diff --git a/RELEASENOTES.md b/RELEASENOTES.md
index eb229a98cc..7a40269cfd 100644
--- a/RELEASENOTES.md
+++ b/RELEASENOTES.md
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@
   ([#4690](https://github.com/google/ExoPlayer/issues/4690)).
 * Fix issue with applying the `show_buffering` attribute in `PlayerView`
   ([#5139](https://github.com/google/ExoPlayer/issues/5139)).
+* Fix issue where null `Metadata` was output when it failed to decode
+  ([#5149](https://github.com/google/ExoPlayer/issues/5149)).
 
 ### 2.9.1 ###
 
diff --git a/library/core/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/metadata/MetadataRenderer.java b/library/core/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/metadata/MetadataRenderer.java
index 152eb97e0c..864616e810 100644
--- a/library/core/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/metadata/MetadataRenderer.java
+++ b/library/core/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/metadata/MetadataRenderer.java
@@ -129,9 +129,12 @@ public final class MetadataRenderer extends BaseRenderer implements Callback {
           buffer.subsampleOffsetUs = formatHolder.format.subsampleOffsetUs;
           buffer.flip();
           int index = (pendingMetadataIndex + pendingMetadataCount) % MAX_PENDING_METADATA_COUNT;
-          pendingMetadata[index] = decoder.decode(buffer);
-          pendingMetadataTimestamps[index] = buffer.timeUs;
-          pendingMetadataCount++;
+          Metadata metadata = decoder.decode(buffer);
+          if (metadata != null) {
+            pendingMetadata[index] = metadata;
+            pendingMetadataTimestamps[index] = buffer.timeUs;
+            pendingMetadataCount++;
+          }
         }
       }
     }