diff --git a/inventory_provider/tasks/worker.py b/inventory_provider/tasks/worker.py
index 619ebdf11566bf8a0cdf0b539c72d9ca075eff66..8726aaf4885def62f661fdb36c542a566942a87e 100644
--- a/inventory_provider/tasks/worker.py
+++ b/inventory_provider/tasks/worker.py
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ class InventoryTask(Task):
             logging.debug("loaded config: %r" % InventoryTask.config)
 
     def update_state(self, **kwargs):
-        meta = kwargs.get('meta', dict())
+        meta = kwargs.setdefault('meta', dict())
         meta['task'] = self.name
         logger.debug(json.dumps(
             {'state': kwargs['state'], 'meta': str(meta)}