diff --git a/swift/proxy/controllers/obj.py b/swift/proxy/controllers/obj.py
index a948bbb6d2..be9c2bf472 100644
--- a/swift/proxy/controllers/obj.py
+++ b/swift/proxy/controllers/obj.py
@@ -212,9 +212,6 @@ class BaseObjectController(Controller):
     @delay_denial
     def POST(self, req):
         """HTTP POST request handler."""
-        error_response = check_metadata(req, 'object')
-        if error_response:
-            return error_response
         container_info = self.container_info(
             self.account_name, self.container_name, req)
         container_partition = container_info['partition']
@@ -226,6 +223,9 @@ class BaseObjectController(Controller):
                 return aresp
         if not containers:
             return HTTPNotFound(request=req)
+        error_response = check_metadata(req, 'object')
+        if error_response:
+            return error_response
 
         req, delete_at_container, delete_at_part, \
             delete_at_nodes = self._config_obj_expiration(req)
diff --git a/test/unit/proxy/test_server.py b/test/unit/proxy/test_server.py
index 44a23ef6f4..bea71a4c12 100644
--- a/test/unit/proxy/test_server.py
+++ b/test/unit/proxy/test_server.py
@@ -3418,6 +3418,25 @@ class TestObjectController(unittest.TestCase):
             res = req.get_response(self.app)
             self.assertEqual(res.status_int, 400)
 
+    def test_POST_meta_authorize(self):
+        def authorize(req):
+            req.headers['X-Object-Meta-Foo'] = 'x' * (limit + 1)
+            return
+        with save_globals():
+            limit = constraints.MAX_META_VALUE_LENGTH
+            self.app.object_post_as_copy = False
+            controller = ReplicatedObjectController(
+                self.app, 'account', 'container', 'object')
+            set_http_connect(200, 200, 202, 202, 202)
+            #                acct cont obj  obj  obj
+            req = Request.blank('/v1/a/c/o', {'REQUEST_METHOD': 'POST'},
+                                headers={'Content-Type': 'foo/bar',
+                                         'X-Object-Meta-Foo': 'x'})
+            req.environ['swift.authorize'] = authorize
+            self.app.update_request(req)
+            res = controller.POST(req)
+            self.assertEqual(res.status_int, 400)
+
     def test_POST_meta_key_len(self):
         with save_globals():
             limit = constraints.MAX_META_NAME_LENGTH