diff --git a/exporter/containerimage/export.go b/exporter/containerimage/export.go
index 6be45b03..a837554f 100644
--- a/exporter/containerimage/export.go
+++ b/exporter/containerimage/export.go
@@ -99,6 +99,9 @@ func (e *imageExporterInstance) Name() string {
 }
 
 func (e *imageExporterInstance) Export(ctx context.Context, src exporter.Source) (map[string]string, error) {
+	if src.Metadata == nil {
+		src.Metadata = make(map[string][]byte)
+	}
 	for k, v := range e.meta {
 		src.Metadata[k] = v
 	}
diff --git a/exporter/oci/export.go b/exporter/oci/export.go
index 5e5e41ad..e007ffc2 100644
--- a/exporter/oci/export.go
+++ b/exporter/oci/export.go
@@ -109,6 +109,9 @@ func (e *imageExporterInstance) Export(ctx context.Context, src exporter.Source)
 		return nil, errors.Errorf("docker exporter does not currently support exporting manifest lists")
 	}
 
+	if src.Metadata == nil {
+		src.Metadata = make(map[string][]byte)
+	}
 	for k, v := range e.meta {
 		src.Metadata[k] = v
 	}