diff --git a/src/internal/m365/collection/drive/collections_test.go b/src/internal/m365/collection/drive/collections_test.go
index 085bbc0b7..e81477142 100644
--- a/src/internal/m365/collection/drive/collections_test.go
+++ b/src/internal/m365/collection/drive/collections_test.go
@@ -1129,7 +1129,7 @@ func (suite *OneDriveCollectionsUnitSuite) TestDeserializeMetadata() {
 			cols := []data.RestoreCollection{}
 
 			for _, c := range test.cols {
-				pathPrefix, err := path.Builder{}.ToServiceCategoryMetadataPath(
+				pathPrefix, err := path.BuildMetadata(
 					tenant,
 					user,
 					path.OneDriveService,
@@ -1194,7 +1194,7 @@ func (suite *OneDriveCollectionsUnitSuite) TestGet() {
 		delta2 = "delta2"
 	)
 
-	metadataPath, err := path.Builder{}.ToServiceCategoryMetadataPath(
+	metadataPath, err := path.BuildMetadata(
 		tenant,
 		user,
 		path.OneDriveService,
diff --git a/src/internal/m365/collection/drive/group_handler.go b/src/internal/m365/collection/drive/group_handler.go
index 91d627510..935392bfd 100644
--- a/src/internal/m365/collection/drive/group_handler.go
+++ b/src/internal/m365/collection/drive/group_handler.go
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ func (h groupBackupHandler) PathPrefix(
 }
 
 func (h groupBackupHandler) MetadataPathPrefix(tenantID string) (path.Path, error) {
-	p, err := path.Builder{}.ToServiceCategoryMetadataPath(
+	p, err := path.BuildMetadata(
 		tenantID,
 		h.groupID,
 		h.service,
diff --git a/src/internal/m365/collection/drive/item_handler.go b/src/internal/m365/collection/drive/item_handler.go
index fa5a21252..4a62f35e3 100644
--- a/src/internal/m365/collection/drive/item_handler.go
+++ b/src/internal/m365/collection/drive/item_handler.go
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ func (h itemBackupHandler) PathPrefix(
 func (h itemBackupHandler) MetadataPathPrefix(
 	tenantID string,
 ) (path.Path, error) {
-	p, err := path.Builder{}.ToServiceCategoryMetadataPath(
+	p, err := path.BuildMetadata(
 		tenantID,
 		h.userID,
 		path.OneDriveService,
diff --git a/src/internal/m365/collection/drive/library_handler.go b/src/internal/m365/collection/drive/library_handler.go
index 02c3c6b68..4ec00f4da 100644
--- a/src/internal/m365/collection/drive/library_handler.go
+++ b/src/internal/m365/collection/drive/library_handler.go
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ func (h libraryBackupHandler) PathPrefix(
 func (h libraryBackupHandler) MetadataPathPrefix(
 	tenantID string,
 ) (path.Path, error) {
-	p, err := path.Builder{}.ToServiceCategoryMetadataPath(
+	p, err := path.BuildMetadata(
 		tenantID,
 		h.siteID,
 		h.service,
diff --git a/src/internal/m365/collection/exchange/backup.go b/src/internal/m365/collection/exchange/backup.go
index 7764ef200..52251001c 100644
--- a/src/internal/m365/collection/exchange/backup.go
+++ b/src/internal/m365/collection/exchange/backup.go
@@ -267,7 +267,7 @@ func populateCollections(
 		"num_paths_entries", len(currPaths),
 		"num_deltas_entries", len(deltaURLs))
 
-	pathPrefix, err := path.Builder{}.ToServiceCategoryMetadataPath(
+	pathPrefix, err := path.BuildMetadata(
 		qp.TenantID,
 		qp.ProtectedResource.ID(),
 		path.ExchangeService,
diff --git a/src/internal/m365/collection/exchange/backup_test.go b/src/internal/m365/collection/exchange/backup_test.go
index 75b3f2bfe..56bf278a5 100644
--- a/src/internal/m365/collection/exchange/backup_test.go
+++ b/src/internal/m365/collection/exchange/backup_test.go
@@ -299,7 +299,7 @@ func (suite *DataCollectionsUnitSuite) TestParseMetadataCollections() {
 					graph.NewMetadataEntry(d.fileName, map[string]string{"key": d.value}))
 			}
 
