diff --git a/google/resource_compute_instance.go b/google/resource_compute_instance.go
index 8b3094b673f..86038213ae8 100644
--- a/google/resource_compute_instance.go
+++ b/google/resource_compute_instance.go
@@ -789,17 +789,11 @@ func resourceComputeInstanceRead(d *schema.ResourceData, meta interface{}) error
 		delete(md, "startup-script")
 	}
 
-	// Delete any keys not explicitly set in our config file
-	for k := range md {
-		if _, ok := existingMetadata[k]; !ok {
-			delete(md, k)
-		}
-	}
-
 	if err = d.Set("metadata", md); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("Error setting metadata: %s", err)
 	}
 
+	d.Set("metadata_fingerprint", instance.Metadata.Fingerprint)
 	d.Set("can_ip_forward", instance.CanIpForward)
 	d.Set("machine_type", GetResourceNameFromSelfLink(instance.MachineType))
 
@@ -827,11 +821,6 @@ func resourceComputeInstanceRead(d *schema.ResourceData, meta interface{}) error
 		"host": sshIP,
 	})
 
-	// Set the metadata fingerprint if there is one.
-	if instance.Metadata != nil {
-		d.Set("metadata_fingerprint", instance.Metadata.Fingerprint)
-	}
-
 	// Set the tags fingerprint if there is one.
 	if instance.Tags != nil {
 		d.Set("tags_fingerprint", instance.Tags.Fingerprint)
@@ -966,59 +955,28 @@ func resourceComputeInstanceUpdate(d *schema.ResourceData, meta interface{}) err
 	// Enable partial mode for the resource since it is possible
 	d.Partial(true)
 
-	// If the Metadata has changed, then update that.
 	if d.HasChange("metadata") {
-		o, n := d.GetChange("metadata")
-		if script, scriptExists := d.GetOk("metadata_startup_script"); scriptExists && script != "" {
-			if _, ok := n.(map[string]interface{})["startup-script"]; ok {
-				return fmt.Errorf("Only one of metadata.startup-script and metadata_startup_script may be defined")
-			}
-
-			if err = d.Set("metadata", n); err != nil {
-				return err
-			}
-			n.(map[string]interface{})["startup-script"] = script
+		metadata, err := resourceInstanceMetadata(d)
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("Error parsing metadata: %s", err)
 		}
 
-		updateMD := func() error {
-			// Reload the instance in the case of a fingerprint mismatch
-			instance, err = getInstance(config, d)
-			if err != nil {
-				return err
-			}
-
-			md := instance.Metadata
-
-			BetaMetadataUpdate(o.(map[string]interface{}), n.(map[string]interface{}), md)
-
-			if err != nil {
-				return fmt.Errorf("Error updating metadata: %s", err)
-			}
-
-			mdV1 := &compute.Metadata{}
-			err = Convert(md, mdV1)
-			if err != nil {
-				return err
-			}
-
-			op, err := config.clientCompute.Instances.SetMetadata(
-				project, zone, d.Id(), mdV1).Do()
-			if err != nil {
-				return fmt.Errorf("Error updating metadata: %s", err)
-			}
-
-			opErr := computeOperationWaitTime(config.clientCompute, op, project, "metadata to update", int(d.Timeout(schema.TimeoutUpdate).Minutes()))
-			if opErr != nil {
-				return opErr
-			}
-
-			d.SetPartial("metadata")
+		metadataV1 := &compute.Metadata{}
+		if err := Convert(metadata, metadataV1); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
 
-			return nil
+		op, err := config.clientCompute.Instances.SetMetadata(project, zone, d.Id(), metadataV1).Do()
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("Error updating metadata: %s", err)
 		}
 
-		MetadataRetryWrapper(updateMD)
+		opErr := computeOperationWaitTime(config.clientCompute, op, project, "metadata to update", int(d.Timeout(schema.TimeoutUpdate).Minutes()))
+		if opErr != nil {
+			return opErr
+		}
 
+		d.SetPartial("metadata")
 	}
 
 	if d.HasChange("tags") {
diff --git a/website/docs/r/compute_instance.html.markdown b/website/docs/r/compute_instance.html.markdown
index 5596e8e8f00..7688b4b9532 100644
--- a/website/docs/r/compute_instance.html.markdown
+++ b/website/docs/r/compute_instance.html.markdown
@@ -100,7 +100,8 @@ The following arguments are supported:
 * `labels` - (Optional) A set of key/value label pairs to assign to the instance.
 
 * `metadata` - (Optional) Metadata key/value pairs to make available from
-    within the instance.
+    within the instance. Ssh keys attached in the Cloud Console will be removed.
+    Add them to your config in order to keep them attached to your instance.
 
 * `metadata_startup_script` - (Optional) An alternative to using the
     startup-script metadata key, except this one forces the instance to be