diff --git a/ansible.cfg b/ansible.cfg
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..135f10a1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ansible.cfg
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+[defaults]
+library = ./ansible_library
diff --git a/ansible_library/charm_metadata.py b/ansible_library/charm_metadata.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f4c8e356
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ansible_library/charm_metadata.py
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+# Copyright 2024 Canonical Ltd.
+
+import pathlib
+import zipfile
+
+import yaml
+from ansible.module_utils.basic import AnsibleModule
+
+DOCUMENTATION = r"""
+module: charm_metadata
+author: Canonical
+description: Read charm metadata from a charm artifact
+
+options:
+  path:
+    description: path to charm artifact
+    required: yes
+"""
+
+EXAMPLES = r"""
+- name: Read charm metadata
+  charm_metadata:
+    charm: /tmp/keystone.charm
+"""
+
+
+def run_module():
+    module = AnsibleModule(
+        argument_spec=dict(
+            path=dict(type="str", required=True),
+        )
+    )
+
+    path: str = module.params["path"]  # type: ignore
+    charm_path = pathlib.Path(path)
+    if not charm_path.exists():
+        module.fail_json(msg=f"charm {path} not found on disk")
+
+    with zipfile.ZipFile(charm_path, "r") as charm_zip:
+        metadata = charm_zip.read("metadata.yaml")
+    metadata_dict = yaml.safe_load(metadata)
+
+    module.exit_json(changed=False, metadata=metadata_dict)
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    run_module()
diff --git a/roles/charm-publish/tasks/publish.yaml b/roles/charm-publish/tasks/publish.yaml
index 1206cedf..8c6642cf 100644
--- a/roles/charm-publish/tasks/publish.yaml
+++ b/roles/charm-publish/tasks/publish.yaml
@@ -20,27 +20,14 @@
         name: ensure-docker
 
     - name: Get metadata.yaml information
-      stat:
-        path: "{{ zuul.executor.work_root+'/'+zuul.project.src_dir+'/charms/'+charm_build_name+'/metadata.yaml' }}"
-      register: metadata_file
-
-    - name: Get charmcraft.yaml information
-      stat:
-        path: "{{ zuul.executor.work_root+'/'+zuul.project.src_dir+'/charms/'+charm_build_name+'/charmcraft.yaml' }}"
-      register: charmcraft_file
-
-    - name: Register resource file
-      set_fact:
-        resource_file: "{{ metadata_file.stat.exists | ternary(metadata_file.stat.path, charmcraft_file.stat.path) }}"
-
-    - name: Which metadata file is used
-      debug:
-        msg: "{{ resource_file }}"
+      charm_metadata:
+        path: "{{ zuul.project.src_dir }}/{{ charm_build_name }}.charm"
+      register: charm_metadata
 
     - name: Upload oci-image to charmhub
       register: upload_oci_image_output
       vars:
-        metadata: "{{ lookup('file', resource_file) | from_yaml }}"
+        metadata: "{{ charm_metadata['metadata'] }}"
       args:
         executable: /bin/bash
       shell: |