diff --git a/crates/typst/src/introspection/mod.rs b/crates/typst/src/introspection/mod.rs
index e9ea02919..25f67400e 100644
--- a/crates/typst/src/introspection/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/typst/src/introspection/mod.rs
@@ -58,6 +58,15 @@ pub fn define(global: &mut Scope) {
 pub struct MetaElem {
     /// Metadata that should be attached to all elements affected by this style
     /// property.
+    ///
+    /// This must be accessed and applied to all frames produced by elements
+    /// that manually handle styles (because their children can have varying
+    /// styles). This currently includes flow, par, and equation.
+    ///
+    /// Other elements don't manually need to handle it because their parents
+    /// that result from realization will take care of it and the metadata can
+    /// only apply to them as a whole, not part of it (because they don't manage
+    /// styles).
     #[fold]
     pub data: SmallVec<[Meta; 1]>,
 }
diff --git a/crates/typst/src/layout/container.rs b/crates/typst/src/layout/container.rs
index 3905a37ae..a8429e066 100644
--- a/crates/typst/src/layout/container.rs
+++ b/crates/typst/src/layout/container.rs
@@ -172,7 +172,6 @@ impl Layout for Packed<BoxElem> {
         }
 
         // Apply metadata.
-        frame.meta(styles, false);
         frame.set_kind(FrameKind::Hard);
 
         Ok(Fragment::frame(frame))
@@ -454,7 +453,6 @@ impl Layout for Packed<BlockElem> {
         // Apply metadata.
         for frame in &mut frames {
             frame.set_kind(FrameKind::Hard);
-            frame.meta(styles, false);
         }
 
         Ok(Fragment::frames(frames))
diff --git a/crates/typst/src/layout/flow.rs b/crates/typst/src/layout/flow.rs
index d7b9880fe..b4798cd89 100644
--- a/crates/typst/src/layout/flow.rs
+++ b/crates/typst/src/layout/flow.rs
@@ -71,14 +71,7 @@ impl Layout for Packed<FlowElem> {
                 let layoutable = child.with::<dyn Layout>().unwrap();
                 layouter.layout_single(engine, layoutable, styles)?;
             } else if child.is::<MetaElem>() {
-                let mut frame = Frame::soft(Size::zero());
-                frame.meta(styles, true);
-                layouter.items.push(FlowItem::Frame {
-                    frame,
-                    align: Axes::splat(FixedAlignment::Start),
-                    sticky: true,
-                    movable: false,
-                });
+                layouter.layout_meta(styles);
             } else if let Some(placed) = child.to_packed::<PlaceElem>() {
                 layouter.layout_placed(engine, placed, styles)?;
             } else if child.can::<dyn Layout>() {
@@ -297,7 +290,8 @@ impl<'a> FlowLayouter<'a> {
         let align = AlignElem::alignment_in(styles).resolve(styles);
         let sticky = BlockElem::sticky_in(styles);
         let pod = Regions::one(self.regions.base(), Axes::splat(false));
-        let frame = content.layout(engine, styles, pod)?.into_frame();
+        let mut frame = content.layout(engine, styles, pod)?.into_frame();
+        frame.meta(styles, false);
         self.layout_item(
             engine,
             FlowItem::Frame { frame, align, sticky, movable: true },
@@ -306,6 +300,18 @@ impl<'a> FlowLayouter<'a> {
         Ok(())
     }
 
+    /// Place explicit metadata into the flow.
+    fn layout_meta(&mut self, styles: StyleChain) {
+        let mut frame = Frame::soft(Size::zero());
+        frame.meta(styles, true);
+        self.items.push(FlowItem::Frame {
+            frame,
+            align: Axes::splat(FixedAlignment::Start),
+            sticky: true,
+            movable: false,
+        });
+    }
+
     /// Layout a placed element.
     fn layout_placed(
         &mut self,
@@ -321,7 +327,8 @@ impl<'a> FlowLayouter<'a> {
             align.x().unwrap_or_default().resolve(styles)
         });
         let y_align = alignment.map(|align| align.y().map(VAlignment::fix));
-        let frame = placed.layout(engine, styles, self.regions)?.into_frame();
+        let mut frame = placed.layout(engine, styles, self.regions)?.into_frame();
+        frame.meta(styles, false);
         let item = FlowItem::Placed { frame, x_align, y_align, delta, float, clearance };
         self.layout_item(engine, item)
     }
@@ -361,7 +368,7 @@ impl<'a> FlowLayouter<'a> {
         let sticky = BlockElem::sticky_in(styles);
         let fragment = block.layout(engine, styles, self.regions)?;
 
