diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index e3916c5f9d..ac115d89a7 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -727,6 +727,12 @@ version = "3.16.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "79296716171880943b8470b5f8d03aa55eb2e645a4874bdbb28adb49162e012c"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "byteorder"
+version = "0.5.3"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "0fc10e8cc6b2580fda3f36eb6dc5316657f812a3df879a44a66fc9f0fdbc4855"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "byteorder"
 version = "1.5.0"
@@ -1084,7 +1090,7 @@ version = "3.2.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "0b9fdf9972b2bd6af2d913799d9ebc165ea4d2e65878e329d9c6b372c4491b61"
 dependencies = [
- "byteorder",
+ "byteorder 1.5.0",
  "digest 0.9.0",
  "rand_core 0.5.1",
  "subtle",
@@ -2692,6 +2698,12 @@ version = "1.5.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "bbd2bcb4c963f2ddae06a2efc7e9f3591312473c50c6685e1f298068316e66fe"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "leb128"
+version = "0.2.5"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "884e2677b40cc8c339eaefcb701c32ef1fd2493d71118dc0ca4b6a736c93bd67"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "ledger-apdu"
 version = "0.10.0"
@@ -2719,7 +2731,7 @@ version = "0.10.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "45ba81a1f5f24396b37211478aff7fbcd605dd4544df8dbed07b9da3c2057aee"
 dependencies = [
- "byteorder",
+ "byteorder 1.5.0",
  "cfg-if",
  "hex",
  "hidapi",
@@ -4507,6 +4519,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "ulid",
  "url",
  "walkdir",
+ "wasm-gen",
  "wasm-opt",
  "wasmparser 0.90.0",
  "which",
@@ -4674,9 +4687,9 @@ version = "21.5.0"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "soroban-ledger-snapshot"
-version = "21.7.3"
+version = "21.7.2"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "84589856911dfd6731695c9b51c858aed6d4540118c0a1e5c4c858ea13bc744c"
+checksum = "9cf596b2083946a95914a55d7d29cee6a8095b515fd06211851f45bf6af5a496"
 dependencies = [
  "serde",
  "serde_json",
@@ -4715,8 +4728,8 @@ dependencies = [
  "serde_json",
  "soroban-env-guest 21.2.1",
  "soroban-env-host 21.2.1",
- "soroban-ledger-snapshot 21.7.3",
- "soroban-sdk-macros 21.7.3",
+ "soroban-ledger-snapshot 21.7.2",
+ "soroban-sdk-macros 21.7.2",
  "stellar-strkey 0.0.8",
 ]
 
@@ -4739,9 +4752,9 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "soroban-sdk-macros"
-version = "21.7.3"
+version = "21.7.2"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "63c2173f1aacd56b4405eed71cb2a9694dff99d51ba72d4f0cbc5e4961fdabf4"
+checksum = "da03fa00b8ca6e392f013359c06d790d2d379f9c8d6f8a6dfe563ec64311e5d3"
 dependencies = [
  "crate-git-revision 0.0.6",
  "darling",
@@ -4751,8 +4764,8 @@ dependencies = [
  "rustc_version",
  "sha2 0.10.8",
  "soroban-env-common 21.2.1",
- "soroban-spec 21.7.3",
- "soroban-spec-rust 21.7.3",
+ "soroban-spec 21.7.2",
+ "soroban-spec-rust 21.7.2",
  "stellar-xdr 21.2.0",
  "syn 2.0.77",
 ]
@@ -4779,9 +4792,9 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "soroban-spec"
-version = "21.7.3"
+version = "21.7.2"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "7705bffbcc747c08e81698b87b4a787f8b268c25d88f777160091dc1ee8121cb"
+checksum = "64c723195463d8742bcb481520bd8b8325da66c39ea236ad46261e6af992e8a8"
 dependencies = [
  "base64 0.13.1",
  "stellar-xdr 21.2.0",
@@ -4817,15 +4830,15 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "soroban-spec-rust"
-version = "21.7.3"
+version = "21.7.2"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "48207ebc8616c2804a17203d1d86c53c3d3c804b682cbab011a135893db1cf78"
+checksum = "c0f1b0ec2af54e38f138910f09e101b100130efe625f69ece51c76dd4f06f8b2"
 dependencies = [
  "prettyplease",
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
  "sha2 0.10.8",
- "soroban-spec 21.7.3",
+ "soroban-spec 21.7.2",
  "stellar-xdr 21.2.0",
  "syn 2.0.77",
  "thiserror",
@@ -4948,7 +4961,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "smallvec",
  "spin",
  "wasmi_collections",
- "wasmi_core 0.36.3",
+ "wasmi_core 0.36.5",
  "wasmparser-nostd",
 ]
 
