diff --git a/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/cell.js b/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/cell.js
index 3a25a51fb..6ba15e42c 100644
--- a/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/cell.js
+++ b/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/cell.js
@@ -392,6 +392,16 @@ define([
      */
     Cell.prototype.set_text = function (text) {
     };
+ 
+    /**
+     * Set the metadata of the cell and triggers the celltoolbars to update.
+     * @method set_metadata
+     * @param {dictionary} metadata
+     */
+    Cell.prototype.set_metadata = function (metadata) {
+       this.metadata = metadata;
+       this.celltoolbar.rebuild();
+    };
 
     /**
      * should be overritten by subclass
@@ -406,14 +416,13 @@ define([
         return data;
     };
 
-
     /**
      * should be overritten by subclass
      * @method fromJSON
      **/
     Cell.prototype.fromJSON = function (data) {
         if (data.metadata !== undefined) {
-            this.metadata = data.metadata;
+            this.set_metadata(data.metadata);
         }
         this.celltoolbar.rebuild();
     };
diff --git a/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/notebook.js b/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/notebook.js
index 9312a44fd..2cef98b72 100644
--- a/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/notebook.js
+++ b/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/notebook.js
@@ -995,7 +995,7 @@ define([
                     text = '';
                 }
                 //metadata
-                target_cell.metadata = source_cell.metadata;
+                target_cell.set_metadata(source_cell.metadata);
 
                 target_cell.set_text(text);
                 // make this value the starting point, so that we can only undo
@@ -1029,7 +1029,7 @@ define([
                     text = '';
                 }
                 // metadata
-                target_cell.metadata = source_cell.metadata
+                target_cell.set_metadata(source_cell.metadata);
                 // We must show the editor before setting its contents
                 target_cell.unrender();
                 target_cell.set_text(text);
@@ -1067,7 +1067,7 @@ define([
                     text = '';
                 }
                 //metadata
-                target_cell.metadata = source_cell.metadata;
+                target_cell.set_metadata(source_cell.metadata);
                 // We must show the editor before setting its contents
                 target_cell.unrender();
                 target_cell.set_text(text);