// meta-versions are not valid <version/> values...don't write them.
            metadata.setVersion(null);
        }

        if (changed || !metadataFile.exists()) {
            metadataFile.getParentFile().mkdirs();
            try (OutputStream output = Files.newOutputStream(metadataFile.toPath())) {
                MetadataStaxWriter mappingWriter = new MetadataStaxWriter();