@@ -4991,7 +5004,7 @@ version = "21.5.0"
 dependencies = [
  "async-trait",
  "bollard",
- "byteorder",
+ "byteorder 1.5.0",
  "ed25519-dalek 2.1.1",
  "env_logger",
  "futures",
@@ -6014,6 +6027,16 @@ version = "0.2.92"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "af190c94f2773fdb3729c55b007a722abb5384da03bc0986df4c289bf5567e96"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "wasm-gen"
+version = "0.1.4"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "b854b1461005a7b3365742310f7faa3cac3add809d66928c64a40c7e9e842ebb"
+dependencies = [
+ "byteorder 0.5.3",
+ "leb128",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "wasm-opt"
 version = "0.114.2"
@@ -6056,9 +6079,9 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "wasm-streams"
-version = "0.4.1"
+version = "0.4.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "4e072d4e72f700fb3443d8fe94a39315df013eef1104903cdb0a2abd322bbecd"
+checksum = "b65dc4c90b63b118468cf747d8bf3566c1913ef60be765b5730ead9e0a3ba129"
 dependencies = [
  "futures-util",
  "js-sys",
@@ -6075,9 +6098,9 @@ checksum = "104a7f73be44570cac297b3035d76b169d6599637631cf37a1703326a0727073"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "wasmi_collections"
-version = "0.36.3"
+version = "0.36.5"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "a1ee1cf2328e7fbb8654fda8449395c64c36ef5a30511e79fae0265a96e1a446"
+checksum = "8eddc10bfb0069e913399ebd66c5a72c7d9aceabddcaa0296f062a55ab61d404"
 dependencies = [
  "ahash",
  "hashbrown 0.14.5",
@@ -6098,9 +6121,9 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "wasmi_core"
-version = "0.36.3"
+version = "0.36.5"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "4e77c1e701d21edfd263e5c6c940861202c6b840c715040cfdca6211bf8857aa"
+checksum = "f08b12621457c17cfd5349cce25029eeac3769b63b1b02bd850d595a00f375ff"
 dependencies = [
  "downcast-rs",
  "libm",
@@ -6442,7 +6465,7 @@ version = "0.7.35"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "1b9b4fd18abc82b8136838da5d50bae7bdea537c574d8dc1a34ed098d6c166f0"
 dependencies = [
- "byteorder",
+ "byteorder 1.5.0",
  "zerocopy-derive",
 ]
 
diff --git a/FULL_HELP_DOCS.md b/FULL_HELP_DOCS.md
index b3724b98b2..8c151cb849 100644
--- a/FULL_HELP_DOCS.md
+++ b/FULL_HELP_DOCS.md
@@ -334,6 +334,7 @@ To view the commands that will be executed, without executing them, use the --pr
 
    If ommitted, wasm files are written only to the cargo target directory.
 * `--print-commands-only` — Print commands to build without executing them
+* `--meta <META>` — Add key-value to contract meta (adds the meta to the `contractmetav0` custom section)
 
 
 
diff --git a/cmd/crates/soroban-spec-tools/src/contract.rs b/cmd/crates/soroban-spec-tools/src/contract.rs
index 9984a19d1f..501609111a 100644
--- a/cmd/crates/soroban-spec-tools/src/contract.rs
+++ b/cmd/crates/soroban-spec-tools/src/contract.rs
@@ -40,9 +40,9 @@ pub enum Error {
 
 impl Spec {
     pub fn new(bytes: &[u8]) -> Result<Self, Error> {
-        let mut env_meta: Option<&[u8]> = None;
-        let mut meta: Option<&[u8]> = None;
-        let mut spec: Option<&[u8]> = None;
+        let mut env_meta: Option<Vec<u8>> = None;
+        let mut meta: Option<Vec<u8>> = None;
+        let mut spec: Option<Vec<u8>> = None;
         for payload in wasmparser::Parser::new(0).parse_all(bytes) {
             let payload = payload?;
             if let wasmparser::Payload::CustomSection(section) = payload {
@@ -52,13 +52,19 @@ impl Spec {
                     "contractspecv0" => &mut spec,
                     _ => continue,
                 };
-                *out = Some(section.data());
+
+                if let Some(existing_data) = out {
+                    let combined_data = [existing_data, section.data()].concat();
+                    *out = Some(combined_data);
+                } else {
+                    *out = Some(section.data().to_vec());
+                }
             };
         }
 
         let mut env_meta_base64 = None;
         let env_meta = if let Some(env_meta) = env_meta {
-            env_meta_base64 = Some(base64.encode(env_meta));
+            env_meta_base64 = Some(base64.encode(&env_meta));
             let cursor = Cursor::new(env_meta);
             let mut read = Limited::new(cursor, Limits::none());
             ScEnvMetaEntry::read_xdr_iter(&mut read).collect::<Result<Vec<_>, xdr::Error>>()?
@@ -68,7 +74,7 @@ impl Spec {
 