-			pathPrefix, err := path.Builder{}.ToServiceCategoryMetadataPath(
+			pathPrefix, err := path.BuildMetadata(
 				"t", "u",
 				path.ExchangeService,
 				path.EmailCategory,
diff --git a/src/internal/m365/graph/metadata_collection_test.go b/src/internal/m365/graph/metadata_collection_test.go
index d280c13ff..57ecb0700 100644
--- a/src/internal/m365/graph/metadata_collection_test.go
+++ b/src/internal/m365/graph/metadata_collection_test.go
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ func (suite *MetadataCollectionUnitSuite) TestMakeMetadataCollection() {
 			ctx, flush := tester.NewContext(t)
 			defer flush()
 
-			pathPrefix, err := path.Builder{}.ToServiceCategoryMetadataPath(
+			pathPrefix, err := path.BuildMetadata(
 				tenant,
 				user,
 				test.service,
diff --git a/src/internal/m365/service/onedrive/mock/handlers.go b/src/internal/m365/service/onedrive/mock/handlers.go
index 88f70f5fe..f0e0286d5 100644
--- a/src/internal/m365/service/onedrive/mock/handlers.go
+++ b/src/internal/m365/service/onedrive/mock/handlers.go
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ var defaultOneDrivePathPrefixer = func(tID, ro, driveID string) (path.Path, erro
 }
 
 var defaultOneDriveMetadataPathPrefixer = func(tID, ro string) (path.Path, error) {
-	return path.Builder{}.ToServiceCategoryMetadataPath(
+	return path.BuildMetadata(
 		tID,
 		ro,
 		path.OneDriveService,
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ var defaultSharePointPathPrefixer = func(tID, ro, driveID string) (path.Path, er
 }
 
 var defaultSharePointMetadataPathPrefixer = func(tID, ro string) (path.Path, error) {
-	return path.Builder{}.ToServiceCategoryMetadataPath(
+	return path.BuildMetadata(
 		tID,
 		ro,
 		path.SharePointService,
diff --git a/src/internal/operations/backup_test.go b/src/internal/operations/backup_test.go
index bf92f4bf5..cd690e72e 100644
--- a/src/internal/operations/backup_test.go
+++ b/src/internal/operations/backup_test.go
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ func makeMetadataBasePath(
 ) path.Path {
 	t.Helper()
 
-	p, err := path.Builder{}.ToServiceCategoryMetadataPath(
+	p, err := path.BuildMetadata(
 		tenant,
 		resourceOwner,
 		service,
@@ -1871,7 +1871,7 @@ func (suite *AssistBackupIntegrationSuite) TestBackupTypesForFailureModes() {
 
 			cs := test.collFunc()
 
-			pathPrefix, err := path.Builder{}.ToServiceCategoryMetadataPath(
+			pathPrefix, err := path.BuildMetadata(
 				tenantID,
 				userID,
 				path.OneDriveService,
@@ -2189,7 +2189,7 @@ func (suite *AssistBackupIntegrationSuite) TestExtensionsIncrementals() {
 
 			cs := test.collFunc()
 
-			pathPrefix, err := path.Builder{}.ToServiceCategoryMetadataPath(
+			pathPrefix, err := path.BuildMetadata(
 				tenantID,
 				userID,
 				path.OneDriveService,
diff --git a/src/internal/operations/manifests.go b/src/internal/operations/manifests.go
index 95b313adc..00d05886c 100644
--- a/src/internal/operations/manifests.go
+++ b/src/internal/operations/manifests.go
@@ -141,14 +141,13 @@ func collectMetadata(
 
