diff --git a/example/idp/idp_conf.py b/example/idp/idp_conf.py
index 925ee82..872bf1c 100644
--- a/example/idp/idp_conf.py
+++ b/example/idp/idp_conf.py
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ CONFIG={
     "key_file" : "pki/mykey.pem",
     "cert_file" : "pki/mycert.pem",
     "metadata" : {
-        #"local": ["../sp/sp.xml"],
+        "local": ["../sp/sp.xml"],
     },
     "organization": {
         "display_name": "Rolands Identiteter",
diff --git a/example/sp/sp_conf.py b/example/sp/sp_conf.py
index 6101a31..ec1632a 100644
--- a/example/sp/sp_conf.py
+++ b/example/sp/sp_conf.py
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ CONFIG = {
     "cert_file" : "pki/mycert.pem",
     "attribute_map_dir" : "./attributemaps",
     "metadata" : {
-       #"local": ["../idp/idp.xml"],
+       "local": ["../idp/idp.xml"],
     },
     # -- below used by make_metadata --
     "organization": {
diff --git a/src/saml2/config.py b/src/saml2/config.py
index e6d86f0..e039f78 100644
--- a/src/saml2/config.py
+++ b/src/saml2/config.py
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ class Config(object):
         else:
             return object.__getattribute__(self, item)
 
-    def load_special(self, cnf, typ):
+    def load_special(self, cnf, typ, metadata_construction=False):
         for arg in SPEC[typ]:
             try:
                 self._attr[typ][arg] = cnf[arg]
@@ -121,10 +121,10 @@ class Config(object):
                 pass
 
         self.context = typ
-        self.load_complex(cnf, typ)
+        self.load_complex(cnf, typ, metadata_construction=metadata_construction)
         self.context = self.def_context
 
-    def load_complex(self, cnf, typ=""):
+    def load_complex(self, cnf, typ="", metadata_construction=False):
         _attr_typ = self._attr[typ]
         try:
             _attr_typ["policy"] = Policy(cnf["policy"])
@@ -140,12 +140,13 @@ class Config(object):
         except KeyError:
             pass
 
-        try:
-            _attr_typ["metadata"] = self.load_metadata(cnf["metadata"])
-        except KeyError:
-            pass
+        if not metadata_construction:
+            try:
+                _attr_typ["metadata"] = self.load_metadata(cnf["metadata"])
+            except KeyError:
+                pass
 
-    def load(self, cnf):
+    def load(self, cnf, metadata_construction=False):
 
         for arg in COMMON_ARGS:
             try:
@@ -156,24 +157,27 @@ class Config(object):
         if "service" in cnf:
             for typ in ["aa", "idp", "sp"]:
                 try:
-                    self.load_special(cnf["service"][typ], typ)
+                    self.load_special(cnf["service"][typ], typ,
+                                    metadata_construction=metadata_construction)
+
                 except KeyError:
                     pass
 
-        if "xmlsec_binary" not in self._attr[""]:
-            self._attr[""]["xmlsec_binary"] = get_xmlsec_binary()
+        if not metadata_construction:
+            if "xmlsec_binary" not in self._attr[""]:
+                self._attr[""]["xmlsec_binary"] = get_xmlsec_binary()
 
-        self.load_complex(cnf)
+        self.load_complex(cnf, metadata_construction=metadata_construction)
         self.context = self.def_context
 
         return self
 
-    def load_file(self, config_file):
+    def load_file(self, config_file, metadata_construction=False):
         if sys.path[0] != ".":
             sys.path.insert(0, ".")
         mod = import_module(config_file)
         #return self.load(eval(open(config_file).read()))
-        return self.load(mod.CONFIG)
+        return self.load(mod.CONFIG, metadata_construction)
 
     def load_metadata(self, metadata_conf):
         """ Loads metadata into an internal structure """
diff --git a/tests/test_61_makemeta.py b/tests/test_61_makemeta.py
index 2f56e49..8a37e51 100644
--- a/tests/test_61_makemeta.py
+++ b/tests/test_61_makemeta.py
@@ -27,6 +27,9 @@ SP = {
             },
         }
     },
+    "metadata": {
+        "local": ["foo.xml"],
+    },
     "attribute_map_dir" : "attributemaps",
 }
 
@@ -50,7 +53,10 @@ IDP = {
             },
             "scope": ["example.org"]
         }
-    }
+    },
+    "metadata": {
+        "local": ["bar.xml"],
+    },
 }
 
 def test_org_1():
@@ -161,7 +167,7 @@ def test_optional_attributes():
     assert ras[0].is_required == "false"
     
 def test_do_sp_sso_descriptor():
-    conf = SPConfig().load(SP)
+    conf = SPConfig().load(SP, metadata_construction=True)
     spsso = metadata.do_sp_sso_descriptor(conf)
     
     assert isinstance(spsso, md.SPSSODescriptor)
@@ -174,7 +180,7 @@ def test_do_sp_sso_descriptor():
                                 
     assert spsso.authn_requests_signed == "false"
     assert spsso.want_assertions_signed == "true"
-    len (spsso.attribute_consuming_service) == 1
+    assert len (spsso.attribute_consuming_service) == 1
     acs = spsso.attribute_consuming_service[0]
     print acs.keyswv()
     assert _eq(acs.keyswv(), ['requested_attribute', 'service_name',
@@ -192,7 +198,7 @@ def test_entity_description():
     confd = SPConfig().load_file("server_conf")
     print confd.attribute_converters
     entd = metadata.entity_descriptor(confd, 1)
-    assert entd != None
+    assert entd is not None
     print entd.keyswv()
     assert _eq(entd.keyswv(), ['valid_until', 'entity_id', 'contact_person',
                                 'spsso_descriptor', 'organization'])
@@ -200,7 +206,7 @@ def test_entity_description():
     assert entd.entity_id == "urn:mace:example.com:saml:roland:sp"
 
 def test_do_idp_sso_descriptor():
-    conf = IdPConfig().load(IDP)
+    conf = IdPConfig().load(IDP, metadata_construction=True)
     idpsso = metadata.do_idp_sso_descriptor(conf)
 
     assert isinstance(idpsso, md.IDPSSODescriptor)
diff --git a/tools/make_metadata.py b/tools/make_metadata.py
index 37a74d1..a6396af 100755
--- a/tools/make_metadata.py
+++ b/tools/make_metadata.py
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ def main(args):
             sys.path.insert(0, bas)
         if fil.endswith(".py"):
             fil = fil[:-3]
-        cnf = Config().load_file(fil)
+        cnf = Config().load_file(fil, metadata_construction=True)
         eds.append(entity_descriptor(cnf, valid_for))
     
     secc = SecurityContext(xmlsec, keyfile)