diff --git a/src/meta_plugin/system.rs b/src/meta_plugin/system.rs
index d720c13..72e1546 100644
--- a/src/meta_plugin/system.rs
+++ b/src/meta_plugin/system.rs
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ use crate::meta_plugin::MetaPlugin;
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Default)]
 pub struct CwdMetaPlugin {
     meta_name: String,
+    is_saved: bool,
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Default)]
@@ -107,6 +108,7 @@ impl CwdMetaPlugin {
     pub fn new() -> CwdMetaPlugin {
         CwdMetaPlugin {
             meta_name: "cwd".to_string(),
+            is_saved: false,
         }
     }
 }
@@ -121,6 +123,9 @@ impl MetaPlugin for CwdMetaPlugin {
     }
 
     fn finalize(&mut self) -> io::Result<String> {
+        if self.is_saved {
+            return Ok("".to_string()); // Already saved, return empty to avoid duplicate
+        }
         match env::current_dir() {
             Ok(path) => Ok(path.to_string_lossy().to_string()),
             Err(_) => Ok("unknown".to_string()),
@@ -141,7 +146,7 @@ impl MetaPlugin for CwdMetaPlugin {
             Err(_) => "unknown".to_string(),
         };
         self.save_meta(conn, item_id, cwd)?;
-        // Mark as saved to prevent duplicate saves
+        self.is_saved = true;
         Ok(())
     }
 }
@@ -149,12 +154,14 @@ impl MetaPlugin for CwdMetaPlugin {
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Default)]
 pub struct UidMetaPlugin {
     meta_name: String,
+    is_saved: bool,
 }
 
 impl UidMetaPlugin {
     pub fn new() -> UidMetaPlugin {
         UidMetaPlugin {
             meta_name: "uid".to_string(),
+            is_saved: false,
         }
     }
 }
@@ -169,6 +176,9 @@ impl MetaPlugin for UidMetaPlugin {
     }
 
     fn finalize(&mut self) -> io::Result<String> {
+        if self.is_saved {
+            return Ok("".to_string()); // Already saved, return empty to avoid duplicate
+        }
         Ok(get_current_uid().to_string())
     }
 
@@ -183,6 +193,7 @@ impl MetaPlugin for UidMetaPlugin {
     fn initialize(&mut self, conn: &Connection, item_id: i64) -> Result<()> {
         let uid = get_current_uid().to_string();
         self.save_meta(conn, item_id, uid)?;
+        self.is_saved = true;
         Ok(())
     }
 }
@@ -190,12 +201,14 @@ impl MetaPlugin for UidMetaPlugin {
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Default)]
 pub struct UserMetaPlugin {
     meta_name: String,
+    is_saved: bool,
 }
 
 impl UserMetaPlugin {
     pub fn new() -> UserMetaPlugin {
         UserMetaPlugin {
             meta_name: "user".to_string(),
+            is_saved: false,
         }
     }
 }
@@ -210,6 +223,9 @@ impl MetaPlugin for UserMetaPlugin {
     }
 
     fn finalize(&mut self) -> io::Result<String> {
+        if self.is_saved {
+            return Ok("".to_string()); // Already saved, return empty to avoid duplicate
+        }
         match get_current_username() {
             Some(username) => Ok(username.to_string_lossy().to_string()),
             None => Ok("unknown".to_string()),
@@ -230,7 +246,7 @@ impl MetaPlugin for UserMetaPlugin {
             None => "unknown".to_string(),
         };
         self.save_meta(conn, item_id, user)?;
-        // Mark as saved to prevent duplicate saves
+        self.is_saved = true;
         Ok(())
     }
 }
@@ -238,12 +254,14 @@ impl MetaPlugin for UserMetaPlugin {
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Default)]
 pub struct GidMetaPlugin {
     meta_name: String,
+    is_saved: bool,
 }
 
 impl GidMetaPlugin {
     pub fn new() -> GidMetaPlugin {
         GidMetaPlugin {
             meta_name: "gid".to_string(),
+            is_saved: false,
         }
     }
 }
@@ -258,6 +276,9 @@ impl MetaPlugin for GidMetaPlugin {
     }
 
     fn finalize(&mut self) -> io::Result<String> {
+        if self.is_saved {
+            return Ok("".to_string()); // Already saved, return empty to avoid duplicate
+        }
         Ok(get_current_gid().to_string())
     }
 