 	for _, fn := range fileNames {
 		for _, reason := range man.Reasons {
-			p, err := path.Builder{}.
-				Append(fn).
-				ToServiceCategoryMetadataPath(
-					tenantID,
-					reason.ProtectedResource(),
-					reason.Service(),
-					reason.Category(),
-					true)
+			p, err := path.BuildMetadata(
+				tenantID,
+				reason.ProtectedResource(),
+				reason.Service(),
+				reason.Category(),
+				true,
+				fn)
 			if err != nil {
 				return nil, clues.
 					Wrap(err, "building metadata path").
diff --git a/src/internal/operations/test/helper_test.go b/src/internal/operations/test/helper_test.go
index 2d74dfd2e..2ab5cd02b 100644
--- a/src/internal/operations/test/helper_test.go
+++ b/src/internal/operations/test/helper_test.go
@@ -286,9 +286,7 @@ func checkMetadataFilesExist(
 			pathsByRef := map[string][]string{}
 
 			for _, fName := range files {
-				p, err := path.Builder{}.
-					Append(fName).
-					ToServiceCategoryMetadataPath(tenant, resourceOwner, service, category, true)
+				p, err := path.BuildMetadata(tenant, resourceOwner, service, category, true, fName)
 				if !assert.NoError(t, err, "bad metadata path", clues.ToCore(err)) {
 					continue
 				}
diff --git a/src/pkg/path/builder.go b/src/pkg/path/builder.go
index 7b27f6586..34df00e80 100644
--- a/src/pkg/path/builder.go
+++ b/src/pkg/path/builder.go
@@ -258,7 +258,7 @@ func (pb Builder) ToStreamStorePath(
 }
 
 func (pb Builder) ToServiceCategoryMetadataPath(
-	tenant, user string,
+	tenant, protectedResource string,
 	service ServiceType,
 	category CategoryType,
 	isItem bool,
@@ -267,7 +267,7 @@ func (pb Builder) ToServiceCategoryMetadataPath(
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	if err := verifyInputValues(tenant, user); err != nil {
+	if err := verifyInputValues(tenant, protectedResource); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
@@ -288,17 +288,18 @@ func (pb Builder) ToServiceCategoryMetadataPath(
 		metadataService = GroupsMetadataService
 	}
 
-	return &dataLayerResourcePath{
+	rp := dataLayerResourcePath{
 		Builder: *pb.withPrefix(
 			tenant,
 			metadataService.String(),
-			user,
-			category.String(),
-		),
+			protectedResource,
+			category.String()),
 		service:  metadataService,
 		category: category,
 		hasItem:  isItem,
-	}, nil
+	}
+
+	return &rp, nil
 }
 
 func (pb Builder) ToDataLayerPath(
diff --git a/src/pkg/path/path.go b/src/pkg/path/path.go
index 8f8463b42..4a0609411 100644
--- a/src/pkg/path/path.go
+++ b/src/pkg/path/path.go
@@ -146,6 +146,22 @@ func Build(
 		hasItem)
 }
 
+// BuildMetadata is a shorthand for Builder{}.Append(...).ToServiceCategoryMetadataPath(...)
+func BuildMetadata(
+	tenant, resourceOwner string,
+	service ServiceType,
+	category CategoryType,
+	hasItem bool,
+	elements ...string,
+) (Path, error) {
+	return Builder{}.
+		Append(elements...).
+		ToServiceCategoryMetadataPath(
+			tenant, resourceOwner,
+			service, category,
+			hasItem)
+}
+
 func BuildPrefix(
 	tenant, resourceOwner string,
 	s ServiceType,
diff --git a/src/pkg/path/resource_path_test.go b/src/pkg/path/resource_path_test.go
index 492dcb970..4f29d9c98 100644
--- a/src/pkg/path/resource_path_test.go
+++ b/src/pkg/path/resource_path_test.go
@@ -344,14 +344,13 @@ func (suite *DataLayerResourcePath) TestToServiceCategoryMetadataPath() {
 			test.category.String(),
 		}, "_"), func() {
 			t := suite.T()
-			pb := path.Builder{}.Append(test.postfix...)
-
-			p, err := pb.ToServiceCategoryMetadataPath(
+			p, err := path.BuildMetadata(
 				tenant,
 				user,
 				test.service,
 				test.category,
-				false)
+				false,
+				test.postfix...)
 			test.check(t, err, clues.ToCore(err))
 
 			if err != nil {