diff --git a/cypress/integration/directory.spec.js b/cypress/integration/directory.spec.js
--- a/cypress/integration/directory.spec.js
+++ b/cypress/integration/directory.spec.js
@@ -72,4 +72,12 @@
     cy.get('.swh-directory-table')
       .should('be.visible');
   });
+
+  it('should have metadata available from javascript', function() {
+    cy.window().then(win => {
+      const metadata = win.swh.webapp.getBrowsedSwhObjectMetadata();
+      expect(metadata).to.not.be.empty;
+      expect(metadata).to.have.any.keys('directory');
+    });
+  });
 });
diff --git a/swh/web/templates/includes/show-metadata.html b/swh/web/templates/includes/show-metadata.html
--- a/swh/web/templates/includes/show-metadata.html
+++ b/swh/web/templates/includes/show-metadata.html
@@ -7,30 +7,32 @@
 
 {% load swh_templatetags %}
 
-<button id="metadata-toggler" class="btn btn-default btn-sm swh-popover-toggler" data-toggle="popover" data-popover-content="#metadata-popover">
-  <i class="mdi mdi-table mdi-fw" aria-hidden="true"></i>
-  Show metadata
-</button>
+{% if user.is_staff %}
+  <button id="metadata-toggler" class="btn btn-default btn-sm swh-popover-toggler" data-toggle="popover" data-popover-content="#metadata-popover">
+    <i class="mdi mdi-table mdi-fw" aria-hidden="true"></i>
+    Show metadata
+  </button>
 
-<div id="metadata-popover" style="display:none;">
-  <div class="popover-heading">{{ swh_object_name }} metadata</div>
-  <div class="popover-body">
-    <table class="table">
-      <tbody>
-        {% for key, val in swh_object_metadata.items|dictsort:"0.lower" %}
-          {% if val is not None and val != '' %}
-            <tr>
-              <th class="swh-metadata-table-row swh-metadata-table-key">{{ key }}</th>
-              <td class="swh-metadata-table-row swh-metadata-table-value">
-                <pre>{{ val | escape }}</pre>
-              </td>
-            </tr>
-          {% endif %}
-        {% endfor %}
-      </tbody>
-    </table>
+  <div id="metadata-popover" style="display:none;">
+    <div class="popover-heading">{{ swh_object_name }} metadata</div>
+    <div class="popover-body">
+      <table class="table">
+        <tbody>
+          {% for key, val in swh_object_metadata.items|dictsort:"0.lower" %}
+            {% if val is not None and val != '' %}
+              <tr>
+                <th class="swh-metadata-table-row swh-metadata-table-key">{{ key }}</th>
+                <td class="swh-metadata-table-row swh-metadata-table-value">
+                  <pre>{{ val | escape }}</pre>
+                </td>
+              </tr>
+            {% endif %}
+          {% endfor %}
+        </tbody>
+      </table>
+    </div>
   </div>
-</div>
+{% endif %}
 
 <script>
   swh.webapp.setBrowsedSwhObjectMetadata({{ swh_object_metadata|jsonify }})
diff --git a/swh/web/templates/includes/top-navigation.html b/swh/web/templates/includes/top-navigation.html
--- a/swh/web/templates/includes/top-navigation.html
+++ b/swh/web/templates/includes/top-navigation.html
@@ -111,9 +111,7 @@
         {% include "includes/vault-create-tasks.html" %}
       {% endif %}
       {% include "includes/take-new-snapshot.html" %}
-      {% if user.is_staff %}
-        {% include "includes/show-metadata.html" %}
-      {% endif %}
+      {% include "includes/show-metadata.html" %}
     {% endif %}
   </div>
 </div>