diff --git a/examples/grpc-client/main.go b/examples/grpc-client/main.go
index 130aa509d..98879fa8f 100644
--- a/examples/grpc-client/main.go
+++ b/examples/grpc-client/main.go
@@ -65,13 +65,14 @@ func run() error {
 		client := parserv1.NewParserServiceClient(conn)
 
 		resp, err := client.Deserialize(context.Background(), &parserv1.DeserializeRequest{
-			Source: []byte(""),
+			Source: []byte("# Hello"),
 		})
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 
 		_, _ = fmt.Println(resp.Notebook)
+		_, _ = fmt.Println(resp.Notebook.Cells[0].Metadata)
 
 		return nil
 	}
diff --git a/internal/document/editor/cell.go b/internal/document/editor/cell.go
index 3d1e994b1..98e27745a 100644
--- a/internal/document/editor/cell.go
+++ b/internal/document/editor/cell.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"log"
+	"os"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 
@@ -150,13 +151,19 @@ func toCellsRec(
 			astNode := block.Unwrap()
 
 			metadata := make(map[string]string)
-			astMetadata := DumpToMap(astNode, source, astNode.Kind().String())
-			jsonAstMetaData, err := json.Marshal(astMetadata)
-			if err != nil {
-				log.Fatalf("Error converting to JSON: %s", err)
-			}
+			_, includeAstMetadata := os.LookupEnv("RUNME_AST_METADATA")
+
+			if includeAstMetadata {
+				astMetadata := DumpToMap(astNode, source, astNode.Kind().String())
+				jsonAstMetaData, err := json.Marshal(astMetadata)
+				if err != nil {
+					log.Fatalf("Error converting to JSON: %s", err)
+				}
 
-			metadata["runme.dev/ast"] = string(jsonAstMetaData)
+				env := os.Environ()
+				fmt.Println(env)
+				metadata["runme.dev/ast"] = string(jsonAstMetaData)
+			}
 
 			isListItem := node.Item() != nil && node.Item().Unwrap().Kind() == ast.KindListItem
 			if childIdx == 0 && isListItem {
diff --git a/internal/document/editor/editor_test.go b/internal/document/editor/editor_test.go
index 2e86ab3ca..e1deb53c5 100644
--- a/internal/document/editor/editor_test.go
+++ b/internal/document/editor/editor_test.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package editor
 import (
 	"bytes"
 	"encoding/json"
+	"os"
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
@@ -105,6 +106,7 @@ Paragraph 1 with a link [Link1](https://example.com 'Link Title 1') and a second
 #### Heading Level 4
 ##### Heading Level 5
 `)
+	os.Setenv("RUNME_AST_METADATA", "true")
 	notebook, err := Deserialize(data)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	require.NotEmpty(t, notebook.Metadata)
diff --git a/internal/document/editor/editorservice/service_test.go b/internal/document/editor/editorservice/service_test.go
index a92a3ad19..e4a1a6c97 100644
--- a/internal/document/editor/editorservice/service_test.go
+++ b/internal/document/editor/editorservice/service_test.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package editorservice
 import (
 	"context"
 	"net"
+	"os"
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/stateful/runme/internal/document/editor"
@@ -33,6 +34,8 @@ func Test_parserServiceServer(t *testing.T) {
 	client := parserv1.NewParserServiceClient(conn)
 
 	t.Run("Basic", func(t *testing.T) {
+		os.Setenv("RUNME_AST_METADATA", "true")
+
 		resp, err := client.Deserialize(
 			context.Background(),
 			&parserv1.DeserializeRequest{