@@ -272,7 +293,7 @@ impl MetaPlugin for GidMetaPlugin {
     fn initialize(&mut self, conn: &Connection, item_id: i64) -> Result<()> {
         let gid = get_current_gid().to_string();
         self.save_meta(conn, item_id, gid)?;
-        // Mark as saved to prevent duplicate saves
+        self.is_saved = true;
         Ok(())
     }
 }
@@ -280,12 +301,14 @@ impl MetaPlugin for GidMetaPlugin {
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Default)]
 pub struct GroupMetaPlugin {
     meta_name: String,
+    is_saved: bool,
 }
 
 impl GroupMetaPlugin {
     pub fn new() -> GroupMetaPlugin {
         GroupMetaPlugin {
             meta_name: "group".to_string(),
+            is_saved: false,
         }
     }
 }
@@ -300,6 +323,9 @@ impl MetaPlugin for GroupMetaPlugin {
     }
 
     fn finalize(&mut self) -> io::Result<String> {
+        if self.is_saved {
+            return Ok("".to_string()); // Already saved, return empty to avoid duplicate
+        }
         match get_current_groupname() {
             Some(groupname) => Ok(groupname.to_string_lossy().to_string()),
             None => Ok("unknown".to_string()),
@@ -320,7 +346,7 @@ impl MetaPlugin for GroupMetaPlugin {
             None => "unknown".to_string(),
         };
         self.save_meta(conn, item_id, group)?;
-        // Mark as saved to prevent duplicate saves
+        self.is_saved = true;
         Ok(())
     }
 }
@@ -328,12 +354,14 @@ impl MetaPlugin for GroupMetaPlugin {
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Default)]
 pub struct ShellMetaPlugin {
     meta_name: String,
+    is_saved: bool,
 }
 
 impl ShellMetaPlugin {
     pub fn new() -> ShellMetaPlugin {
         ShellMetaPlugin {
             meta_name: "shell".to_string(),
+            is_saved: false,
         }
     }
 }
@@ -348,6 +376,9 @@ impl MetaPlugin for ShellMetaPlugin {
     }
 
     fn finalize(&mut self) -> io::Result<String> {
+        if self.is_saved {
+            return Ok("".to_string()); // Already saved, return empty to avoid duplicate
+        }
         match env::var("SHELL") {
             Ok(shell) => Ok(shell),
             Err(_) => Ok("unknown".to_string()),
@@ -368,7 +399,7 @@ impl MetaPlugin for ShellMetaPlugin {
             Err(_) => "unknown".to_string(),
         };
         self.save_meta(conn, item_id, shell)?;
-        // Mark as saved to prevent duplicate saves
+        self.is_saved = true;
         Ok(())
     }
 }
@@ -376,12 +407,14 @@ impl MetaPlugin for ShellMetaPlugin {
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Default)]
 pub struct ShellPidMetaPlugin {
     meta_name: String,
+    is_saved: bool,
 }
 
 impl ShellPidMetaPlugin {
     pub fn new() -> ShellPidMetaPlugin {
         ShellPidMetaPlugin {
             meta_name: "shell_pid".to_string(),
+            is_saved: false,
         }
     }
 }
@@ -396,6 +429,9 @@ impl MetaPlugin for ShellPidMetaPlugin {
     }
 
     fn finalize(&mut self) -> io::Result<String> {
+        if self.is_saved {
+            return Ok("".to_string()); // Already saved, return empty to avoid duplicate
+        }
         match env::var("PPID") {
             Ok(ppid) => Ok(ppid),
             Err(_) => Ok(process::id().to_string()),
@@ -416,7 +452,7 @@ impl MetaPlugin for ShellPidMetaPlugin {
             Err(_) => process::id().to_string(),
         };
         self.save_meta(conn, item_id, pid)?;
-        // Mark as saved to prevent duplicate saves
+        self.is_saved = true;
         Ok(())
     }
 }
@@ -424,12 +460,14 @@ impl MetaPlugin for ShellPidMetaPlugin {
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Default)]
 pub struct KeepPidMetaPlugin {
     meta_name: String,
+    is_saved: bool,
 }
 