-        for (i, frame) in fragment.into_iter().enumerate() {
+        for (i, mut frame) in fragment.into_iter().enumerate() {
             // Find footnotes in the frame.
             if self.root {
                 find_footnotes(&mut notes, &frame);
@@ -371,8 +378,11 @@ impl<'a> FlowLayouter<'a> {
                 self.finish_region(engine, false)?;
             }
 
-            let item = FlowItem::Frame { frame, align, sticky, movable: false };
-            self.layout_item(engine, item)?;
+            frame.meta(styles, false);
+            self.layout_item(
+                engine,
+                FlowItem::Frame { frame, align, sticky, movable: false },
+            )?;
         }
 
         self.try_handle_footnotes(engine, notes)?;
diff --git a/crates/typst/src/layout/frame.rs b/crates/typst/src/layout/frame.rs
index 43cab1f4c..3c6d88e7b 100644
--- a/crates/typst/src/layout/frame.rs
+++ b/crates/typst/src/layout/frame.rs
@@ -289,20 +289,32 @@ impl Frame {
     /// Attach metadata from an iterator.
     pub fn meta_iter(&mut self, iter: impl IntoIterator<Item = Meta>) {
         let mut hide = false;
-        for meta in iter {
+        let size = self.size;
+        self.prepend_multiple(iter.into_iter().filter_map(|meta| {
             if matches!(meta, Meta::Hide) {
                 hide = true;
+                None
             } else {
-                self.prepend(Point::zero(), FrameItem::Meta(meta, self.size));
+                Some((Point::zero(), FrameItem::Meta(meta, size)))
             }
-        }
+        }));
         if hide {
-            Arc::make_mut(&mut self.items).retain(|(_, item)| {
-                matches!(item, FrameItem::Group(_) | FrameItem::Meta(Meta::Elem(_), _))
-            });
+            self.hide();
         }
     }
 
+    /// Hide all content in the frame, but keep metadata.
+    pub fn hide(&mut self) {
+        Arc::make_mut(&mut self.items).retain_mut(|(_, item)| match item {
+            FrameItem::Group(group) => {
+                group.frame.hide();
+                !group.frame.is_empty()
+            }
+            FrameItem::Meta(Meta::Elem(_), _) => true,
+            _ => false,
+        });
+    }
+
     /// Add a background fill.
     pub fn fill(&mut self, fill: Paint) {
         self.prepend(
diff --git a/crates/typst/src/layout/grid/layout.rs b/crates/typst/src/layout/grid/layout.rs
index b2490d1ea..577baaeb3 100644
--- a/crates/typst/src/layout/grid/layout.rs
+++ b/crates/typst/src/layout/grid/layout.rs
@@ -570,13 +570,8 @@ impl<'a> GridLayouter<'a> {
         }
 
         self.finish_region(engine)?;
-
         self.render_fills_strokes()?;
 
-        for frame in &mut self.finished {
-            frame.meta(self.styles, false);
-        }
-
         Ok(Fragment::frames(self.finished))
     }
 
diff --git a/crates/typst/src/layout/inline/mod.rs b/crates/typst/src/layout/inline/mod.rs
index 1c04d0ce8..627265f78 100644
--- a/crates/typst/src/layout/inline/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/typst/src/layout/inline/mod.rs
@@ -501,7 +501,11 @@ fn collect<'a>(
             Segment::Text(full.len() - prev)
         } else if let Some(elem) = child.to_packed::<EquationElem>() {
             let pod = Regions::one(region, Axes::splat(false));
-            let items = elem.layout_inline(engine, styles, pod)?;
+            let mut items = elem.layout_inline(engine, styles, pod)?;
+            for item in &mut items {
+                let MathParItem::Frame(frame) = item else { continue };
+                frame.meta(styles, false);
+            }
             full.extend(items.iter().map(MathParItem::text));
             Segment::Equation(elem, items)
         } else if let Some(elem) = child.to_packed::<BoxElem>() {
@@ -591,6 +595,7 @@ fn prepare<'a>(
                 } else {
                     let pod = Regions::one(region, Axes::splat(false));
                     let mut frame = elem.layout(engine, styles, pod)?.into_frame();
+                    frame.meta(styles, false);
                     frame.translate(Point::with_y(TextElem::baseline_in(styles)));
                     items.push(Item::Frame(frame));
                 }
@@ -1315,6 +1320,7 @@ fn commit(
                     let region = Size::new(amount, full);
                     let pod = Regions::one(region, Axes::new(true, false));
                     let mut frame = elem.layout(engine, *styles, pod)?.into_frame();
+                    frame.meta(*styles, false);
                     frame.translate(Point::with_y(TextElem::baseline_in(*styles)));
                     push(&mut offset, frame);
                 } else {
@@ -1322,8 +1328,9 @@ fn commit(
                 }
             }
             Item::Text(shaped) => {
-                let frame =
+                let mut frame =
                     shaped.build(engine, justification_ratio, extra_justification);
+                frame.meta(shaped.styles, false);
                 push(&mut offset, frame);
             }
             Item::Frame(frame) | Item::Meta(frame) => {
diff --git a/crates/typst/src/layout/inline/shaping.rs b/crates/typst/src/layout/inline/shaping.rs
index 28aee7bd1..6b1e2e93d 100644
--- a/crates/typst/src/layout/inline/shaping.rs
+++ b/crates/typst/src/layout/inline/shaping.rs
@@ -322,9 +322,6 @@ impl<'a> ShapedText<'a> {
             offset += width;
         }
 
