diff --git a/include/behaviortree_cpp/basic_types.h b/include/behaviortree_cpp/basic_types.h
index a86e31504..4e01392db 100644
--- a/include/behaviortree_cpp/basic_types.h
+++ b/include/behaviortree_cpp/basic_types.h
@@ -10,7 +10,9 @@
 #include <chrono>
 #include <memory>
 #include <string_view>
+#include <utility>
 #include <variant>
+#include <vector>
 #include <optional>
 
 #include "behaviortree_cpp/utils/safe_any.hpp"
@@ -438,14 +440,14 @@ struct has_static_method_providedPorts<
 };
 
 template <typename T, typename = void>
-struct has_static_method_description : std::false_type
+struct has_static_method_metadata : std::false_type
 {
 };
 
 template <typename T>
-struct has_static_method_description<
+struct has_static_method_metadata<
     T, typename std::enable_if<
-           std::is_same<decltype(T::description()), std::string>::value>::type>
+           std::is_same<decltype(T::metadata()), std::vector<std::pair<std::string, std::string>>>::value>::type>
   : std::true_type
 {
 };
@@ -467,4 +469,3 @@ using TimePoint = std::chrono::high_resolution_clock::time_point;
 using Duration = std::chrono::high_resolution_clock::duration;
 
 }   // namespace BT
-
diff --git a/include/behaviortree_cpp/bt_factory.h b/include/behaviortree_cpp/bt_factory.h
index 4c126b7e3..cbbecea00 100644
--- a/include/behaviortree_cpp/bt_factory.h
+++ b/include/behaviortree_cpp/bt_factory.h
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@
 #include <unordered_map>
 #include <unordered_set>
 #include <set>
+#include <utility>
+#include <vector>
 
 #include "behaviortree_cpp/contrib/magic_enum.hpp"
 #include "behaviortree_cpp/behavior_tree.h"
@@ -44,13 +46,11 @@ template <typename T>
 inline TreeNodeManifest CreateManifest(const std::string& ID,
                                        PortsList portlist = getProvidedPorts<T>())
 {
-  if constexpr( has_static_method_description<T>::value)
+  if constexpr( has_static_method_metadata<T>::value )
   {
-    return {getType<T>(), ID, portlist, T::description()};
-  }
-  else {
-    return {getType<T>(), ID, portlist, {}};
+    return {getType<T>(), ID, portlist, T::metadata()};
   }
+  return {getType<T>(), ID, portlist, {}};
 }
 
 #ifdef BT_PLUGIN_EXPORT
@@ -425,10 +425,10 @@ class BehaviorTreeFactory
   Tree createTree(const std::string& tree_name,
                   Blackboard::Ptr blackboard = Blackboard::create());
 
-  /// Add a description to a specific manifest. This description will be added
+  /// Add metadata to a specific manifest. This metadata will be added
   /// to <TreeNodesModel> with the function writeTreeNodesModelXML()
-  void addDescriptionToManifest(const std::string& node_id,
-                                const std::string& description);
+  void addMetadataToManifest(const std::string& node_id,
+                             const std::vector<std::pair<std::string, std::string>>& metadata);
 
   /**
    * @brief Add an Enum to the scripting language.
diff --git a/include/behaviortree_cpp/tree_node.h b/include/behaviortree_cpp/tree_node.h
index 20246dbc4..788addd38 100644
--- a/include/behaviortree_cpp/tree_node.h
+++ b/include/behaviortree_cpp/tree_node.h
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@
 #include <exception>
 #include <mutex>
 #include <map>
+#include <utility>
+#include <vector>
 
 #include "behaviortree_cpp/utils/signal.h"
 #include "behaviortree_cpp/basic_types.h"
@@ -38,7 +40,7 @@ struct TreeNodeManifest
   NodeType type;
   std::string registration_ID;
   PortsList ports;
-  std::string description;
+  std::vector<std::pair<std::string, std::string>> metadata;
 };
 
 using PortsRemapping = std::unordered_map<std::string, std::string>;
diff --git a/src/bt_factory.cpp b/src/bt_factory.cpp
index e14ca8162..ec7a0b777 100644
--- a/src/bt_factory.cpp
+++ b/src/bt_factory.cpp
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ BehaviorTreeFactory::BehaviorTreeFactory():
   registerNodeType<SwitchNode<4>>("Switch4");
   registerNodeType<SwitchNode<5>>("Switch5");
   registerNodeType<SwitchNode<6>>("Switch6");
-  
+
   registerNodeType<LoopNode<int>>("LoopInt");
   registerNodeType<LoopNode<bool>>("LoopBool");
   registerNodeType<LoopNode<double>>("LoopDouble");
@@ -435,15 +435,15 @@ Tree BehaviorTreeFactory::createTree(const std::string& tree_name,
   return tree;
 }
 
