diff --git a/packages/netlify-cms-widget-relation/src/RelationControl.js b/packages/netlify-cms-widget-relation/src/RelationControl.js
index d9fb17e8..8ba3e100 100644
--- a/packages/netlify-cms-widget-relation/src/RelationControl.js
+++ b/packages/netlify-cms-widget-relation/src/RelationControl.js
@@ -73,7 +73,6 @@ function getSelectedValue({ value, options, isMultiple }) {
 }
 
 export default class RelationControl extends React.Component {
-  didInitialSearch = false;
   mounted = false;
 
   state = {
@@ -106,17 +105,19 @@ export default class RelationControl extends React.Component {
     // if the field has a previous value perform an initial search based on the value field
     // this is required since each search is limited by optionsLength so the selected value
     // might not show up on the search
-    const { forID, field, value, query } = this.props;
+    const { forID, field, value, query, onChange } = this.props;
     const collection = field.get('collection');
     const file = field.get('file');
-    const initialSearchValues = this.isMultiple() ? getSelectedOptions(value) : [value];
+    const initialSearchValues = value && (this.isMultiple() ? getSelectedOptions(value) : [value]);
     if (initialSearchValues && initialSearchValues.length > 0) {
+      const metadata = {};
       const allOptions = await Promise.all(
         initialSearchValues.map((v, index) => {
           return query(forID, collection, [field.get('valueField')], v, file, 1).then(
             ({ payload }) => {
               const hits = payload.response?.hits || [];
               const options = this.parseHitOptions(hits);
+              metadata[v] = hits[0]?.data;
               return { options, index };
             },
           );
@@ -127,6 +128,13 @@ export default class RelationControl extends React.Component {
         ...sortBy(allOptions, ({ index }) => index).map(({ options }) => options),
       );
       this.mounted && this.setState({ initialOptions });
+
+      //set metadata
+      onChange(value, {
+        [field.get('name')]: {
+          [field.get('collection')]: metadata,
+        },
+      });
     }
   }
 
@@ -134,33 +142,6 @@ export default class RelationControl extends React.Component {
     this.mounted = false;
   }
 
-  componentDidUpdate(prevProps) {
-    /**
-     * Load extra post data into the store after first query.
-     */
-    if (this.didInitialSearch) return;
-    const { value, field, forID, queryHits, onChange } = this.props;
-
-    if (queryHits !== prevProps.queryHits && queryHits.get(forID)) {
-      this.didInitialSearch = true;
-      const valueField = field.get('valueField');
-      const hits = queryHits.get(forID);
-      if (value) {
-        const listValue = List.isList(value) ? value : List([value]);
-        listValue.forEach(val => {
-          const hit = hits.find(hit => this.parseNestedFields(hit, valueField) === val);
-          if (hit) {
-            onChange(value, {
-              [field.get('name')]: {
-                [field.get('collection')]: { [val]: hit.data },
-              },
-            });
-          }
-        });
-      }
-    }
-  }
-
   handleChange = selectedOption => {
     const { onChange, field } = this.props;
     let value;
diff --git a/packages/netlify-cms-widget-relation/src/__tests__/relation.spec.js b/packages/netlify-cms-widget-relation/src/__tests__/relation.spec.js
index d2401933..98f80ede 100644
--- a/packages/netlify-cms-widget-relation/src/__tests__/relation.spec.js
+++ b/packages/netlify-cms-widget-relation/src/__tests__/relation.spec.js
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 import React from 'react';
 import { fromJS, Map } from 'immutable';
-import { last } from 'lodash';
 import { render, fireEvent, waitFor } from '@testing-library/react';
 import { NetlifyCmsWidgetRelation } from '../';
 
@@ -85,6 +84,10 @@ const generateHits = length => {
       collection: 'posts',
       data: { title: 'YAML post', slug: 'post-yaml', body: 'Body yaml' },
     },
+    {
+      collection: 'posts',
+      data: { title: 'JSON post', slug: 'post-json', body: 'Body json' },
+    },
   ];
 };
 
@@ -166,12 +169,14 @@ class RelationController extends React.Component {
       hits = nestedFileCollectionHits;
     } else if (file === 'simple_file') {
       hits = simpleFileCollectionHits;
-    } else if (term === 'YAML') {
-      hits = [last(queryHits)];
-    } else if (term === 'Nested') {
+    } else if (term === 'JSON post') {
+      hits = [queryHits[queryHits.length - 1]];
+    } else if (term === 'YAML' || term === 'YAML post') {
       hits = [queryHits[queryHits.length - 2]];
-    } else if (term === 'Deeply nested') {
+    } else if (term === 'Nested') {
       hits = [queryHits[queryHits.length - 3]];
+    } else if (term === 'Deeply nested') {
+      hits = [queryHits[queryHits.length - 4]];
     }
 
     hits = hits.slice(0, optionsLength);
@@ -411,24 +416,23 @@ describe('Relation widget', () => {
 
     it('should update metadata for initial preview', async () => {
       const field = fromJS({ ...fieldConfig, multiple: true });
-      const value = fromJS(['Post # 1', 'Post # 2']);
-      const { getByText, onChangeSpy, setQueryHitsSpy } = setup({ field, value });
-      const metadata1 = {
-        post: { posts: { 'Post # 1': { title: 'Post # 1', slug: 'post-number-1' } } },
+      const value = fromJS(['YAML post', 'JSON post']);
+      const { getByText, onChangeSpy } = setup({ field, value });
+      const metadata = {
+        post: {
+          posts: {
+            'YAML post': { title: 'YAML post', slug: 'post-yaml', body: 'Body yaml' },
+            'JSON post': { title: 'JSON post', slug: 'post-json', body: 'Body json' },
+          },
+        },
       };
-      const metadata2 = {
-        post: { posts: { 'Post # 2': { title: 'Post # 2', slug: 'post-number-2' } } },
-      };
-
-      setQueryHitsSpy(generateHits(2));
 
       await waitFor(() => {
-        expect(getByText('Post # 1 post-number-1')).toBeInTheDocument();
-        expect(getByText('Post # 2 post-number-2')).toBeInTheDocument();
+        expect(getByText('YAML post post-yaml')).toBeInTheDocument();
+        expect(getByText('JSON post post-json')).toBeInTheDocument();
 
-        expect(onChangeSpy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
-        expect(onChangeSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(value, metadata1);
-        expect(onChangeSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(value, metadata2);
+        expect(onChangeSpy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+        expect(onChangeSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(value, metadata);
       });
     });
   });