diff --git a/src/libsync/clientsideencryption.cpp b/src/libsync/clientsideencryption.cpp
index d1716841a0482..e4ec3898b43ff 100644
--- a/src/libsync/clientsideencryption.cpp
+++ b/src/libsync/clientsideencryption.cpp
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 
 #include "account.h"
 #include "capabilities.h"
+#include "configfile.h"
 #include "networkjobs.h"
 #include "clientsideencryptionjobs.h"
 #include "theme.h"
@@ -1643,9 +1644,14 @@ void FolderMetadata::setupExistingMetadata(const QByteArray& metadata)
 
     if (!migratedMetadata && !checkMetadataKeyChecksum(metadataKey, metadataKeyChecksum)) {
         qCInfo(lcCseMetadata) << "checksum comparison failed" << "server value" << metadataKeyChecksum << "client value" << computeMetadataKeyChecksum(metadataKey);
-        _metadataKey.clear();
-        _files.clear();
-        return;
+        if (ConfigFile().shouldSkipE2eeMetadataChecksumValidation()) {
+            qCDebug(lcCseMetadata) << "shouldSkipE2eeMetadataChecksumValidation is set. Allowing invalid checksum until next sync.";
+            _encryptedMetadataNeedUpdate = true;
+        } else {
+            _metadataKey.clear();
+            _files.clear();
+            return;
+        }
     }
 
     // decryption finished, create new metadata key to be used for encryption
@@ -1721,13 +1727,6 @@ bool FolderMetadata::checkMetadataKeyChecksum(const QByteArray &metadataKey,
 {
     const auto referenceMetadataKeyValue = computeMetadataKeyChecksum(metadataKey);
 
-    if (referenceMetadataKeyValue != metadataKeyChecksum) {
-        if (recoverMetadataKeyChecksum(metadataKeyChecksum, metadataKey)) {
-            qCInfo(lcCseMetadata) << "Checksum recovery done";
-            return true;
-        }
-    }
-
     return referenceMetadataKeyValue == metadataKeyChecksum;
 }
 
@@ -1748,31 +1747,6 @@ QByteArray FolderMetadata::computeMetadataKeyChecksum(const QByteArray &metadata
     return hashAlgorithm.result().toHex();
 }
 
-bool FolderMetadata::recoverMetadataKeyChecksum(const QByteArray &expectedChecksum,
-                                                const QByteArray &metadataKey) const
-{
-    const auto sortLambda = [] (const auto &first, const auto &second) {
-        return first.encryptedFilename < second.encryptedFilename;
-    };
-    auto sortedFiles = _files;
-
-    std::sort(sortedFiles.begin(), sortedFiles.end(), sortLambda);
-
-    do {
-        auto hashAlgorithm = QCryptographicHash{QCryptographicHash::Sha256};
-        hashAlgorithm.addData(_account->e2e()->_mnemonic.remove(' ').toUtf8());
-        for (const auto &singleFile : sortedFiles) {
-            hashAlgorithm.addData(singleFile.encryptedFilename.toUtf8());
-        }
-        hashAlgorithm.addData(metadataKey);
-        if (hashAlgorithm.result().toHex() == expectedChecksum) {
-            return true;
-        }
-    } while (std::next_permutation(sortedFiles.begin(), sortedFiles.end(), sortLambda));
-
-    return false;
-}
-
 bool FolderMetadata::isMetadataSetup() const
 {
     return _isMetadataSetup;
diff --git a/src/libsync/clientsideencryption.h b/src/libsync/clientsideencryption.h
index c2af28f7529a7..4d074c965dc8f 100644
--- a/src/libsync/clientsideencryption.h
+++ b/src/libsync/clientsideencryption.h
@@ -233,8 +233,6 @@ class OWNCLOUDSYNC_EXPORT FolderMetadata {
     [[nodiscard]] bool checkMetadataKeyChecksum(const QByteArray &metadataKey, const QByteArray &metadataKeyChecksum) const;
 
     [[nodiscard]] QByteArray computeMetadataKeyChecksum(const QByteArray &metadataKey) const;
-    [[nodiscard]] bool recoverMetadataKeyChecksum(const QByteArray &expectedChecksum,
-                                                  const QByteArray &metadataKey) const;
 
     QByteArray _metadataKey;
 
diff --git a/src/libsync/configfile.cpp b/src/libsync/configfile.cpp
index f60a4b19bc20d..0d53fef78a5df 100644
--- a/src/libsync/configfile.cpp
+++ b/src/libsync/configfile.cpp
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ static constexpr char updateChannelC[] = "updateChannel";
 static constexpr char overrideServerUrlC[] = "overrideServerUrl";
 static constexpr char overrideLocalDirC[] = "overrideLocalDir";
 static constexpr char isVfsEnabledC[] = "isVfsEnabled";
+static constexpr char skipE2eeMetadataChecksumValidation[] = "skipE2eeMetadataChecksumValidation";
 static constexpr char geometryC[] = "geometry";
 static constexpr char timeoutC[] = "timeout";
 static constexpr char chunkSizeC[] = "chunkSize";
@@ -104,6 +105,7 @@ static constexpr char moveToTrashC[] = "moveToTrash";
 
