diff --git a/domain-server/src/DomainMetadata.cpp b/domain-server/src/DomainMetadata.cpp
index b920ab022b..262d4ea0f1 100644
--- a/domain-server/src/DomainMetadata.cpp
+++ b/domain-server/src/DomainMetadata.cpp
@@ -54,22 +54,11 @@ const QString DomainMetadata::Descriptors::TAGS = "tags";
 //
 // it is meant to be sent to and consumed by an external API
 
-DomainMetadata::DomainMetadata(QObject* domainServer) : QObject(domainServer) {
+DomainMetadata::DomainMetadata() {
     // set up the structure necessary for casting during parsing
     _metadata[USERS] = QVariantMap {};
     _metadata[DESCRIPTORS] = QVariantMap {};
 
-    assert(dynamic_cast<DomainServer*>(domainServer));
-    DomainServer* server = static_cast<DomainServer*>(domainServer);
-
-    // update the metadata when a user (dis)connects
-    connect(server, &DomainServer::userConnected, this, &DomainMetadata::usersChanged);
-    connect(server, &DomainServer::userDisconnected, this, &DomainMetadata::usersChanged);
-
-    // update the metadata when security changes
-    connect(&server->_settingsManager, &DomainServerSettingsManager::updateNodePermissions,
-        this, static_cast<void(DomainMetadata::*)()>(&DomainMetadata::securityChanged));
-
     // initialize the descriptors
     securityChanged(false);
     descriptorsChanged();
diff --git a/domain-server/src/DomainMetadata.h b/domain-server/src/DomainMetadata.h
index 4c4f8ecf3c..ba6b1b88a6 100644
--- a/domain-server/src/DomainMetadata.h
+++ b/domain-server/src/DomainMetadata.h
@@ -42,8 +42,8 @@ public:
         static const QString TAGS;
     };
 
-    DomainMetadata(QObject* domainServer);
-    DomainMetadata() = delete;
+    DomainMetadata();
+    ~DomainMetadata() = default;
     
     // Get cached metadata
     QJsonObject get();
@@ -54,7 +54,6 @@ public:
 public slots:
     void descriptorsChanged();
     void securityChanged(bool send);
-    void securityChanged() { securityChanged(true); }
     void usersChanged();
 
 protected:
diff --git a/domain-server/src/DomainServer.cpp b/domain-server/src/DomainServer.cpp
index d244fc99c6..7ff0459f21 100644
--- a/domain-server/src/DomainServer.cpp
+++ b/domain-server/src/DomainServer.cpp
@@ -268,10 +268,17 @@ DomainServer::DomainServer(int argc, char* argv[]) :
     }
 
     // send signal to DomainMetadata when descriptors changed
-    _metadata = new DomainMetadata(this);
+    _metadata = new DomainMetadata();
     connect(&_settingsManager, &DomainServerSettingsManager::settingsUpdated,
             _metadata, &DomainMetadata::descriptorsChanged);
 
+    // update the metadata when a user (dis)connects
+    connect(this, &DomainServer::userConnected, _metadata, &DomainMetadata::usersChanged);
+    connect(this, &DomainServer::userDisconnected, _metadata, &DomainMetadata::usersChanged);
+
+    // update the metadata when security changes
+    connect(&_settingsManager, &DomainServerSettingsManager::updateNodePermissions, [this] { _metadata->securityChanged(true); });
+
     qDebug() << "domain-server is running";
     static const QString AC_SUBNET_WHITELIST_SETTING_PATH = "security.ac_subnet_whitelist";
 
@@ -3086,7 +3093,7 @@ void DomainServer::initializeMetadataExporter() {
 
     if (isMetadataExporterEnabled && !_httpMetadataExporterManager) {
         qCInfo(domain_server) << "Starting Metadata exporter on port " << metadataExporterPort;
-        _httpMetadataExporterManager = new HTTPManager(QHostAddress::Any, (quint16)metadataExporterPort, QString("%1/resources/metadata_exporter/").arg(QCoreApplication::applicationDirPath()), &_metadataExporter);
+        _httpMetadataExporterManager = new HTTPManager(QHostAddress::Any, (quint16)metadataExporterPort, QString("%1/resources/metadata_exporter/").arg(QCoreApplication::applicationDirPath()), _metadata);
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/domain-server/src/DomainServer.h b/domain-server/src/DomainServer.h
index a4a47f5f46..c27500d5ce 100644
--- a/domain-server/src/DomainServer.h
+++ b/domain-server/src/DomainServer.h
@@ -238,7 +238,6 @@ private:
 
     DomainGatekeeper _gatekeeper;
     DomainServerExporter _exporter;
-    DomainMetadata _metadataExporter;
 
     HTTPManager _httpManager;
     HTTPManager* _httpExporterManager { nullptr };