diff --git a/src/earthkit/data/encoders/grib.py b/src/earthkit/data/encoders/grib.py
index 5292cb0a0..aa22d3228 100644
--- a/src/earthkit/data/encoders/grib.py
+++ b/src/earthkit/data/encoders/grib.py
@@ -40,7 +40,9 @@ def to_file(self, f):
 
     def metadata(self, key=None):
         if key:
-            return self.to_field().metadata(key, default=None)
+            from earthkit.data.readers.grib.metadata import StandAloneGribMetadata
+
+            return StandAloneGribMetadata(self.handle).get(key, default=None)
         else:
             raise NotImplementedError
 
diff --git a/tests/netcdf/test_netcdf_output.py b/tests/netcdf/test_netcdf_output.py
index 70f1ed574..9ab48569f 100644
--- a/tests/netcdf/test_netcdf_output.py
+++ b/tests/netcdf/test_netcdf_output.py
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 from earthkit.data.testing import write_to_file
 
 
+@pytest.mark.skip(reason="Some runners crash in Xarray")
 @pytest.mark.parametrize("write_method", WRITE_TO_FILE_METHODS)
 def test_netcdf_fieldlist_save(write_method):
     ds = from_source("file", earthkit_examples_file("test.nc"))