Index: gdal_pam.h
===================================================================
--- gdal_pam.h	(revision 23088)
+++ gdal_pam.h	(working copy)
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@
 #define GPF_DISABLED            0x04  // do not try any PAM stuff. 
 #define GPF_AUXMODE             0x08  // store info in .aux (HFA) file.
 #define GPF_NOSAVE              0x10  // do not try to save pam info.
+#define GPF_NOSAVEMETADATA      0x20  // do not try to save metadata - use if metadata is supported internally
 
 /* ==================================================================== */
 /*      GDALDatasetPamInfo                                              */
Index: gdalpamdataset.cpp
===================================================================
--- gdalpamdataset.cpp	(revision 23088)
+++ gdalpamdataset.cpp	(working copy)
@@ -203,15 +203,18 @@
 /* -------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 /*      Metadata.                                                       */
 /* -------------------------------------------------------------------- */
-    CPLXMLNode *psMD;
 
-    psMD = oMDMD.Serialize();
-    if( psMD != NULL )
-    {
-        if( psMD->psChild == NULL && psMD->psNext == NULL )
-            CPLDestroyXMLNode( psMD );
-        else
-            CPLAddXMLChild( psDSTree, psMD );
+    if ( ! ( nPamFlags & GPF_NOSAVEMETADATA ) ) {
+        CPLXMLNode *psMD;
+        
+        psMD = oMDMD.Serialize();
+        if( psMD != NULL )
+        {
+            if( psMD->psChild == NULL && psMD->psNext == NULL )
+                CPLDestroyXMLNode( psMD );
+            else
+                CPLAddXMLChild( psDSTree, psMD );
+        }
     }
 
 /* -------------------------------------------------------------------- */