diff --git a/doc/source/openstack.rst b/doc/source/openstack.rst
index 2764a7c6e..d80e2e11c 100644
--- a/doc/source/openstack.rst
+++ b/doc/source/openstack.rst
@@ -257,10 +257,7 @@ Selecting the OpenStack driver adds the following options to the
      .. attr:: meta
         :type: dict
 
-        Arbitrary key/value metadata to store for this server using
-        the Nova metadata service. A maximum of five entries is
-        allowed, and both keys and values must be 255 characters or
-        less.
+        Arbitrary key/value metadata to store as glance image properties.
 
      .. attr:: connection-type
         :type: string
diff --git a/nodepool/driver/openstack/config.py b/nodepool/driver/openstack/config.py
index d5ac6b272..8b87ddc67 100644
--- a/nodepool/driver/openstack/config.py
+++ b/nodepool/driver/openstack/config.py
@@ -265,16 +265,6 @@ class OpenStackProviderConfig(ProviderConfig):
             # This dict is expanded and used as custom properties when
             # the image is uploaded.
             i.meta = image.get('meta', {})
-            # 5 elements, and no key or value can be > 255 chars
-            # per Nova API rules
-            if i.meta:
-                if len(i.meta) > 5 or \
-                   any([len(k) > 255 or len(v) > 255
-                        for k, v in i.meta.items()]):
-                    # soft-fail
-                    # self.log.error("Invalid metadata for %s; ignored"
-                    #               % i.name)
-                    i.meta = {}
 
         for image in self.provider.get('cloud-images', []):
             i = ProviderCloudImage()
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/remove-diskimage-meta-checks-90f705903000eece.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/remove-diskimage-meta-checks-90f705903000eece.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2c165f503
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/remove-diskimage-meta-checks-90f705903000eece.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+---
+fixes:
+  - |
+    Removes diskimage.meta checks from the OpenStack driver. The limit of only
+    5 entries is anachronistic and now removed. Rather than trying to pre-guess
+    what OpenStack wants the metadata is now passed as-is and OpenStack will
+    reject it at upload time.
+
+    Previously, metadata was checked by nodepool and invalid values would cause
+    all metadata to be silently ignored. Now, metadata will be passed directly
+    to glance, and an API error will occur. This may mean that images that
+    previously uploaded (with no metadata) will now cause an API error when
+    uploading.