-        // Apply metadata.
-        frame.meta(self.styles, false);
-
         frame
     }
 
diff --git a/crates/typst/src/math/equation.rs b/crates/typst/src/math/equation.rs
index 9cd771e68..2f02dfe4a 100644
--- a/crates/typst/src/math/equation.rs
+++ b/crates/typst/src/math/equation.rs
@@ -188,9 +188,6 @@ impl Packed<EquationElem> {
             let descent = bottom_edge.max(frame.descent() - slack);
             frame.translate(Point::with_y(ascent - frame.baseline()));
             frame.size_mut().y = ascent + descent;
-
-            // Apply metadata.
-            frame.meta(styles, false);
         }
 
         Ok(items)
@@ -251,9 +248,6 @@ impl Layout for Packed<EquationElem> {
             frame.push_frame(Point::new(x, y), counter)
         }
 
-        // Apply metadata.
-        frame.meta(styles, false);
-
         Ok(Fragment::frame(frame))
     }
 }
diff --git a/crates/typst/src/visualize/image/mod.rs b/crates/typst/src/visualize/image/mod.rs
index 9d26a8ed8..613bb7d41 100644
--- a/crates/typst/src/visualize/image/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/typst/src/visualize/image/mod.rs
@@ -236,13 +236,9 @@ impl Layout for Packed<ImageElem> {
 
         // Create a clipping group if only part of the image should be visible.
         if fit == ImageFit::Cover && !target.fits(fitted) {
-            frame.meta(styles, false);
             frame.clip(Path::rect(frame.size()));
         }
 
-        // Apply metadata.
-        frame.meta(styles, false);
-
         Ok(Fragment::frame(frame))
     }
 }
diff --git a/crates/typst/src/visualize/line.rs b/crates/typst/src/visualize/line.rs
index 0c8835000..b17074840 100644
--- a/crates/typst/src/visualize/line.rs
+++ b/crates/typst/src/visualize/line.rs
@@ -89,7 +89,6 @@ impl Layout for Packed<LineElem> {
         let mut frame = Frame::soft(target);
         let shape = Geometry::Line(delta.to_point()).stroked(stroke);
         frame.push(start.to_point(), FrameItem::Shape(shape, self.span()));
-        frame.meta(styles, false);
         Ok(Fragment::frame(frame))
     }
 }
diff --git a/crates/typst/src/visualize/polygon.rs b/crates/typst/src/visualize/polygon.rs
index 1f6dce44e..f375e8ca2 100644
--- a/crates/typst/src/visualize/polygon.rs
+++ b/crates/typst/src/visualize/polygon.rs
@@ -171,7 +171,6 @@ impl Layout for Packed<PolygonElem> {
 
         let shape = Shape { geometry: Geometry::Path(path), stroke, fill };
         frame.push(Point::zero(), FrameItem::Shape(shape, self.span()));
-        frame.meta(styles, false);
 
         Ok(Fragment::frame(frame))
     }
diff --git a/crates/typst/src/visualize/shape.rs b/crates/typst/src/visualize/shape.rs
index b8938d3ba..dd559b475 100644
--- a/crates/typst/src/visualize/shape.rs
+++ b/crates/typst/src/visualize/shape.rs
@@ -523,9 +523,6 @@ fn layout(
         }
     }
 
-    // Apply metadata.
-    frame.meta(styles, false);
-
     Ok(Fragment::frame(frame))
 }