diff --git a/fftools/ffmpeg_mux_init.c b/fftools/ffmpeg_mux_init.c
index ab2d1d89e4..63a25a350f 100644
--- a/fftools/ffmpeg_mux_init.c
+++ b/fftools/ffmpeg_mux_init.c
@@ -2182,11 +2182,11 @@ static int copy_metadata(Muxer *mux, AVFormatContext *ic,
     if (ret < 0)
         return ret;
 
-    if (type_in == 'g' || type_out == 'g' || !*outspec)
+    if (type_in == 'g' || type_out == 'g' || (!*outspec && !ic))
         *metadata_global_manual = 1;
-    if (type_in == 's' || type_out == 's' || !*outspec)
+    if (type_in == 's' || type_out == 's' || (!*outspec && !ic))
         *metadata_streams_manual = 1;
-    if (type_in == 'c' || type_out == 'c' || !*outspec)
+    if (type_in == 'c' || type_out == 'c' || (!*outspec && !ic))
         *metadata_chapters_manual = 1;
 
     /* ic is NULL when just disabling automatic mappings */