diff --git a/DOCS/interface-changes/cmd-set-metadata.txt b/DOCS/interface-changes/cmd-set-metadata.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..34c8acf3c8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/DOCS/interface-changes/cmd-set-metadata.txt
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+make the `metadata/by-key` property writable
diff --git a/DOCS/man/input.rst b/DOCS/man/input.rst
index f043580c8e..50033a64ba 100644
--- a/DOCS/man/input.rst
+++ b/DOCS/man/input.rst
@@ -2477,7 +2477,7 @@ Property list
 
     This has a number of sub-properties:
 
-    ``metadata/by-key/<key>``
+    ``metadata/by-key/<key>`` (RW)
         Value of metadata entry ``<key>``.
 
     ``metadata/list/count``
diff --git a/player/command.c b/player/command.c
index f1b11ac319..bbe6bbaef5 100644
--- a/player/command.c
+++ b/player/command.c
@@ -1329,18 +1329,22 @@ static int tag_property(int action, void *arg, struct mp_tags *tags)
         // Direct access without this prefix is allowed for compatibility.
         bstr k = bstr0(ka->key);
         bstr_eatstart0(&k, "by-key/");
-        char *meta = mp_tags_get_bstr(tags, k);
-        if (!meta)
-            return M_PROPERTY_UNKNOWN;
         switch (ka->action) {
-        case M_PROPERTY_GET:
+        case M_PROPERTY_GET: {
+            char *meta = mp_tags_get_bstr(tags, k);
+            if (!meta)
+                return M_PROPERTY_UNKNOWN;
             *(char **)ka->arg = talloc_strdup(NULL, meta);
             return M_PROPERTY_OK;
+        }
         case M_PROPERTY_GET_TYPE:
             *(struct m_option *)ka->arg = (struct m_option){
                 .type = CONF_TYPE_STRING,
             };
             return M_PROPERTY_OK;
+        case M_PROPERTY_SET:
+            mp_tags_set_bstr(tags, k, bstr0(*(char **)ka->arg));
+            return M_PROPERTY_OK;
         }
     }
     }