diff --git a/src/plugins.c b/src/plugins.c
index 418c2c8..5ff6616 100644
--- a/src/plugins.c
+++ b/src/plugins.c
@@ -501,7 +501,8 @@
     LY_CHECK_GOTO(ret = plugins_insert(NULL, LYPLG_TYPE, plugins_string), error);
     LY_CHECK_GOTO(ret = plugins_insert(NULL, LYPLG_TYPE, plugins_union), error);
 
-    /* lyds_tree */
+    /* metadata and lyds_tree, which requires them */
+    LY_CHECK_GOTO(ret = plugins_insert(NULL, LYPLG_EXTENSION, plugins_metadata), error);
     LY_CHECK_GOTO(ret = plugins_insert(NULL, LYPLG_TYPE, plugins_lyds_tree), error);
 
     if (!builtin_type_plugins_only) {
@@ -525,7 +526,6 @@
         LY_CHECK_GOTO(ret = plugins_insert(NULL, LYPLG_TYPE, plugins_node_instanceid), error);
 
         /* internal extensions */
-        LY_CHECK_GOTO(ret = plugins_insert(NULL, LYPLG_EXTENSION, plugins_metadata), error);
         LY_CHECK_GOTO(ret = plugins_insert(NULL, LYPLG_EXTENSION, plugins_nacm), error);
         LY_CHECK_GOTO(ret = plugins_insert(NULL, LYPLG_EXTENSION, plugins_yangdata), error);
         LY_CHECK_GOTO(ret = plugins_insert(NULL, LYPLG_EXTENSION, plugins_schema_mount), error);