diff --git a/nodes.py b/nodes.py
index 15a1f9299..aa8572446 100644
--- a/nodes.py
+++ b/nodes.py
@@ -788,7 +788,7 @@ class VAELoader:
 
     #TODO: scale factor?
     def load_vae(self, vae_name):
-        metadata = {}
+        metadata = None
         if vae_name == "pixel_space":
             sd = {}
             sd["pixel_space_vae"] = torch.tensor(1.0)