diff --git a/packages/nuxt/src/pages/utils.ts b/packages/nuxt/src/pages/utils.ts
index 63bb9cacf9..1e713075dd 100644
--- a/packages/nuxt/src/pages/utils.ts
+++ b/packages/nuxt/src/pages/utils.ts
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import { filename } from 'pathe/utils'
 import { hash } from 'ohash'
 import { transform } from 'esbuild'
 import { parse } from 'acorn'
+import { walk } from 'estree-walker'
 import type { CallExpression, ExpressionStatement, ObjectExpression, Program, Property } from 'estree'
 import type { NuxtPage } from 'nuxt/schema'
 
@@ -173,7 +174,7 @@ const DYNAMIC_META_KEY = '__nuxt_dynamic_meta_key' as const
 
 const pageContentsCache: Record<string, string> = {}
 const metaCache: Record<string, Partial<Record<keyof NuxtPage, any>>> = {}
-async function getRouteMeta (contents: string, absolutePath: string): Promise<Partial<Record<keyof NuxtPage, any>>> {
+export async function getRouteMeta (contents: string, absolutePath: string): Promise<Partial<Record<keyof NuxtPage, any>>> {
   // set/update pageContentsCache, invalidate metaCache on cache mismatch
   if (!(absolutePath in pageContentsCache) || pageContentsCache[absolutePath] !== contents) {
     pageContentsCache[absolutePath] = contents
@@ -199,70 +200,77 @@ async function getRouteMeta (contents: string, absolutePath: string): Promise<Pa
     ecmaVersion: 'latest',
     ranges: true,
   }) as unknown as Program
-  const pageMetaAST = ast.body.find(node => node.type === 'ExpressionStatement' && node.expression.type === 'CallExpression' && node.expression.callee.type === 'Identifier' && node.expression.callee.name === 'definePageMeta')
-  if (!pageMetaAST) {
-    metaCache[absolutePath] = {}
-    return {}
-  }
 
-  const pageMetaArgument = ((pageMetaAST as ExpressionStatement).expression as CallExpression).arguments[0] as ObjectExpression
   const extractedMeta = {} as Partial<Record<keyof NuxtPage, any>>
   const extractionKeys = ['name', 'path', 'alias', 'redirect'] as const
   const dynamicProperties = new Set<keyof NuxtPage>()
 
-  for (const key of extractionKeys) {
-    const property = pageMetaArgument.properties.find(property => property.type === 'Property' && property.key.type === 'Identifier' && property.key.name === key) as Property
-    if (!property) { continue }
+  let foundMeta = false
 
-    if (property.value.type === 'ObjectExpression') {
-      const valueString = js.code.slice(property.value.range![0], property.value.range![1])
-      try {
-        extractedMeta[key] = JSON.parse(runInNewContext(`JSON.stringify(${valueString})`, {}))
-      } catch {
-        console.debug(`[nuxt] Skipping extraction of \`${key}\` metadata as it is not JSON-serializable (reading \`${absolutePath}\`).`)
-        dynamicProperties.add(key)
-        continue
-      }
-    }
+  walk(ast, {
+    enter (node) {
+      if (foundMeta) { return }
 
-    if (property.value.type === 'ArrayExpression') {
-      const values = []
-      for (const element of property.value.elements) {
-        if (!element) {
+      if (node.type !== 'ExpressionStatement' || node.expression.type !== 'CallExpression' || node.expression.callee.type !== 'Identifier' || node.expression.callee.name !== 'definePageMeta') { return }
+
+      foundMeta = true
+      const pageMetaArgument = ((node as ExpressionStatement).expression as CallExpression).arguments[0] as ObjectExpression
+
+      for (const key of extractionKeys) {
+        const property = pageMetaArgument.properties.find(property => property.type === 'Property' && property.key.type === 'Identifier' && property.key.name === key) as Property
+        if (!property) { continue }
+
+        if (property.value.type === 'ObjectExpression') {
+          const valueString = js.code.slice(property.value.range![0], property.value.range![1])
+          try {
+            extractedMeta[key] = JSON.parse(runInNewContext(`JSON.stringify(${valueString})`, {}))
+          } catch {
+            console.debug(`[nuxt] Skipping extraction of \`${key}\` metadata as it is not JSON-serializable (reading \`${absolutePath}\`).`)
+            dynamicProperties.add(key)
+            continue
+          }
+        }
+
+        if (property.value.type === 'ArrayExpression') {
+          const values = []
+          for (const element of property.value.elements) {
+            if (!element) {
+              continue
+            }
+            if (element.type !== 'Literal' || typeof element.value !== 'string') {
+              console.debug(`[nuxt] Skipping extraction of \`${key}\` metadata as it is not an array of string literals (reading \`${absolutePath}\`).`)
+              dynamicProperties.add(key)
+              continue
+            }
+            values.push(element.value)
+          }
+          extractedMeta[key] = values
           continue
         }
-        if (element.type !== 'Literal' || typeof element.value !== 'string') {
-          console.debug(`[nuxt] Skipping extraction of \`${key}\` metadata as it is not an array of string literals (reading \`${absolutePath}\`).`)
+
+        if (property.value.type !== 'Literal' || typeof property.value.value !== 'string') {
+          console.debug(`[nuxt] Skipping extraction of \`${key}\` metadata as it is not a string literal or array of string literals (reading \`${absolutePath}\`).`)
           dynamicProperties.add(key)
           continue
         }
-        values.push(element.value)
+        extractedMeta[key] = property.value.value
       }
-      extractedMeta[key] = values
-      continue
-    }
 
