diff --git a/metadata/directory.go b/metadata/directory.go
index 8ebbb85..61e1c72 100644
--- a/metadata/directory.go
+++ b/metadata/directory.go
@@ -17,6 +17,10 @@ type DirectoryMetadata struct {
 
 var _ SerializableMetadata = (*DirectoryMetadata)(nil)
 
+func NewEmptyDirectoryMetadata() *DirectoryMetadata {
+	return &DirectoryMetadata{}
+}
+
 func NewDirectoryMetadata(details DirectoryMetadataDetails, directories directoryReferenceMap, files fileReferenceMap, extraMetadata ExtraMetadata) *DirectoryMetadata {
 	dirMetadata := &DirectoryMetadata{
 		Details:       details,
diff --git a/node/node.go b/node/node.go
index 0117f89..aa964fe 100644
--- a/node/node.go
+++ b/node/node.go
@@ -306,6 +306,13 @@ func (n *NodeImpl) GetMetadataByCID(cid *encoding.CID) (md metadata.Metadata, er
 	case types.CIDTypeMetadataWebapp:
 		md = metadata.NewEmptyWebAppMetadata()
 
+		err = msgpack.Unmarshal(bytes, md)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+	case types.CIDTypeDirectory:
+		md = metadata.NewEmptyDirectoryMetadata()
+
 		err = msgpack.Unmarshal(bytes, md)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err