diff --git a/swiftonfile/swift/obj/diskfile.py b/swiftonfile/swift/obj/diskfile.py
index ad5404e..334c248 100644
--- a/swiftonfile/swift/obj/diskfile.py
+++ b/swiftonfile/swift/obj/diskfile.py
@@ -602,6 +602,7 @@ class DiskFile(object):
             self._put_datadir = self._container_path
 
         self._data_file = os.path.join(self._put_datadir, self._obj)
+        self._disk_file_open = False
 
     @property
     def timestamp(self):
@@ -678,6 +679,7 @@ class DiskFile(object):
                 # Re-raise the original exception after fd has been closed
                 raise
 
+        self._disk_file_open = True
         return self
 
     def _is_object_expired(self, metadata):
@@ -711,7 +713,7 @@ class DiskFile(object):
             previously invoked the :func:`swift.obj.diskfile.DiskFile.open`
             method.
         """
-        if self._metadata is None:
+        if not self._disk_file_open:
             raise DiskFileNotOpen()
         return self
 
@@ -731,18 +733,23 @@ class DiskFile(object):
             the REST API *before* the object has actually been read. It is the
             responsibility of the implementation to properly handle that.
         """
+        self._disk_file_open = False
         self._close_fd()
 
     def get_metadata(self):
         """
         Provide the metadata for a previously opened object as a dictionary.
 
+        This is invoked by Swift code in the GET path as follows:
+        with disk_file.open():
+            metadata = disk_file.get_metadata()
+
         :returns: object's metadata dictionary
         :raises DiskFileNotOpen: if the
             :func:`swift.obj.diskfile.DiskFile.open` method was not previously
             invoked
         """
-        if self._metadata is None:
+        if not self._disk_file_open:
             raise DiskFileNotOpen()
         return self._metadata
 
@@ -751,6 +758,9 @@ class DiskFile(object):
         Return the metadata for an object without requiring the caller to open
         the object first.
 
+        This method is invoked by Swift code in POST, PUT, HEAD and DELETE path
+        metadata = disk_file.read_metadata()
+
         :returns: metadata dictionary for an object
         :raises DiskFileError: this implementation will raise the same
                             errors as the `open()` method.
@@ -772,7 +782,7 @@ class DiskFile(object):
                            OS buffer cache
         :returns: a :class:`swift.obj.diskfile.DiskFileReader` object
         """
-        if self._metadata is None:
+        if not self._disk_file_open:
             raise DiskFileNotOpen()
         dr = DiskFileReader(
             self._fd, self._threadpool, self._mgr.disk_chunk_size,
@@ -965,6 +975,8 @@ class DiskFile(object):
         Write a block of metadata to an object without requiring the caller to
         open the object first.
 
+        This method is only called in the POST path.
+
         :param metadata: dictionary of metadata to be associated with the
                          object
         :raises DiskFileError: this implementation will raise the same
@@ -983,7 +995,10 @@ class DiskFile(object):
         metadata. If there are any, it should be appended to the metadata obj
         the user is trying to write.
         """
-        orig_metadata = self.read_metadata()
+        # If metadata has been previously fetched, use that.
+        # Stale metadata (outdated size/etag) would've been updated when
+        # metadata is fetched for the first time.
+        orig_metadata = self._metadata or read_metadata(self._data_file)
 
         sys_keys = [X_CONTENT_TYPE, X_ETAG, 'name', X_CONTENT_LENGTH,
                     X_OBJECT_TYPE, X_TYPE]
diff --git a/test/unit/obj/test_diskfile.py b/test/unit/obj/test_diskfile.py
index 658a68a..bc38790 100644
--- a/test/unit/obj/test_diskfile.py
+++ b/test/unit/obj/test_diskfile.py
@@ -200,6 +200,7 @@ class TestDiskFile(unittest.TestCase):
         gdf = self._get_diskfile("vol0", "p57", "ufo47", "bar", "z")
         assert gdf._obj == "z"
         assert gdf._fd is None
+        assert gdf._disk_file_open is False
         assert gdf._metadata is None
         assert not gdf._is_dir
         with gdf.open():
@@ -207,6 +208,8 @@ class TestDiskFile(unittest.TestCase):
             assert not gdf._is_dir
             assert gdf._fd is not None
             assert gdf._metadata == exp_md
+            assert gdf._disk_file_open is True
+        assert gdf._disk_file_open is False
 
     def test_open_and_close(self):
         mock_close = Mock()
@@ -239,12 +242,15 @@ class TestDiskFile(unittest.TestCase):
         assert gdf._obj == "z"
         assert gdf._fd is None
         assert gdf._metadata is None
+        assert gdf._disk_file_open is False
         assert not gdf._is_dir
         with gdf.open():
             assert not gdf._is_dir
             assert gdf._data_file == the_file
             assert gdf._fd is not None
             assert gdf._metadata == exp_md, "%r != %r" % (gdf._metadata, exp_md)
+            assert gdf._disk_file_open is True
+        assert gdf._disk_file_open is False
 
     def test_open_invalid_existing_metadata(self):
         the_path = os.path.join(self.td, "vol0", "ufo47", "bar")
@@ -262,9 +268,12 @@ class TestDiskFile(unittest.TestCase):
         assert gdf._obj == "z"
         assert not gdf._is_dir
         assert gdf._fd is None
+        assert gdf._disk_file_open is False
         with gdf.open():
             assert gdf._data_file == the_file
             assert gdf._metadata != inv_md
+            assert gdf._disk_file_open is True
+        assert gdf._disk_file_open is False
 
     def test_open_isdir(self):
         the_path = os.path.join(self.td, "vol0", "ufo47", "bar")
@@ -284,9 +293,12 @@ class TestDiskFile(unittest.TestCase):
         gdf = self._get_diskfile("vol0", "p57", "ufo47", "bar", "d")
         assert gdf._obj == "d"
         assert gdf._is_dir is False
+        assert gdf._disk_file_open is False
         with gdf.open():
             assert gdf._is_dir
             assert gdf._data_file == the_dir
+            assert gdf._disk_file_open is True
+        assert gdf._disk_file_open is False
 
     def _create_and_get_diskfile(self, dev, par, acc, con, obj, fsize=256):
         # FIXME: assumes account === volume