         let mut meta_base64 = None;
         let meta = if let Some(meta) = meta {
-            meta_base64 = Some(base64.encode(meta));
+            meta_base64 = Some(base64.encode(&meta));
             let cursor = Cursor::new(meta);
             let mut depth_limit_read = Limited::new(cursor, Limits::none());
             ScMetaEntry::read_xdr_iter(&mut depth_limit_read)
@@ -78,7 +84,7 @@ impl Spec {
         };
 
         let (spec_base64, spec) = if let Some(spec) = spec {
-            let (spec_base64, spec) = Spec::spec_to_base64(spec)?;
+            let (spec_base64, spec) = Spec::spec_to_base64(&spec)?;
             (Some(spec_base64), spec)
         } else {
             (None, vec![])
diff --git a/cmd/crates/soroban-test/tests/fixtures/workspace/contracts/add/src/lib.rs b/cmd/crates/soroban-test/tests/fixtures/workspace/contracts/add/src/lib.rs
index 1552f58554..d04162b5af 100644
--- a/cmd/crates/soroban-test/tests/fixtures/workspace/contracts/add/src/lib.rs
+++ b/cmd/crates/soroban-test/tests/fixtures/workspace/contracts/add/src/lib.rs
@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
 #![no_std]
-use soroban_sdk::{contract, contractimpl};
+use soroban_sdk::{contract, contractimpl, contractmeta};
 
 #[contract]
 pub struct Contract;
 
+contractmeta!(key = "Description", val = "A test add contract");
+
 #[contractimpl]
 impl Contract {
     pub fn add(x: u64, y: u64) -> u128 {
diff --git a/cmd/crates/soroban-test/tests/it/build.rs b/cmd/crates/soroban-test/tests/it/build.rs
index aba6aadf57..925d88df1c 100644
--- a/cmd/crates/soroban-test/tests/it/build.rs
+++ b/cmd/crates/soroban-test/tests/it/build.rs
@@ -116,3 +116,37 @@ cargo rustc --manifest-path=contracts/add/Cargo.toml --crate-type=cdylib --targe
 ",
         ));
 }
+
+#[test]
+fn build_with_metadata() {
+    let sandbox = TestEnv::default();
+    let cargo_dir = std::path::PathBuf::from(env!("CARGO_MANIFEST_DIR"));
+    let fixture_path = cargo_dir.join("tests/fixtures/workspace/contracts/add");
+    let outdir = sandbox.dir().join("out");
+
+    sandbox
+        .new_assert_cmd("contract")
+        .current_dir(&fixture_path)
+        .arg("build")
+        .arg("--meta")
+        .arg("contract meta=added on build")
+        .arg("--out-dir")
+        .arg(&outdir)
+        .assert()
+        .success();
+
+    // verify that the metadata added in the contract code via contractmetadata! macro is present
+    // as well as the meta that is included on build
+    let wasm_path = fixture_path.join(&outdir).join("add.wasm");
+    sandbox
+        .new_assert_cmd("contract")
+        .current_dir(&fixture_path)
+        .arg("info")
+        .arg("meta")
+        .arg("--wasm")
+        .arg(wasm_path)
+        .assert()
+        .success()
+        .stdout(predicate::str::contains("Description: A test add contract"))
+        .stdout(predicate::str::contains("contract meta: added on build"));
+}
diff --git a/cmd/soroban-cli/Cargo.toml b/cmd/soroban-cli/Cargo.toml
index 0cc12e74f9..78c3974f3b 100644
--- a/cmd/soroban-cli/Cargo.toml
+++ b/cmd/soroban-cli/Cargo.toml
@@ -124,6 +124,7 @@ glob = "0.3.1"
 fqdn = "0.3.12"
 open = "5.3.0"
 url = "2.5.2"
+wasm-gen = "0.1.4"
 
 [build-dependencies]
 crate-git-revision = "0.0.4"
diff --git a/cmd/soroban-cli/src/commands/contract/build.rs b/cmd/soroban-cli/src/commands/contract/build.rs
index c71327a386..01ccce3115 100644
--- a/cmd/soroban-cli/src/commands/contract/build.rs
+++ b/cmd/soroban-cli/src/commands/contract/build.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+use cargo_metadata::{Metadata, MetadataCommand, Package};
 use clap::Parser;
 use itertools::Itertools;
 use std::{
@@ -9,8 +10,7 @@ use std::{
     path::{self, Path, PathBuf},
     process::{Command, ExitStatus, Stdio},
 };
-
-use cargo_metadata::{Metadata, MetadataCommand, Package};
+use stellar_xdr::curr::{Limits, ScMetaEntry, ScMetaV0, StringM, WriteXdr};
 
