diff --git a/src/bhyve/bhyve_driver.c b/src/bhyve/bhyve_driver.c
index 9a13076236..135cb248ea 100644
--- a/src/bhyve/bhyve_driver.c
+++ b/src/bhyve/bhyve_driver.c
@@ -1046,7 +1046,8 @@ bhyveDomainSetMetadata(virDomainPtr dom,
         goto cleanup;
 
     ret = virDomainObjSetMetadata(vm, type, metadata, key, uri, caps,
-                                  privconn->xmlopt, BHYVE_CONFIG_DIR, flags);
+                                  privconn->xmlopt, BHYVE_STATE_DIR,
+                                  BHYVE_CONFIG_DIR, flags);
 
  cleanup:
     virObjectUnref(caps);
diff --git a/src/conf/domain_conf.c b/src/conf/domain_conf.c
index d8d1fe7585..1fecf9bb54 100644
--- a/src/conf/domain_conf.c
+++ b/src/conf/domain_conf.c
@@ -18140,6 +18140,9 @@ virDomainSaveXML(const char *configDir,
     char *configFile = NULL;
     int ret = -1;
 
+    if (!configDir)
+        return 0;
+
     if ((configFile = virDomainConfigFile(configDir, def->name)) == NULL)
         goto cleanup;
 
@@ -19770,6 +19773,7 @@ virDomainObjSetMetadata(virDomainObjPtr vm,
                         const char *uri,
                         virCapsPtr caps,
                         virDomainXMLOptionPtr xmlopt,
+                        const char *stateDir,
                         const char *configDir,
                         unsigned int flags)
 {
@@ -19782,12 +19786,17 @@ virDomainObjSetMetadata(virDomainObjPtr vm,
                                         &persistentDef) < 0)
         return -1;
 
-    if (flags & VIR_DOMAIN_AFFECT_LIVE)
+    if (flags & VIR_DOMAIN_AFFECT_LIVE) {
         if (virDomainDefSetMetadata(vm->def, type, metadata, key, uri) < 0)
             return -1;
 
+        if (virDomainSaveStatus(xmlopt, stateDir, vm) < 0)
+            return -1;
+    }
+
     if (flags & VIR_DOMAIN_AFFECT_CONFIG) {
-        if (virDomainDefSetMetadata(persistentDef, type, metadata, key, uri) < 0)
+        if (virDomainDefSetMetadata(persistentDef, type, metadata, key,
+                                    uri) < 0)
             return -1;
 
         if (virDomainSaveConfig(configDir, persistentDef) < 0)
diff --git a/src/conf/domain_conf.h b/src/conf/domain_conf.h
index 45c8552ce7..d79ef9b2d4 100644
--- a/src/conf/domain_conf.h
+++ b/src/conf/domain_conf.h
@@ -2664,6 +2664,7 @@ int virDomainObjSetMetadata(virDomainObjPtr vm,
                             const char *uri,
                             virCapsPtr caps,
                             virDomainXMLOptionPtr xmlopt,
+                            const char *stateDir,
                             const char *configDir,
                             unsigned int flags);
 
diff --git a/src/lxc/lxc_driver.c b/src/lxc/lxc_driver.c
index f094f86b0e..05d10b4ade 100644
--- a/src/lxc/lxc_driver.c
+++ b/src/lxc/lxc_driver.c
@@ -5600,7 +5600,8 @@ lxcDomainSetMetadata(virDomainPtr dom,
         goto cleanup;
 
     ret = virDomainObjSetMetadata(vm, type, metadata, key, uri, caps,
-                                  driver->xmlopt, cfg->configDir, flags);
+                                  driver->xmlopt, cfg->stateDir,
+                                  cfg->configDir, flags);
 
  cleanup:
     virObjectUnlock(vm);
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c b/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
index b85d9098e9..26db4e9225 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
@@ -16118,7 +16118,8 @@ qemuDomainSetMetadata(virDomainPtr dom,
         goto cleanup;
 
     ret = virDomainObjSetMetadata(vm, type, metadata, key, uri, caps,
-                                  driver->xmlopt, cfg->configDir, flags);
+                                  driver->xmlopt, cfg->stateDir,
+                                  cfg->configDir, flags);
 
  cleanup:
     virObjectUnlock(vm);
diff --git a/src/test/test_driver.c b/src/test/test_driver.c
index 67f637d9ef..3b22cf6546 100644
--- a/src/test/test_driver.c
+++ b/src/test/test_driver.c
@@ -3042,7 +3042,7 @@ static int testDomainSetMetadata(virDomainPtr dom,
 
     ret = virDomainObjSetMetadata(privdom, type, metadata, key, uri,
                                   privconn->caps, privconn->xmlopt,
-                                  NULL, flags);
+                                  NULL, NULL, flags);
 
  cleanup:
     if (privdom)