 static constexpr char certPath[] = "http_certificatePath";
 static constexpr char certPasswd[] = "http_certificatePasswd";
+static constexpr auto isSkipE2eeMetadataChecksumValidationAllowedInClientVersion = MIRALL_VERSION_MAJOR == 3 && MIRALL_VERSION_MINOR == 8;
 }
 
 namespace OCC {
@@ -731,6 +733,19 @@ bool ConfigFile::isVfsEnabled() const
     return settings.value({isVfsEnabledC}, {}).toBool();
 }
 
+bool ConfigFile::shouldSkipE2eeMetadataChecksumValidation() const
+{
+    QSettings settings(configFile(), QSettings::IniFormat);
+    return isSkipE2eeMetadataChecksumValidationAllowedInClientVersion
+        && settings.value({skipE2eeMetadataChecksumValidation}, {}).toBool();
+}
+
+void ConfigFile::resetShouldSkipE2eeMetadataChecksumValidation()
+{
+    QSettings settings(configFile(), QSettings::IniFormat);
+    settings.setValue({skipE2eeMetadataChecksumValidation}, false);
+}
+
 void ConfigFile::setVfsEnabled(bool enabled)
 {
     QSettings settings(configFile(), QSettings::IniFormat);
diff --git a/src/libsync/configfile.h b/src/libsync/configfile.h
index 9f0f76155b067..5871b862d260d 100644
--- a/src/libsync/configfile.h
+++ b/src/libsync/configfile.h
@@ -199,6 +199,10 @@ class OWNCLOUDSYNC_EXPORT ConfigFile
     [[nodiscard]] bool isVfsEnabled() const;
     void setVfsEnabled(bool enabled);
 
+    // check if the checksum validation of E2EE metadata is allowed to be skipped via config file, this will only work before client 3.9.0
+    [[nodiscard]] bool shouldSkipE2eeMetadataChecksumValidation() const;
+    void resetShouldSkipE2eeMetadataChecksumValidation();
+
     void saveGeometryHeader(QHeaderView *header);
     void restoreGeometryHeader(QHeaderView *header);
 
diff --git a/src/libsync/owncloudpropagator.cpp b/src/libsync/owncloudpropagator.cpp
index 061fec53ee366..301835c08a976 100644
--- a/src/libsync/owncloudpropagator.cpp
+++ b/src/libsync/owncloudpropagator.cpp
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 #include "common/utility.h"
 #include "account.h"
 #include "common/asserts.h"
+#include "configfile.h"
 #include "discoveryphase.h"
 #include "syncfileitem.h"
 
@@ -652,7 +653,12 @@ void OwncloudPropagator::startDirectoryPropagation(const SyncFileItemPtr &item,
         _anotherSyncNeeded = true;
     } else if (item->_isEncryptedMetadataNeedUpdate) {
         SyncJournalFileRecord record;
-        if (_journal->getFileRecord(item->_file, &record) && record._e2eEncryptionStatus == SyncJournalFileRecord::EncryptionStatus::EncryptedMigratedV1_2) {
+        const auto isUnexpectedMetadataFormat = _journal->getFileRecord(item->_file, &record)
+            && record._e2eEncryptionStatus == SyncJournalFileRecord::EncryptionStatus::EncryptedMigratedV1_2;
+        if (isUnexpectedMetadataFormat && ConfigFile().shouldSkipE2eeMetadataChecksumValidation()) {
+            qCDebug(lcPropagator) << "Getting unexpected metadata format, but allowing to continue as shouldSkipE2eeMetadataChecksumValidation is set.";
+        }
+        if (isUnexpectedMetadataFormat && !ConfigFile().shouldSkipE2eeMetadataChecksumValidation()) {
             qCDebug(lcPropagator) << "could have upgraded metadata";
             item->_instruction = CSyncEnums::CSYNC_INSTRUCTION_ERROR;
             item->_errorString = tr("Error with the metadata. Getting unexpected metadata format.");
diff --git a/src/libsync/syncengine.cpp b/src/libsync/syncengine.cpp
index 23c41be9e991b..d4454f031f222 100644
--- a/src/libsync/syncengine.cpp
+++ b/src/libsync/syncengine.cpp
@@ -956,6 +956,11 @@ void SyncEngine::finalize(bool success)
     _syncRunning = false;
     emit finished(success);
 
+    if (ConfigFile().shouldSkipE2eeMetadataChecksumValidation()) {
+        qCDebug(lcEngine) << "shouldSkipE2eeMetadataChecksumValidation was set. Sync is finished, so resetting it...";
+        ConfigFile().resetShouldSkipE2eeMetadataChecksumValidation();
+    }
+
     // Delete the propagator only after emitting the signal.
     _propagator.clear();
     _seenConflictFiles.clear();