-    if (property.value.type !== 'Literal' || typeof property.value.value !== 'string') {
-      console.debug(`[nuxt] Skipping extraction of \`${key}\` metadata as it is not a string literal or array of string literals (reading \`${absolutePath}\`).`)
-      dynamicProperties.add(key)
-      continue
-    }
-    extractedMeta[key] = property.value.value
-  }
+      const extraneousMetaKeys = pageMetaArgument.properties
+        .filter(property => property.type === 'Property' && property.key.type === 'Identifier' && !(extractionKeys as unknown as string[]).includes(property.key.name))
+        // @ts-expect-error inferred types have been filtered out
+        .map(property => property.key.name)
 
-  const extraneousMetaKeys = pageMetaArgument.properties
-    .filter(property => property.type === 'Property' && property.key.type === 'Identifier' && !(extractionKeys as unknown as string[]).includes(property.key.name))
-    // @ts-expect-error inferred types have been filtered out
-    .map(property => property.key.name)
+      if (extraneousMetaKeys.length) {
+        dynamicProperties.add('meta')
+      }
 
-  if (extraneousMetaKeys.length) {
-    dynamicProperties.add('meta')
-  }
-
-  if (dynamicProperties.size) {
-    extractedMeta.meta ??= {}
-    extractedMeta.meta[DYNAMIC_META_KEY] = dynamicProperties
-  }
+      if (dynamicProperties.size) {
+        extractedMeta.meta ??= {}
+        extractedMeta.meta[DYNAMIC_META_KEY] = dynamicProperties
+      }
+    },
+  })
 
   metaCache[absolutePath] = extractedMeta
   return extractedMeta
@@ -505,19 +513,20 @@ async function createClientPage(loader) {
 }`)
       }
 
-      if (route.children != null) {
+      if (route.children) {
         metaRoute.children = route.children
       }
 
-      if (overrideMeta) {
-        metaRoute.name = `${metaImportName}?.name`
-        metaRoute.path = `${metaImportName}?.path ?? ''`
+      if (route.meta) {
+        metaRoute.meta = `{ ...(${metaImportName} || {}), ...${route.meta} }`
+      }
 
+      if (overrideMeta) {
         // skip and retain fallback if marked dynamic
         // set to extracted value or fallback if none extracted
         for (const key of ['name', 'path'] satisfies NormalizedRouteKeys) {
           if (markedDynamic.has(key)) { continue }
-          metaRoute[key] = route[key] ?? metaRoute[key]
+          metaRoute[key] = route[key] ?? `${metaImportName}?.${key}`
         }
 
