diff --git a/packages/api/src/base/Init.ts b/packages/api/src/base/Init.ts
index 834d41bd9e..d541f0f663 100644
--- a/packages/api/src/base/Init.ts
+++ b/packages/api/src/base/Init.ts
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import Decorate from './Decorate';
 interface VersionedRegistry {
   isDefault: boolean;
   lastBlockHash: Uint8Array | null;
+  metadata: Metadata;
   registry: Registry;
   specVersion: BN;
 }
@@ -61,7 +62,7 @@ export default abstract class Init<ApiType extends ApiTypes> extends Decorate<Ap
     this._rx.queryMulti = this._decorateMulti(this._rxDecorateMethod);
     this._rx.signer = options.signer;
 
-    this._rpcCore.setRegistrySwap((hash?: string | Uint8Array | null) => this.getBlockRegistry(hash));
+    this._rpcCore.setRegistrySwap((hash: string | Uint8Array) => this.getBlockRegistry(hash));
     this._rpcCore.provider.on('disconnected', this.#onProviderDisconnect);
     this._rpcCore.provider.on('error', this.#onProviderError);
     this._rpcCore.provider.on('connected', this.#onProviderConnect);
@@ -78,17 +79,13 @@ export default abstract class Init<ApiType extends ApiTypes> extends Decorate<Ap
   /**
    * @description Sets up a registry based on the block hash defined
    */
-  public async getBlockRegistry (blockHash?: string | Uint8Array | null): Promise<Registry> {
-    if (!blockHash) {
-      return this.registry;
-    }
-
+  public async getBlockRegistry (blockHash: string | Uint8Array): Promise<VersionedRegistry> {
     // shortcut in the case where we have an immediate-same request
     const lastBlockHash = u8aToU8a(blockHash);
     const existingViaHash = this.#registries.find((r) => r.lastBlockHash && u8aEq(lastBlockHash, r.lastBlockHash));
 
     if (existingViaHash) {
-      return existingViaHash.registry;
+      return existingViaHash;
     }
 
     // ensure we have everything required
@@ -114,7 +111,7 @@ export default abstract class Init<ApiType extends ApiTypes> extends Decorate<Ap
     if (existingViaVersion) {
       existingViaVersion.lastBlockHash = lastBlockHash;
 
-      return existingViaVersion.registry;
+      return existingViaVersion;
     }
 
     // nothing has been found, construct new
@@ -130,14 +127,14 @@ export default abstract class Init<ApiType extends ApiTypes> extends Decorate<Ap
 
     // retrieve the metadata now that we have all types set
     const metadata = await this._rpcCore.state.getMetadata(header.parentHash).toPromise();
+    const result = { isDefault: false, lastBlockHash, metadata, registry, specVersion: version.specVersion };
 
     // TODO: Not convinced (yet) that we really want to re-decorate, keep on ice since it does muddle-up
     // this.injectMetadata(metadata, false);
     registry.setMetadata(metadata);
+    this.#registries.push(result);
 
-    this.#registries.push({ isDefault: false, lastBlockHash, registry, specVersion: version.specVersion });
-
-    return registry;
+    return result;
   }
 
   protected async _loadMeta (): Promise<boolean> {
@@ -215,6 +212,7 @@ export default abstract class Init<ApiType extends ApiTypes> extends Decorate<Ap
 
               assert(thisRegistry, 'Initialization error, cannot find the default registry');
 
+              thisRegistry.metadata = metadata;
               thisRegistry.specVersion = version.specVersion;
               thisRegistry.registry.register(getSpecTypes(thisRegistry.registry, this._runtimeChain as Text, version.specName, version.specVersion));
               this.injectMetadata(metadata, false, thisRegistry.registry);
@@ -265,11 +263,6 @@ export default abstract class Init<ApiType extends ApiTypes> extends Decorate<Ap
     this._runtimeVersion = runtimeVersion;
     this._rx.runtimeVersion = runtimeVersion;
 
-    // setup the initial registry, when we have none
-    if (!this.#registries.length) {
-      this.#registries.push({ isDefault: true, lastBlockHash: null, registry: this.registry, specVersion: runtimeVersion.specVersion });
-    }
-
     // adjust types based on bundled info
     if (this.registry.knownTypes.typesBundle) {
       this._adjustBundleTypes(this.registry, chain, runtimeVersion.specName);
@@ -289,6 +282,11 @@ export default abstract class Init<ApiType extends ApiTypes> extends Decorate<Ap
       ? new Metadata(this.registry, optMetadata[metadataKey])
       : await this._rpcCore.state.getMetadata().toPromise();
 
+    // setup the initial registry, when we have none
+    if (!this.#registries.length) {
+      this.#registries.push({ isDefault: true, lastBlockHash: null, metadata, registry: this.registry, specVersion: runtimeVersion.specVersion });
+    }
+
     // get unique types & validate
     metadata.getUniqTypes(false);
 
diff --git a/packages/rpc-core/src/index.ts b/packages/rpc-core/src/index.ts
index de3b9c8854..d45ec7c668 100644
--- a/packages/rpc-core/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/rpc-core/src/index.ts
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ function logErrorMessage (method: string, { params, type }: DefinitionRpc, error
 export default class Rpc implements RpcInterface {
   #registryDefault: Registry;
 
-  #getBlockRegistry?: (blockHash?: string | Uint8Array | null) => Promise<Registry>;
+  #getBlockRegistry?: (blockHash: string | Uint8Array) => Promise<{ registry: Registry }>;
 
   readonly #storageCache = new Map<string, string | null>();
 
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ export default class Rpc implements RpcInterface {
   /**
    * @description Sets a registry swap (typically from Api)
    */
-  public setRegistrySwap (registrySwap: (blockHash?: string | Uint8Array | null) => Promise<Registry>): void {
+  public setRegistrySwap (registrySwap: (blockHash: string | Uint8Array) => Promise<{ registry: Registry }>): void {
     this.#getBlockRegistry = registrySwap;
   }
 
@@ -210,9 +210,9 @@ export default class Rpc implements RpcInterface {
       const hash = hashIndex === -1
         ? undefined
         : values[hashIndex] as Uint8Array;
-      const registry = hash && this.#getBlockRegistry
+      const { registry } = hash && this.#getBlockRegistry
         ? await this.#getBlockRegistry(hash)
-        : this.#registryDefault;
+        : { registry: this.#registryDefault };
       const params = this._formatInputs(registry, def, values);
       const data = await this.provider.send(rpcName, params.map((param): AnyJson => param.toJSON())) as AnyJson;