diff --git a/wp-includes/class-wp-xmlrpc-server.php b/wp-includes/class-wp-xmlrpc-server.php
index be7b4f5b54..4fde4636fb 100644
--- a/wp-includes/class-wp-xmlrpc-server.php
+++ b/wp-includes/class-wp-xmlrpc-server.php
@@ -276,11 +276,11 @@ class wp_xmlrpc_server extends IXR_Server {
 			if ( isset($meta['id']) ) {
 				$meta['id'] = (int) $meta['id'];
 				$pmeta = get_metadata_by_mid( 'post', $meta['id'] );
-				$meta['value'] = stripslashes_deep( $meta['value'] );
 				if ( isset($meta['key']) ) {
 					$meta['key'] = stripslashes( $meta['key'] );
 					if ( $meta['key'] != $pmeta->meta_key )
 						continue;
+					$meta['value'] = stripslashes_deep( $meta['value'] );
 					if ( current_user_can( 'edit_post_meta', $post_id, $meta['key'] ) )
 						update_metadata_by_mid( 'post', $meta['id'], $meta['value'] );
 				} elseif ( current_user_can( 'delete_post_meta', $post_id, $pmeta->meta_key ) ) {