diff --git a/go/kitup.go b/go/kitup.go
index 0773406..6da2146 100644
--- a/go/kitup.go
+++ b/go/kitup.go
@@ -1106,10 +1106,30 @@ func readMetadata(targetDir string) (metadata, bool, bool) {
 	if err != nil {
 		return metadata{}, true, false
 	}
-	var meta metadata
-	if err := json.Unmarshal(data, &meta); err != nil {
+	var raw map[string]json.RawMessage
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(data, &raw); err != nil {
 		return metadata{}, true, false
 	}
+	var meta metadata
+	fields := map[string]any{
+		"schemaVersion": &meta.SchemaVersion,
+		"appId":         &meta.AppID,
+		"skillName":     &meta.SkillName,
+		"source":        &meta.Source,
+		"hash":          &meta.Hash,
+		"sourceId":      &meta.SourceID,
+		"version":       &meta.Version,
+		"provenance":    &meta.Provenance,
+	}
+	for name, destination := range fields {
+		value, ok := raw[name]
+		if !ok {
+			continue
+		}
+		if err := json.Unmarshal(value, destination); err != nil {
+			return metadata{}, true, false
+		}
+	}
 	if !isOwnedMetadata(meta) {
 		return metadata{}, true, false
 	}
diff --git a/testdata/cases/bundled-skill-install.json b/testdata/cases/bundled-skill-install.json
index 0b5747b..e0c9dd7 100644
--- a/testdata/cases/bundled-skill-install.json
+++ b/testdata/cases/bundled-skill-install.json
@@ -3206,6 +3206,55 @@
         ]
       }
     },
+    {
+      "id": "uninstall-rejects-case-variant-metadata-key",
+      "operation": "uninstall",
+      "description": "Treats case-variant ownership metadata keys as unmanaged and refuses deletion.",
+      "options": {
+        "appId": "example-cli",
+        "skillName": "basic",
+        "scope": "user",
+        "agents": [
+          "codex"
+        ],
+        "home": "$HOME",
+        "cwd": "$WORKSPACE"
+      },
+      "given": {
+        "dirs": [
+          "$HOME/.agents/skills/basic"
+        ],
+        "files": {
+          "$HOME/.agents/skills/basic/.kitup.json": {
+            "schemaVersion": 1,
+            "APPID": "example-cli",
+            "skillName": "basic",
+            "source": "bundled",
+            "hash": "sha256:abc"
+          },
+          "$HOME/.agents/skills/basic/user-data.txt": "preserve me\n"
+        }
+      },
+      "expected": {
+        "report": {
+          "removed": [],
+          "skipped": [],
+          "conflicts": [
+            {
+              "hostId": "codex",
+              "skillName": "basic",
+              "targetDir": "$HOME/.agents/skills/basic",
+              "reason": "unmanaged"
+            }
+          ],
+          "errors": []
+        },
+        "filesPresent": [
+          "$HOME/.agents/skills/basic/.kitup.json",
+          "$HOME/.agents/skills/basic/user-data.txt"
+        ]
+      }
+    },
     {
       "id": "hosts-file-rejects-escaped-project-path",
       "operation": "install",