diff --git a/src/libostree/ostree-repo.c b/src/libostree/ostree-repo.c
index e43d4dcd..33ca0ae8 100644
--- a/src/libostree/ostree-repo.c
+++ b/src/libostree/ostree-repo.c
@@ -3143,6 +3143,23 @@ ostree_repo_import_object_from (OstreeRepo           *self,
                                                checksum, TRUE, cancellable, error);
 }
 
+static gboolean
+import_via_hardlink_is_possible (OstreeRepo *src_repo,
+                                 OstreeRepo *dest_repo,
+                                 OstreeObjectType objtype)
+{
+  /* We need the ability to make hardlinks */
+  if (src_repo->owner_uid != dest_repo->owner_uid)
+    return FALSE;
+  /* Equal modes are always compatible */
+  if (src_repo->mode == dest_repo->mode)
+    return TRUE;
+  /* Metadata is identical between all modes */
+  if (OSTREE_OBJECT_TYPE_IS_META (objtype))
+    return TRUE;
+  return FALSE;
+}
+
 /**
  * ostree_repo_import_object_from_with_trust:
  * @self: Destination repo
@@ -3174,9 +3191,7 @@ ostree_repo_import_object_from_with_trust (OstreeRepo           *self,
    * repository modes to match, as well as the owner uid (since we need to be
    * able to make hardlinks).
    */
-  if (trusted &&
-      self->mode == source->mode &&
-      self->owner_uid == source->owner_uid)
+  if (trusted && import_via_hardlink_is_possible (source, self, objtype))
     {
       gboolean hardlink_was_supported = FALSE;
 
diff --git a/tests/basic-test.sh b/tests/basic-test.sh
index e3e442e9..f6aa72c2 100644
--- a/tests/basic-test.sh
+++ b/tests/basic-test.sh
@@ -254,9 +254,18 @@ echo "ok diff file changing type"
 
 cd ${test_tmpdir}
 mkdir repo2
-ostree_repo_init repo2 --mode=bare-user
+# Use a different mode to test hardlinking metadata only
+if grep -q 'mode=archive' repo/config || is_bare_user_only_repo repo; then
+    opposite_mode=bare-user
+else
+    opposite_mode=archive
+fi
+ostree_repo_init repo2 --mode=$opposite_mode
 ${CMD_PREFIX} ostree --repo=repo2 pull-local repo
-echo "ok pull-local"
+test2_commitid=$(${CMD_PREFIX} ostree --repo=repo rev-parse test2)
+test2_commit_relpath=/objects/${test2_commitid:0:2}/${test2_commitid:2}.commit
+assert_files_hardlinked repo/${test2_commit_relpath} repo2/${test2_commit_relpath}
+echo "ok pull-local (hardlinking metadata)"
 
 cd ${test_tmpdir}
 ${CMD_PREFIX} ostree --repo=repo2 checkout ${CHECKOUT_U_ARG} test2 test2-checkout-from-local-clone