(ReuseFlag flags = Default);
 
 	ControlList &controls() { return controls_; }
-	const ControlList &metadata() const;
+	[[nodiscard]] const MetadataList &metadata() const;
 #ifndef __DOXYGEN__
-	[[nodiscard]] const MetadataList &metadata2() const;
+	const ControlList &metadata2() const;
 #endif
 
 	const BufferMap &buffers() const { return bufferMap_; }
diff --git a/src/android/camera_device.cpp b/src/android/camera_device.cpp
index 80ff248c2..fa0cf1d23 100644
--- a/src/android/camera_device.cpp
+++ b/src/android/camera_device.cpp
@@ -1423,7 +1423,7 @@ void CameraDevice::notifyError(uint32_t frameNumber, camera3_stream_t *stream,
 std::unique_ptr<CameraMetadata>
 CameraDevice::getResultMetadata(const Camera3RequestDescriptor &descriptor) const
 {
-	const ControlList &metadata = descriptor.request_->metadata();
+	const MetadataList &metadata = descriptor.request_->metadata();
 	const CameraMetadata &settings = descriptor.settings_;
 	camera_metadata_ro_entry_t entry;
 	bool found;
diff --git a/src/apps/cam/camera_session.cpp b/src/apps/cam/camera_session.cpp
index ba43220d1..e930c75ee 100644
--- a/src/apps/cam/camera_session.cpp
+++ b/src/apps/cam/camera_session.cpp
@@ -547,19 +547,18 @@ void CameraSession::processRequest(Request *request)
 	std::cout << info.str() << std::endl;
 
 	if (printMetadata_) {
-		const ControlList &requestMetadata = request->metadata();
+		const MetadataList &requestMetadata = request->metadata();
 		std::cout << "Metadata (" << requestMetadata.size() << " entries):\n";
 		for (const auto &[key, value] : requestMetadata) {
 			const ControlId *id = controls::controls.at(key);
-			std::cout << "\t" << id->name() << " = "
-				  << value.toString() << std::endl;
+			std::cout << '\t' << id->name() << " = " << value << std::endl;
 		}
 
 		const auto &requestMetadata2 = request->metadata2();
 		std::cout << "Metadata2 (" << requestMetadata2.size() << " entries):\n";
 		for (const auto &[key, value] : requestMetadata2) {
 			const ControlId *id = controls::controls.at(key);
-			std::cout << '\t' << id->name() << " = " << value << std::endl;
+			std::cout << '\t' << id->name() << " = " << value.toString() << std::endl;
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/apps/cam/file_sink.cpp b/src/apps/cam/file_sink.cpp
index 65794a2f9..7149d782c 100644
--- a/src/apps/cam/file_sink.cpp
+++ b/src/apps/cam/file_sink.cpp
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ bool FileSink::processRequest(Request *request)
 }
 
 void FileSink::writeBuffer(const Stream *stream, FrameBuffer *buffer,
-			   [[maybe_unused]] const ControlList &metadata)
+			   [[maybe_unused]] const MetadataList &metadata)
 {
 	std::string filename = pattern_;
 	size_t pos;
diff --git a/src/apps/cam/file_sink.h b/src/apps/cam/file_sink.h
index 26cd61b36..1f973f2e6 100644
--- a/src/apps/cam/file_sink.h
+++ b/src/apps/cam/file_sink.h
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 #include <memory>
 #include <string>
 
-#include <libcamera/controls.h>
+#include <libcamera/metadata_list.h>
 #include <libcamera/stream.h>
 
 #include "frame_sink.h"
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ private:
 
 	void writeBuffer(const libcamera::Stream *stream,
 			 libcamera::FrameBuffer *buffer,
-			 const libcamera::ControlList &metadata);
+			 const libcamera::MetadataList &metadata);
 