 /// Build a contract from source
 ///
@@ -62,6 +62,20 @@ pub struct Cmd {
     /// Print commands to build without executing them
     #[arg(long, conflicts_with = "out_dir", help_heading = "Other")]
     pub print_commands_only: bool,
+    /// Add key-value to contract meta (adds the meta to the `contractmetav0` custom section)
+    #[arg(long, num_args=1, value_parser=parse_meta_arg, action=clap::ArgAction::Append, help_heading = "Metadata")]
+    pub meta: Vec<(String, String)>,
+}
+
+fn parse_meta_arg(s: &str) -> Result<(String, String), Error> {
+    let parts = s.splitn(2, '=');
+
+    let (key, value) = parts
+        .map(str::trim)
+        .next_tuple()
+        .ok_or_else(|| Error::MetaArg("must be in the form 'key=value'".to_string()))?;
+
+    Ok((key.to_string(), value.to_string()))
 }
 
 #[derive(thiserror::Error, Debug)]
@@ -82,8 +96,17 @@ pub enum Error {
     CopyingWasmFile(io::Error),
     #[error("getting the current directory: {0}")]
     GettingCurrentDir(io::Error),
+    #[error("reading wasm file: {0}")]
+    ReadingWasmFile(io::Error),
+    #[error("writing wasm file: {0}")]
+    WritingWasmFile(io::Error),
+    #[error("invalid meta entry: {0}")]
+    MetaArg(String),
 }
 
+const WASM_TARGET: &str = "wasm32-unknown-unknown";
+const META_CUSTOM_SECTION_NAME: &str = "contractmetav0";
+
 impl Cmd {
     pub fn run(&self) -> Result<(), Error> {
         let working_dir = env::current_dir().map_err(Error::GettingCurrentDir)?;
@@ -111,7 +134,7 @@ impl Cmd {
                 manifest_path.to_string_lossy()
             ));
             cmd.arg("--crate-type=cdylib");
-            cmd.arg("--target=wasm32-unknown-unknown");
+            cmd.arg(format!("--target={WASM_TARGET}"));
             if self.profile == "release" {
                 cmd.arg("--release");
             } else {
@@ -145,14 +168,16 @@ impl Cmd {
                     return Err(Error::Exit(status));
                 }
 
+                let file = format!("{}.wasm", p.name.replace('-', "_"));
+                let target_file_path = Path::new(target_dir)
+                    .join(WASM_TARGET)
+                    .join(&self.profile)
+                    .join(&file);
+
+                self.handle_contract_metadata_args(&target_file_path)?;
+
                 if let Some(out_dir) = &self.out_dir {
                     fs::create_dir_all(out_dir).map_err(Error::CreatingOutDir)?;
-
-                    let file = format!("{}.wasm", p.name.replace('-', "_"));
-                    let target_file_path = Path::new(target_dir)
-                        .join("wasm32-unknown-unknown")
-                        .join(&self.profile)
-                        .join(&file);
                     let out_file_path = Path::new(out_dir).join(&file);
                     fs::copy(target_file_path, out_file_path).map_err(Error::CopyingWasmFile)?;
                 }
@@ -228,4 +253,32 @@ impl Cmd {
         // the output.
         cmd.exec()
     }
+
+    fn handle_contract_metadata_args(&self, target_file_path: &PathBuf) -> Result<(), Error> {
+        if self.meta.is_empty() {
+            return Ok(());
+        }
+
+        let mut wasm_bytes = fs::read(target_file_path).map_err(Error::ReadingWasmFile)?;
+
+        for (k, v) in self.meta.clone() {
+            let key: StringM = k
+                .clone()
+                .try_into()
+                .map_err(|e| Error::MetaArg(format!("{k} is an invalid metadata key: {e}")))?;
+
+            let val: StringM = v
+                .clone()
+                .try_into()
+                .map_err(|e| Error::MetaArg(format!("{v} is an invalid metadata value: {e}")))?;
+            let meta_entry = ScMetaEntry::ScMetaV0(ScMetaV0 { key, val });
+            let xdr: Vec<u8> = meta_entry
+                .to_xdr(Limits::none())
+                .map_err(|e| Error::MetaArg(format!("failed to encode metadata entry: {e}")))?;
+
+            wasm_gen::write_custom_section(&mut wasm_bytes, META_CUSTOM_SECTION_NAME, &xdr);
+        }
+
+        fs::write(target_file_path, wasm_bytes).map_err(Error::WritingWasmFile)
+    }
 }