diff --git a/packages/hardhat-core/src/internal/core/config/default-config.ts b/packages/hardhat-core/src/internal/core/config/default-config.ts
index 9c8e9db38a..704f13832d 100644
--- a/packages/hardhat-core/src/internal/core/config/default-config.ts
+++ b/packages/hardhat-core/src/internal/core/config/default-config.ts
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ export const defaultSolcOutputSelection = {
       "evm.bytecode",
       "evm.deployedBytecode",
       "evm.methodIdentifiers",
+      "metadata",
     ],
     "": ["ast"],
   },