 #ifdef HAVE_TIFF
 	const libcamera::Camera *camera_;
diff --git a/src/apps/common/dng_writer.cpp b/src/apps/common/dng_writer.cpp
index 8d57023e1..431979564 100644
--- a/src/apps/common/dng_writer.cpp
+++ b/src/apps/common/dng_writer.cpp
@@ -521,7 +521,7 @@ const std::map<PixelFormat, FormatInfo> formatInfo = {
 
 int DNGWriter::write(const char *filename, const Camera *camera,
 		     const StreamConfiguration &config,
-		     const ControlList &metadata,
+		     const MetadataList &metadata,
 		     [[maybe_unused]] const FrameBuffer *buffer,
 		     const void *data)
 {
diff --git a/src/apps/common/dng_writer.h b/src/apps/common/dng_writer.h
index aaa8a852b..741f78a75 100644
--- a/src/apps/common/dng_writer.h
+++ b/src/apps/common/dng_writer.h
@@ -10,8 +10,8 @@
 #ifdef HAVE_TIFF
 
 #include <libcamera/camera.h>
-#include <libcamera/controls.h>
 #include <libcamera/framebuffer.h>
+#include <libcamera/metadata_list.h>
 #include <libcamera/stream.h>
 
 class DNGWriter
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ class DNGWriter
 public:
 	static int write(const char *filename, const libcamera::Camera *camera,
 			 const libcamera::StreamConfiguration &config,
-			 const libcamera::ControlList &metadata,
+			 const libcamera::MetadataList &metadata,
 			 const libcamera::FrameBuffer *buffer, const void *data);
 };
 
diff --git a/src/apps/qcam/main_window.cpp b/src/apps/qcam/main_window.cpp
index 96a2d5090..2a678c19a 100644
--- a/src/apps/qcam/main_window.cpp
+++ b/src/apps/qcam/main_window.cpp
@@ -646,7 +646,7 @@ void MainWindow::captureRaw()
 }
 
 void MainWindow::processRaw(FrameBuffer *buffer,
-			    [[maybe_unused]] const ControlList &metadata)
+			    [[maybe_unused]] const MetadataList &metadata)
 {
 #ifdef HAVE_TIFF
 	QString defaultPath = QStandardPaths::writableLocation(QStandardPaths::PicturesLocation);
diff --git a/src/apps/qcam/main_window.h b/src/apps/qcam/main_window.h
index 81fcf915a..278de1d44 100644
--- a/src/apps/qcam/main_window.h
+++ b/src/apps/qcam/main_window.h
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 #include <libcamera/controls.h>
 #include <libcamera/framebuffer.h>
 #include <libcamera/framebuffer_allocator.h>
+#include <libcamera/metadata_list.h>
 #include <libcamera/request.h>
 #include <libcamera/stream.h>
 
@@ -66,7 +67,7 @@ private Q_SLOTS:
 	void saveImageAs();
 	void captureRaw();
 	void processRaw(libcamera::FrameBuffer *buffer,
-			const libcamera::ControlList &metadata);
+			const libcamera::MetadataList &metadata);
 
 	void renderComplete(libcamera::FrameBuffer *buffer);
 
diff --git a/src/gstreamer/gstlibcamera-controls.cpp.in b/src/gstreamer/gstlibcamera-controls.cpp.in
index 6faf3ee7a..b42eade9b 100644
--- a/src/gstreamer/gstlibcamera-controls.cpp.in
+++ b/src/gstreamer/gstlibcamera-controls.cpp.in
@@ -282,6 +282,6 @@ void GstCameraControls::applyControls(std::unique_ptr<libcamera::Request> &reque
 
 void GstCameraControls::readMetadata(libcamera::Request *request)
 {
-	controls_acc_.merge(request->metadata(),
-			    ControlList::MergePolicy::OverwriteExisting);
+	for (const auto &[k, v] : request->metadata())
+		controls_acc_.set(k, ControlValue(v));
 }
diff --git a/src/libcamera/pipeline_handler.cpp b/src/libcamera/pipeline_handler.cpp
index 1b9e18a04..afc9d09bd 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/pipeline_handler.cpp
+++ b/src/libcamera/pipeline_handler.cpp
@@ -572,9 +572,9 @@ void PipelineHandler::metadataAvailable(Request *request, const ControlList &met
 {
 	Request::Private *d = request->_d();
 