 impl KeepPidMetaPlugin {
     pub fn new() -> KeepPidMetaPlugin {
         KeepPidMetaPlugin {
             meta_name: "keep_pid".to_string(),
+            is_saved: false,
         }
     }
 }
@@ -444,6 +482,9 @@ impl MetaPlugin for KeepPidMetaPlugin {
     }
 
     fn finalize(&mut self) -> io::Result<String> {
+        if self.is_saved {
+            return Ok("".to_string()); // Already saved, return empty to avoid duplicate
+        }
         Ok(process::id().to_string())
     }
 
@@ -458,7 +499,7 @@ impl MetaPlugin for KeepPidMetaPlugin {
     fn initialize(&mut self, conn: &Connection, item_id: i64) -> Result<()> {
         let pid = process::id().to_string();
         self.save_meta(conn, item_id, pid)?;
-        // Mark as saved to prevent duplicate saves
+        self.is_saved = true;
         Ok(())
     }
 }
@@ -466,12 +507,14 @@ impl MetaPlugin for KeepPidMetaPlugin {
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Default)]
 pub struct HostnameMetaPlugin {
     meta_name: String,
+    is_saved: bool,
 }
 
 impl HostnameMetaPlugin {
     pub fn new() -> HostnameMetaPlugin {
         HostnameMetaPlugin {
             meta_name: "hostname".to_string(),
+            is_saved: false,
         }
     }
 }
@@ -486,6 +529,9 @@ impl MetaPlugin for HostnameMetaPlugin {
     }
 
     fn finalize(&mut self) -> io::Result<String> {
+        if self.is_saved {
+            return Ok("".to_string()); // Already saved, return empty to avoid duplicate
+        }
         match gethostname().into_string() {
             Ok(hostname) => Ok(hostname),
             Err(_) => Ok("unknown".to_string()),
@@ -506,7 +552,7 @@ impl MetaPlugin for HostnameMetaPlugin {
             Err(_) => "unknown".to_string(),
         };
         self.save_meta(conn, item_id, hostname)?;
-        // Mark as saved to prevent duplicate saves
+        self.is_saved = true;
         Ok(())
     }
 }
@@ -514,12 +560,14 @@ impl MetaPlugin for HostnameMetaPlugin {
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Default)]
 pub struct FullHostnameMetaPlugin {
     meta_name: String,
+    is_saved: bool,
 }
 
 impl FullHostnameMetaPlugin {
     pub fn new() -> FullHostnameMetaPlugin {
         FullHostnameMetaPlugin {
             meta_name: "full_hostname".to_string(),
+            is_saved: false,
         }
     }
 }
@@ -534,6 +582,9 @@ impl MetaPlugin for FullHostnameMetaPlugin {
     }
 
     fn finalize(&mut self) -> io::Result<String> {
+        if self.is_saved {
+            return Ok("".to_string()); // Already saved, return empty to avoid duplicate
+        }
         // Try to get the FQDN through reverse DNS lookup
         match local_ip() {
             Ok(my_local_ip) => {
@@ -590,7 +641,7 @@ impl MetaPlugin for FullHostnameMetaPlugin {
             }
         };
         self.save_meta(conn, item_id, hostname)?;
-        // Mark as saved to prevent duplicate saves
+        self.is_saved = true;
         Ok(())
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/modes/save.rs b/src/modes/save.rs
index 0902606..fad4ddb 100644
--- a/src/modes/save.rs
+++ b/src/modes/save.rs
@@ -213,8 +213,11 @@ fn process_input_stream(
     for meta_plugin in meta_plugins.iter_mut() {
         match meta_plugin.finalize() {
             Ok(value) => {
-                if let Err(e) = meta_plugin.save_meta(conn, item_id, value) {
-                    eprintln!("Warning: Failed to save meta value: {}", e);
+                // Only save non-empty values (empty means already saved)
+                if !value.is_empty() {
+                    if let Err(e) = meta_plugin.save_meta(conn, item_id, value) {
+                        eprintln!("Warning: Failed to save meta value: {}", e);
+                    }
                 }
             }
             Err(e) => {