diff --git a/scripts/generate-manifest.js b/scripts/generate-manifest.js
index d0b4d241..e5e6a7b4 100644
--- a/scripts/generate-manifest.js
+++ b/scripts/generate-manifest.js
@@ -27,6 +27,70 @@ function parseArgs(argv) {
   };
 }
 
+function parseScalar(rawValue) {
+  const value = rawValue.trim();
+  if (value === 'true') return true;
+  if (value === 'false') return false;
+  if (value === 'null') return null;
+  if (/^-?\d+$/.test(value)) return Number(value);
+  if (value.startsWith('[') && value.endsWith(']')) {
+    const inner = value.slice(1, -1).trim();
+    if (!inner) return [];
+    return inner.split(',').map(entry => entry.trim().replace(/^"|"$/g, ''));
+  }
+  if (value.startsWith('"') && value.endsWith('"')) {
+    return value.slice(1, -1);
+  }
+  return value;
+}
+
+function parseMetadataYaml(content) {
+  const result = {};
+  const stack = [];
+
+  for (const rawLine of content.split(/\r?\n/)) {
+    if (!rawLine.trim() || rawLine.trim().startsWith('#')) continue;
+
+    const indent = rawLine.match(/^\s*/)[0].length;
+    const trimmed = rawLine.trim();
+
+    if (trimmed.startsWith('- ')) {
+      const currentPath = stack.map(entry => entry.key).join('.');
+      const listValue = parseScalar(trimmed.slice(2));
+
+      if (currentPath === 'tags') {
+        result.tags = Array.isArray(result.tags) ? result.tags : [];
+        result.tags.push(String(listValue));
+      }
+      continue;
+    }
+
+    while (stack.length > 0 && indent <= stack[stack.length - 1].indent) {
+      stack.pop();
+    }
+
+    const separator = trimmed.indexOf(':');
+    if (separator < 0) continue;
+
+    const key = trimmed.slice(0, separator).trim();
+    const rawValue = trimmed.slice(separator + 1);
+    const pathParts = [...stack.map(entry => entry.key), key];
+    const dottedPath = pathParts.join('.');
+
+    if (!rawValue.trim()) {
+      stack.push({ key, indent });
+      if (dottedPath === 'tags') {
+        result.tags = Array.isArray(result.tags) ? result.tags : [];
+      }
+      continue;
+    }
+
+    setNested(result, pathParts, parseScalar(rawValue));
+  }
+
+  return result;
+}
+
 function listMetadataFiles(dir, results = []) {
   if (!fs.existsSync(dir)) return results;
 
diff --git a/scripts/validate-metadata.js b/scripts/validate-metadata.js
index 20d5b2e2..d54a6e46 100644
--- a/scripts/validate-metadata.js
+++ b/scripts/validate-metadata.js
@@ -66,22 +66,6 @@ function parseScalar(rawValue) {
   return value;
 }
 
-function setNested(target, dottedPath, value) {
-  const parts = dottedPath.split('.');
-  const blockedKeys = new Set(['__proto__', 'constructor', 'prototype']);
-  if (parts.some((part) => blockedKeys.has(part))) return;
-
-  let cursor = target;
-  for (let index = 0; index < parts.length - 1; index += 1) {
-    const part = parts[index];
-    if (!cursor[part] || typeof cursor[part] !== 'object' || Array.isArray(cursor[part])) {
-      cursor[part] = {};
-    }
-    cursor = cursor[part];
-  }
-  cursor[parts[parts.length - 1]] = value;
-}
-
 function parseMetadataYaml(content) {
   const result = {};
   const stack = [];
@@ -111,7 +95,8 @@ function parseMetadataYaml(content) {
 
     const key = trimmed.slice(0, separator).trim();
     const rawValue = trimmed.slice(separator + 1);
-    const dottedPath = stack.length > 0 ? stack[stack.length - 1].path + '.' + key : key;
+    const pathParts = [...stack.map((entry) => entry.key), key];
+    const dottedPath = pathParts.join('.');
 
     if (!rawValue.trim()) {
       stack.push({ key, indent, path: dottedPath });
@@ -121,7 +106,7 @@ function parseMetadataYaml(content) {
       continue;
     }
 
-    setNested(result, dottedPath, parseScalar(rawValue));
+    setNested(result, pathParts, parseScalar(rawValue));
   }
 
   return result;
diff --git a/scripts/validate-metadata.test.js b/scripts/validate-metadata.test.js
index 2e9270bf..68344f8d 100644
--- a/scripts/validate-metadata.test.js
+++ b/scripts/validate-metadata.test.js
@@ -369,3 +369,11 @@ test('listMetadataFiles', async (t) => {
     assert.deepStrictEqual(result, []);
   });
 });
+
+test('listMetadataFiles', async (t) => {
+  await t.test('returns empty array for non-existent directory', () => {
+    const nonExistentPath = '/path/that/does/not/exist/for/sure/12345';
+    const result = listMetadataFiles(nonExistentPath);
+    assert.deepStrictEqual(result, []);
+  });
+});