-	d->metadata().merge(metadata);
+	d->metadata2().merge(metadata);
 
-	const auto diff = d->metadata2().merge(metadata);
+	const auto diff = d->metadata().merge(metadata);
 	if (!diff)
 		LOG(Pipeline, Fatal) << "Tried to add incompatible metadata items";
 
diff --git a/src/libcamera/request.cpp b/src/libcamera/request.cpp
index 6d44c6749..57b294ec6 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/request.cpp
+++ b/src/libcamera/request.cpp
@@ -57,8 +57,8 @@ LOG_DEFINE_CATEGORY(Request)
  * \todo Add a validator for metadata controls.
  */
 Request::Private::Private(Camera *camera)
-	: camera_(camera), cancelled_(false), metadata_(controls::controls),
-	  metadata2_(camera->metadata())
+	: camera_(camera), cancelled_(false), metadata_(camera->metadata()),
+	  metadata2_(controls::controls)
 {
 }
 
@@ -429,13 +429,13 @@ void Request::reuse(ReuseFlag flags)
  * \brief Retrieve the request's metadata
  * \return The a const reference to the metadata associated with the request
  */
-const ControlList &Request::metadata() const
+const MetadataList &Request::metadata() const
 {
 	return _d()->metadata_;
 }
 
 #ifndef __DOXYGEN__
-const MetadataList &Request::metadata2() const
+const ControlList &Request::metadata2() const
 {
 	return _d()->metadata2_;
 }
diff --git a/src/py/libcamera/py_helpers.cpp b/src/py/libcamera/py_helpers.cpp
index 8c55ef845..a994c90b7 100644
--- a/src/py/libcamera/py_helpers.cpp
+++ b/src/py/libcamera/py_helpers.cpp
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ namespace py = pybind11;
 using namespace libcamera;
 
 template<typename T>
-static py::object valueOrTuple(const ControlValue &cv)
+static py::object valueOrTuple(const ControlValueView &cv)
 {
 	if (cv.isArray()) {
 		const T *v = reinterpret_cast<const T *>(cv.data().data());
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ static py::object valueOrTuple(const ControlValue &cv)
 	return py::cast(cv.get<T>());
 }
 
-py::object controlValueToPy(const ControlValue &cv)
+py::object controlValueToPy(const ControlValueView &cv)
 {
 	switch (cv.type()) {
 	case ControlTypeNone:
diff --git a/src/py/libcamera/py_helpers.h b/src/py/libcamera/py_helpers.h
index 983969dff..895006d0c 100644
--- a/src/py/libcamera/py_helpers.h
+++ b/src/py/libcamera/py_helpers.h
@@ -9,5 +9,5 @@
 
 #include <pybind11/pybind11.h>
 
-pybind11::object controlValueToPy(const libcamera::ControlValue &cv);
+pybind11::object controlValueToPy(const libcamera::ControlValueView &cv);
 libcamera::ControlValue pyToControlValue(const pybind11::object &ob, libcamera::ControlType type);
diff --git a/src/py/libcamera/py_main.cpp b/src/py/libcamera/py_main.cpp
index a983ea75c..77e0ead68 100644
--- a/src/py/libcamera/py_main.cpp
+++ b/src/py/libcamera/py_main.cpp
@@ -466,7 +466,7 @@ PYBIND11_MODULE(_libcamera, m)
 			self.controls().set(id.id(), pyToControlValue(value, id.type()));
 		})
 		.def_property_readonly("metadata", [](Request &self) {
-			/* Convert ControlList to std container */
+			/* Convert MetadataList to std container */
 
 			std::unordered_map<const ControlId *, py::object> ret;