diff --git a/token/delegation/delegation.go b/token/delegation/delegation.go
index ccaed08..10db932 100644
--- a/token/delegation/delegation.go
+++ b/token/delegation/delegation.go
@@ -79,6 +79,10 @@ func New(privKey crypto.PrivKey, aud did.DID, cmd command.Command, pol policy.Po
 		}
 	}
 
+	if len(tkn.meta.Keys) < 1 {
+		tkn.meta = nil
+	}
+
 	if err := tkn.validate(); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -213,7 +217,7 @@ func tokenFromModel(m tokenPayloadModel) (*Token, error) {
 	}
 	tkn.nonce = m.Nonce
 
-	tkn.meta = &m.Meta
+	tkn.meta = m.Meta
 
 	if m.Nbf != nil {
 		t := time.Unix(*m.Nbf, 0)
diff --git a/token/delegation/delegation.ipldsch b/token/delegation/delegation.ipldsch
index c65988a..09ea964 100644
--- a/token/delegation/delegation.ipldsch
+++ b/token/delegation/delegation.ipldsch
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ type Payload struct {
     nonce Bytes
 
     # Arbitrary Metadata
-    meta {String : Any}
+    meta optional {String : Any}
 
     # "Not before" UTC Unix Timestamp in seconds (valid from), 53-bits integer
     nbf optional Int
diff --git a/token/delegation/ipld.go b/token/delegation/ipld.go
index 004a49b..8508faa 100644
--- a/token/delegation/ipld.go
+++ b/token/delegation/ipld.go
@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@ func (t *Token) toIPLD(privKey crypto.PrivKey) (datamodel.Node, error) {
 		Cmd:   t.command.String(),
 		Pol:   pol,
 		Nonce: t.nonce,
-		Meta:  *t.meta,
+		Meta:  t.meta,
 		Nbf:   nbf,
 		Exp:   exp,
 	}
diff --git a/token/delegation/schema.go b/token/delegation/schema.go
index d9b7a27..1c6873c 100644
--- a/token/delegation/schema.go
+++ b/token/delegation/schema.go
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ type tokenPayloadModel struct {
 	Nonce []byte
 
 	// Arbitrary Metadata
-	Meta meta.Meta
+	Meta *meta.Meta
 
 	// "Not before" UTC Unix Timestamp in seconds (valid from), 53-bits integer
 	// optional: can be nil