diff --git a/src/app/core/shared/metadata.utils.spec.ts b/src/app/core/shared/metadata.utils.spec.ts
index f4348723001..dcb494d0124 100644
--- a/src/app/core/shared/metadata.utils.spec.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/shared/metadata.utils.spec.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { isUndefined } from '../../shared/empty.util';
 import { v4 as uuidv4 } from 'uuid';
 import { MetadataMap, MetadataValue, MetadataValueFilter, MetadatumViewModel } from './metadata.models';
-import { Metadata } from './metadata.utils';
+import { Metadata, PLACEHOLDER_VALUE } from './metadata.utils';
 
 const mdValue = (value: string, language?: string, authority?: string): MetadataValue => {
   return Object.assign(new MetadataValue(), {
@@ -306,4 +306,21 @@ describe('Metadata', () => {
       testAllWithLimit(multiMap, 'dc.title', [dcTitle1], 1);
     });
   });
+
+  describe('Placeholder values', () => {
+    it('should ignore placeholder values in get methods', () => {
+      const placeholderMd = mdValue(PLACEHOLDER_VALUE);
+      const key = 'dc.test.placeholder';
+      const map = { 'dc.test.placeholder': [placeholderMd] };
+
+      expect(Metadata.all(map, key).length).toEqual(0);
+      expect(Metadata.allValues(map, key).length).toEqual(0);
+      expect(Metadata.has(map, key)).toBeFalsy();
+      expect(Metadata.first(map, key)).toBeUndefined();
+      expect(Metadata.firstValue(map, key)).toBeUndefined();
+      expect(Metadata.hasValue(placeholderMd)).toBeFalsy();
+      expect(Metadata.valueMatches(placeholderMd, null)).toBeFalsy();
+    });
+  });
+
 });
diff --git a/src/app/core/shared/metadata.utils.ts b/src/app/core/shared/metadata.utils.ts
index ae5f85f582a..e6a73a138d9 100644
--- a/src/app/core/shared/metadata.utils.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/shared/metadata.utils.ts
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ import { validate as uuidValidate } from 'uuid';
 
 export const AUTHORITY_GENERATE = 'will be generated::';
 export const AUTHORITY_REFERENCE = 'will be referenced::';
+export const PLACEHOLDER_VALUE = '#PLACEHOLDER_PARENT_METADATA_VALUE#';
+
 
 /**
  * Utility class for working with DSpace object metadata.
@@ -29,7 +31,6 @@ export const AUTHORITY_REFERENCE = 'will be referenced::';
  * followed by any other (non-dc) metadata values.
  */
 export class Metadata {
-
   /**
    * Gets all matching metadata in the map(s).
    *
@@ -152,11 +153,11 @@ export class Metadata {
    * Returns true if this Metadatum's value is defined
    */
   public static hasValue(value: MetadataValue|string): boolean {
-    if (isEmpty(value)) {
+    if (isEmpty(value) || value === PLACEHOLDER_VALUE) {
       return false;
     }
     if (isObject(value) && value.hasOwnProperty('value')) {
-      return isNotEmpty(value.value);
+      return isNotEmpty(value.value) && value.value !== PLACEHOLDER_VALUE;
     }
     return true;
   }
@@ -169,7 +170,9 @@ export class Metadata {
    * @returns {boolean} whether the filter matches, or true if no filter is given.
    */
   public static valueMatches(mdValue: MetadataValue, filter: MetadataValueFilter) {
-    if (!filter) {
+    if (mdValue.value === PLACEHOLDER_VALUE) {
+      return false;
+    } else if (!filter) {
       return true;
     } else if (filter.language && filter.language !== mdValue.language) {
       return false;