diff --git a/hooks/nova_compute_hooks.py b/hooks/nova_compute_hooks.py
index d995150a..9497a6ab 100755
--- a/hooks/nova_compute_hooks.py
+++ b/hooks/nova_compute_hooks.py
@@ -19,7 +19,9 @@ from charmhelpers.core.host import (
     restart_on_change,
     service_restart,
 )
-
+from charmhelpers.core.strutils import (
+    bool_from_string,
+)
 from charmhelpers.fetch import (
     apt_install,
     apt_purge,
@@ -391,9 +393,14 @@ def neutron_plugin_joined(relid=None):
 @restart_on_change(restart_map())
 def neutron_plugin_changed():
     settings = relation_get()
-    if 'metadata-shared-secret' in settings:
+    if settings.get('enable-metadata'):
+        enable_metadata = bool_from_string(settings['enable-metadata'])
+    else:
+        enable_metadata = False
+    if 'metadata-shared-secret' in settings or enable_metadata:
         apt_update()
-        apt_install('nova-api-metadata', fatal=True)
+        apt_install(filter_installed_packages(['nova-api-metadata']),
+                    fatal=True)
     else:
         apt_purge('nova-api-metadata', fatal=True)
     CONFIGS.write(NOVA_CONF)
diff --git a/unit_tests/test_nova_compute_hooks.py b/unit_tests/test_nova_compute_hooks.py
index d5e9ee2a..75dac2f4 100644
--- a/unit_tests/test_nova_compute_hooks.py
+++ b/unit_tests/test_nova_compute_hooks.py
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ TO_PATCH = [
     'unit_get',
     # charmhelpers.core.host
     'apt_install',
+    'apt_purge',
     'apt_update',
     'filter_installed_packages',
     'restart_on_change',
@@ -490,5 +491,30 @@ class NovaComputeRelationsTests(CharmTestCase):
                                           'sharedsecret'}
         hooks.neutron_plugin_changed()
         self.assertTrue(self.apt_update.called)
-        self.apt_install.assert_called_with('nova-api-metadata', fatal=True)
+        self.apt_install.assert_called_with(['nova-api-metadata'],
+                                            fatal=True)
+        configs.write.assert_called_with('/etc/nova/nova.conf')
+
+    @patch.object(hooks, 'CONFIGS')
+    def test_neutron_plugin_changed_nometa_implicit(self, configs):
+        self.relation_get.return_value = {}
+        hooks.neutron_plugin_changed()
+        self.apt_purge.assert_called_with('nova-api-metadata',
+                                          fatal=True)
+        configs.write.assert_called_with('/etc/nova/nova.conf')
+
+    @patch.object(hooks, 'CONFIGS')
+    def test_neutron_plugin_changed_meta(self, configs):
+        self.relation_get.return_value = {'enable-metadata': 'True'}
+        hooks.neutron_plugin_changed()
+        self.apt_install.assert_called_with(['nova-api-metadata'],
+                                            fatal=True)
+        configs.write.assert_called_with('/etc/nova/nova.conf')
+
+    @patch.object(hooks, 'CONFIGS')
+    def test_neutron_plugin_changed_nometa_explicit(self, configs):
+        self.relation_get.return_value = {'enable-metadata': 'false'}
+        hooks.neutron_plugin_changed()
+        self.apt_purge.assert_called_with('nova-api-metadata',
+                                          fatal=True)
         configs.write.assert_called_with('/etc/nova/nova.conf')