diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index 1e80cbd..1688ccd 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -37,8 +37,15 @@ module.exports = function (metadata) {
   }
 
   ut_metadata.prototype.onExtendedHandshake = function (handshake) {
+    if (!handshake.m.ut_metadata) {
+      return this.emit('warning', new Error('Peer does not support ut_metadata'))
+    }
+    if (!handshake.metadata_size) {
+      return this.emit('warning', new Error('Peer does not have metadata'))
+    }
+
     this._metadataSize = handshake.metadata_size
-    if (this._metadataSize && this._fetching) {
+    if (this._fetching) {
       this._requestPieces()
     }
   }
@@ -51,7 +58,7 @@ module.exports = function (metadata) {
       dict = bncode.decode(str.substring(0, trailerIndex))
       trailer = buf.slice(trailerIndex)
     } catch (err) {
-      this.emit('warning', new Error('Could not decode ut_metadata message'))
+      // drop invalid messages
       return
     }
 
diff --git a/test/fetch.js b/test/fetch.js
index 278cf83..8965f24 100644
--- a/test/fetch.js
+++ b/test/fetch.js
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ test('fetch()', function (t) {
 })
 
 test('fetch() from peer without metadata', function (t) {
-  t.plan(1)
+  t.plan(2)
 
   var wire1 = new Protocol()
   var wire2 = new Protocol()
@@ -69,6 +69,10 @@ test('fetch() from peer without metadata', function (t) {
     // extended handshake, so he doesn't have metadata
   }
 
+  wire2.ext('ut_metadata').on('warning', function (err) {
+    t.pass('got warning about peer missing metadata')
+  })
+
   wire2.on('handshake', function (infoHash, peerId, extensions) {
     wire2.handshake(parsedTorrent.infoHash, id2)
   })