diff --git a/src/bin/set-version/set_version.rs b/src/bin/set-version/set_version.rs
index 66e74f0976..d5a08d83b9 100644
--- a/src/bin/set-version/set_version.rs
+++ b/src/bin/set-version/set_version.rs
@@ -108,11 +108,12 @@ fn exec(args: VersionArgs) -> CargoResult<()> {
         unstable_features: _,
     } = args;
 
-    let target = match (target, bump) {
-        (None, None) => TargetVersion::Relative(BumpLevel::Release),
-        (None, Some(level)) => TargetVersion::Relative(level),
-        (Some(version), None) => TargetVersion::Absolute(version),
-        (Some(_), Some(_)) => unreachable!("clap groups should prevent this"),
+    let target = match (target, bump, &metadata) {
+        (None, None, Some(_)) => TargetVersion::Unchanged,
+        (None, None, None) => TargetVersion::Relative(BumpLevel::Release),
+        (None, Some(level), _) => TargetVersion::Relative(level),
+        (Some(version), None, _) => TargetVersion::Absolute(version),
+        (Some(_), Some(_), _) => unreachable!("clap groups should prevent this"),
     };
 
     let ws_metadata = resolve_ws(manifest_path.as_deref(), locked, offline)?;
diff --git a/src/bin/set-version/version.rs b/src/bin/set-version/version.rs
index 254ade9ebc..5223c11719 100644
--- a/src/bin/set-version/version.rs
+++ b/src/bin/set-version/version.rs
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ use crate::errors::*;
 pub enum TargetVersion {
     Relative(BumpLevel),
     Absolute(semver::Version),
+    Unchanged,
 }
 
 impl TargetVersion {
@@ -17,6 +18,13 @@ impl TargetVersion {
         metadata: Option<&str>,
     ) -> CargoResult<Option<semver::Version>> {
         match self {
+            TargetVersion::Unchanged => {
+                let mut potential_version = current.to_owned();
+                if let Some(metadata) = metadata {
+                    potential_version.metadata(metadata)?;
+                };
+                Ok(Some(potential_version))
+            }
             TargetVersion::Relative(bump_level) => {
                 let mut potential_version = current.to_owned();
                 bump_level.bump_version(&mut potential_version, metadata)?;
diff --git a/src/version.rs b/src/version.rs
index 5466672544..fe9183503d 100644
--- a/src/version.rs
+++ b/src/version.rs
@@ -289,6 +289,9 @@ mod test {
             let mut v = semver::Version::parse("1.0.0").unwrap();
             v.metadata("git.123456").unwrap();
             assert_eq!(v, semver::Version::parse("1.0.0+git.123456").unwrap());
+            let mut v = semver::Version::parse("1.0.0-dev10").unwrap();
+            v.metadata("git.123456").unwrap();
+            assert_eq!(v, semver::Version::parse("1.0.0-dev10+git.123456").unwrap());
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/tests/cargo-set-version/main.rs b/tests/cargo-set-version/main.rs
index 490d8c1444..421d1d30d0 100644
--- a/tests/cargo-set-version/main.rs
+++ b/tests/cargo-set-version/main.rs
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ mod ignore_dependent;
 mod relative_absolute_conflict;
 mod set_absolute_version;
 mod set_absolute_workspace_version;
+mod set_metadata;
+mod set_relative_release;
 mod set_relative_version;
 mod set_relative_workspace_version;
 mod upgrade_compatible_dependency;