diff --git a/wp-includes/meta.php b/wp-includes/meta.php
index c203c535e4..3da7542ada 100644
--- a/wp-includes/meta.php
+++ b/wp-includes/meta.php
@@ -115,6 +115,7 @@ function update_metadata($meta_type, $object_id, $meta_key, $meta_value, $prev_v
 
 	// expected_slashed ($meta_key)
 	$meta_key = stripslashes($meta_key);
+	$passed_value = $meta_value;
 	$meta_value = stripslashes_deep($meta_value);
 	$meta_value = sanitize_meta( $meta_key, $meta_value, $meta_type );
 
@@ -123,7 +124,7 @@ function update_metadata($meta_type, $object_id, $meta_key, $meta_value, $prev_v
 		return (bool) $check;
 
 	if ( ! $meta_id = $wpdb->get_var( $wpdb->prepare( "SELECT $id_column FROM $table WHERE meta_key = %s AND $column = %d", $meta_key, $object_id ) ) )
-		return add_metadata($meta_type, $object_id, $meta_key, $meta_value);
+		return add_metadata($meta_type, $object_id, $meta_key, $passed_value);
 
 	// Compare existing value to new value if no prev value given and the key exists only once.
 	if ( empty($prev_value) ) {