diff --git a/examples/meta.yaml b/examples/meta.yaml
index fec7514..1ecf494 100644
--- a/examples/meta.yaml
+++ b/examples/meta.yaml
@@ -3,17 +3,11 @@
 
 # Folder-level metadata that applies to all plots in this folder
 title: "Analysis Results"
-description: "Comprehensive analysis of ttbar events in Run 2 data"
+description: "ttbar"
 experiment: "CMS"
 dataset: "Run2_2016_nano_v9"
 analysis_type: "ttbar_analysis"
 
-# Author information
-author:
-  name: "Klaus Schmidt"
-  email: "kschmidt@example.com"
-  institution: "Example University"
-
 # Analysis parameters that apply to all plots in this folder
 parameters:
   luminosity: "35.9 fb^-1"
diff --git a/orchestration/metadata.py b/orchestration/metadata.py
index a8b64d3..d7c993d 100644
--- a/orchestration/metadata.py
+++ b/orchestration/metadata.py
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ def load_metadata_file(metadata_path: Path) -> Dict[str, Any]:
     """
     if not metadata_path.exists():
         return {}
-    
+
     try:
         with metadata_path.open('r', encoding='utf-8') as f:
             suffix_lower = metadata_path.suffix.lower()
@@ -63,12 +63,14 @@ def load_folder_metadata(folder_path: Path) -> Dict[str, Any]:
         metadata_path = folder_path / filename
         if metadata_path.exists():
             return load_metadata_file(metadata_path)
-    
+
     return {}
 
 
-def merge_metadata(parent_metadata: Dict[str, Any],
-                   child_metadata: Dict[str, Any]) -> Dict[str, Any]:
+def merge_metadata(
+    parent_metadata: Dict[str, Any],
+    child_metadata: Dict[str, Any]
+) -> Dict[str, Any]:
     """
     Merge parent and child metadata, with child values overriding parent
     values.
@@ -85,9 +87,10 @@ def merge_metadata(parent_metadata: Dict[str, Any],
     return merged
 
 
-def resolve_metadata_for_plot(plot_path: Path,
-                              inherited_metadata: Dict[str, Any]
-                              ) -> Dict[str, Any]:
+def resolve_metadata_for_plot(
+    plot_path: Path,
+    inherited_metadata: Dict[str, Any]
+) -> Dict[str, Any]:
     """
     Resolve metadata for a specific plot by merging inherited metadata
     with plot-specific metadata.
@@ -101,21 +104,22 @@ def resolve_metadata_for_plot(plot_path: Path,
     """
     plot_stem = plot_path.stem
     plot_dir = plot_path.parent
-    
+
     # Check for plot-specific metadata files
     for suffix in ['.yaml', '.yml', '.json']:
         plot_metadata_path = plot_dir / f"{plot_stem}{suffix}"
         if plot_metadata_path.exists():
             plot_metadata = load_metadata_file(plot_metadata_path)
             return merge_metadata(inherited_metadata, plot_metadata)
-    
+
     # No plot-specific metadata found, return inherited metadata
     return inherited_metadata.copy()
 
 
-def save_metadata_cache(web_dir: Path,
-                        plot_metadata_cache: Dict[str, Dict[str, Any]]
-                        ) -> None:
+def save_metadata_cache(
+    web_dir: Path,
+    plot_metadata_cache: Dict[str, Dict[str, Any]]
+) -> None:
     """
     Save plot metadata cache to meta_cache.json in the web directory.
 
diff --git a/templates/gallery.html b/templates/gallery.html
index a0ee24c..8ee0e5e 100644
--- a/templates/gallery.html
+++ b/templates/gallery.html
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@
         <a href="{{ item.pdf_href }}">
           <img src="{{ item.png_href }}" alt="{{ item.name }}">
         </a>
-        <button class="metadata-btn" onclick="event.stopPropagation(); showMetadataPopup(this, '{{ item.name|e }}', {{ item.metadata|default('{}')|tojson }})" title="View metadata">
+        <button class="metadata-btn" onclick="event.stopPropagation(); showMetadataPopup(this, '{{ item.name|e }}', {{ (item.metadata or {})|tojson }})" title="View metadata">
           ⋯
         </button>
         <div class="plot-name" title="{{ item.name }}">{{ item.name }}</div>