-void BehaviorTreeFactory::addDescriptionToManifest(const std::string& node_id,
-                                                   const std::string& description)
+void BehaviorTreeFactory::addMetadataToManifest(const std::string& node_id,
+                                                const std::vector<std::pair<std::string, std::string>>& metadata)
 {
   auto it = _p->manifests.find(node_id);
   if (it == _p->manifests.end())
   {
-    throw std::runtime_error("addDescriptionToManifest: wrong ID");
+    throw std::runtime_error("addMetadataToManifest: wrong ID");
   }
-  it->second.description = description;
+  it->second.metadata = metadata;
 }
 
 void BehaviorTreeFactory::registerScriptingEnum(StringView name, int value)
diff --git a/src/xml_parsing.cpp b/src/xml_parsing.cpp
index 6fc77d9aa..87435a4c0 100644
--- a/src/xml_parsing.cpp
+++ b/src/xml_parsing.cpp
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ struct XMLParser::PImpl
   std::map<std::string, SubtreeModel> subtree_models;
 
   int suffix_count;
-  
+
   explicit PImpl(const BehaviorTreeFactory& fact) :
     factory(fact), current_path(std::filesystem::current_path()), suffix_count(0)
   {}
@@ -982,11 +982,18 @@ void addNodeModelToXML(const TreeNodeManifest& model,
     element->InsertEndChild(port_element);
   }
 
-  if (!model.description.empty())
+  if (!model.metadata.empty())
   {
-    auto description_element = doc.NewElement("description");
-    description_element->SetText(model.description.c_str());
-    element->InsertEndChild(description_element);
+    auto metadata_root = doc.NewElement("MetadataFields");
+
+    for (const auto& [name, value] : model.metadata)
+    {
+      auto metadata_element = doc.NewElement("Metadata");
+      metadata_element->SetAttribute(name.c_str(), value.c_str());
+      metadata_root->InsertEndChild(metadata_element);
+    }
+
+    element->InsertEndChild(metadata_root);
   }
 
   model_root->InsertEndChild(element);
@@ -997,7 +1004,7 @@ void addTreeToXML(const Tree& tree,
                   XMLElement* rootXML,
                   bool add_metadata,
                   bool add_builtin_models)
-{  
+{
   std::function<void(const TreeNode&, XMLElement*)> addNode;
   addNode = [&](const TreeNode& node,
                 XMLElement* parent_elem)
diff --git a/tests/gtest_factory.cpp b/tests/gtest_factory.cpp
index 3cfe3831f..5dc7b9e9c 100644
--- a/tests/gtest_factory.cpp
+++ b/tests/gtest_factory.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 #include <gtest/gtest.h>
 #include <filesystem>
+#include <string>
+#include <utility>
+#include <vector>
 #include "behaviortree_cpp/xml_parsing.h"
 #include "../sample_nodes/crossdoor_nodes.h"
 #include "../sample_nodes/dummy_nodes.h"
@@ -388,10 +391,18 @@ TEST(BehaviorTreeReload, ReloadSameTree)
   }
 }
 
-class DescriptiveAction : public SyncActionNode
+std::vector<std::pair<std::string, std::string>> makeTestMetadata()
+{
+  return {
+    std::make_pair<std::string, std::string>("foo", "hello"),
+    std::make_pair<std::string, std::string>("bar", "42"),
+  };
+}
+
+class ActionWithMetadata : public SyncActionNode
 {
 public:
-  DescriptiveAction(const std::string& name, const NodeConfig& config):
+  ActionWithMetadata(const std::string& name, const NodeConfig& config):
     SyncActionNode(name, config) {}
 
   BT::NodeStatus tick() override {
@@ -402,21 +413,39 @@ class DescriptiveAction : public SyncActionNode
     return {};
   }
 
-  static std::string description() {
-    return "THE DESCRIPTION";
+  static std::vector<std::pair<std::string, std::string>> metadata() {
+    return makeTestMetadata();
   }
 };
 
-TEST(BehaviorTreeFactory, DescriptionMethod)
+TEST(BehaviorTreeFactory, ManifestMethod)
 {
+  const char* expectedXML = R"(
+        <Action ID="ActionWithMetadata">
+            <MetadataFields>
+                <Metadata foo="hello"/>
+                <Metadata bar="42"/>
+            </MetadataFields>
+        </Action>)";
 
   BehaviorTreeFactory factory;
-  factory.registerNodeType<DescriptiveAction>("DescriptiveAction");
-  const auto& manifest = factory.manifests().at("DescriptiveAction");
-  ASSERT_EQ(manifest.description, "THE DESCRIPTION");
+  factory.registerNodeType<ActionWithMetadata>("ActionWithMetadata");
+  const auto& manifest = factory.manifests().at("ActionWithMetadata");
+  EXPECT_EQ(manifest.metadata, makeTestMetadata());
 
   auto xml = writeTreeNodesModelXML(factory, false);
   std::cout << xml << std::endl;
 
-  ASSERT_NE(xml.find( "<description>THE DESCRIPTION</description>"), std::string::npos);
+  EXPECT_NE(xml.find(expectedXML), std::string::npos);
+}
+
+TEST(BehaviorTreeFactory, addMetadataToManifest)
+{
+  BehaviorTreeFactory factory;
+  factory.registerNodeType<DummyNodes::SaySomething>("SaySomething");
+  const auto& initial_manifest = factory.manifests().at("SaySomething");
+  EXPECT_TRUE(initial_manifest.metadata.empty());
+  factory.addMetadataToManifest("SaySomething", makeTestMetadata());
+  const auto& modified_manifest = factory.manifests().at("SaySomething");
+  EXPECT_EQ(modified_manifest.metadata, makeTestMetadata());
 }