         // set to extracted value or delete if none extracted
@@ -532,10 +541,6 @@ async function createClientPage(loader) {
           metaRoute[key] = route[key]
         }
       } else {
-        if (route.meta != null) {
-          metaRoute.meta = `{ ...(${metaImportName} || {}), ...${route.meta} }`
-        }
-
         if (route.alias != null) {
           metaRoute.alias = `${route.alias}.concat(${metaImportName}?.alias || [])`
         }
diff --git a/packages/nuxt/test/__snapshots__/pages-override-meta-enabled.test.ts.snap b/packages/nuxt/test/__snapshots__/pages-override-meta-enabled.test.ts.snap
index 88989345d1..9fb308e7c1 100644
--- a/packages/nuxt/test/__snapshots__/pages-override-meta-enabled.test.ts.snap
+++ b/packages/nuxt/test/__snapshots__/pages-override-meta-enabled.test.ts.snap
@@ -303,7 +303,7 @@
       "alias": "mockMeta?.alias || []",
       "component": "() => import("pages/index.vue").then(m => m.default || m)",
       "meta": "mockMeta || {}",
-      "name": "mockMeta?.name",
+      "name": "mockMeta?.name ?? "index"",
       "path": ""/"",
       "redirect": "mockMeta?.redirect",
     },
diff --git a/packages/nuxt/test/page-metadata.test.ts b/packages/nuxt/test/page-metadata.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4431b80f2f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/nuxt/test/page-metadata.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,148 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
+import { getRouteMeta, normalizeRoutes } from '../src/pages/utils'
+import type { NuxtPage } from '../schema'
+
+const filePath = '/app/pages/index.vue'
+
+describe('page metadata', () => {
+  it('should not extract metadata from empty files', async () => {
+    expect(await getRouteMeta('', filePath)).toEqual({})
+    expect(await getRouteMeta('<template><div>Hi</div></template>', filePath)).toEqual({})
+  })
+
+  it('should use and invalidate cache', async () => {
+    const fileContents = `<script setup>definePageMeta({ foo: 'bar' })</script>`
+    const meta = await getRouteMeta(fileContents, filePath)
+    expect(meta === await getRouteMeta(fileContents, filePath)).toBeTruthy()
+    expect(meta === await getRouteMeta(fileContents, '/app/pages/other.vue')).toBeFalsy()
+    expect(meta === await getRouteMeta('<template><div>Hi</div></template>' + fileContents, filePath)).toBeFalsy()
+  })
+
+  it('should extract serialisable metadata', async () => {
+    const meta = await getRouteMeta(`
+    <script setup>
+    definePageMeta({
+      name: 'some-custom-name',
+      path: '/some-custom-path',
+      validate: () => true,
+      middleware: [
+        function () {},
+      ],
+      otherValue: {
+        foo: 'bar',
+      },
+    })
+    </script>
+    `, filePath)
+
+    expect(meta).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`
+      {
+        "meta": {
+          "__nuxt_dynamic_meta_key": Set {
+            "meta",
+          },
+        },
+        "name": "some-custom-name",
+        "path": "/some-custom-path",
+      }
+    `)
+  })
+
+  it('should extract serialisable metadata in options api', async () => {
+    const meta = await getRouteMeta(`
+    <script>
+    export default {
+      setup() {
+        definePageMeta({
+          name: 'some-custom-name',
+          path: '/some-custom-path',
+          middleware: (from, to) => console.warn('middleware'),
+        })
+      },
+    };
+    </script>
+    `, filePath)
+
+    expect(meta).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`
+      {
+        "meta": {
+          "__nuxt_dynamic_meta_key": Set {
+            "meta",
+          },
+        },
+        "name": "some-custom-name",
+        "path": "/some-custom-path",
+      }
+    `)
+  })
+})
+
+describe('normalizeRoutes', () => {
+  it('should produce valid route objects when used with extracted meta', async () => {
+    const page: NuxtPage = { path: '/', file: filePath }
+    Object.assign(page, await getRouteMeta(`
+      <script setup>
+      definePageMeta({
+        name: 'some-custom-name',
+        path: ref('/some-custom-path'), /* dynamic */
+        validate: () => true,
+        redirect: '/',
+        middleware: [
+          function () {},
+        ],
+        otherValue: {
+          foo: 'bar',
+        },
+      })
+      </script>
+      `, filePath))
+
+    page.meta ||= {}
+    page.meta.layout = 'test'
+    page.meta.foo = 'bar'
+
+    const { routes, imports } = normalizeRoutes([page], new Set(), true)
+    expect({ routes, imports }).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`
+        {
+          "imports": Set {
+            "import { default as indexN6pT4Un8hYMeta } from "/app/pages/index.vue?macro=true";",
+          },
+          "routes": "[
+          {
+            name: "some-custom-name",
+            path: indexN6pT4Un8hYMeta?.path ?? "/",
+            meta: { ...(indexN6pT4Un8hYMeta || {}), ...{"layout":"test","foo":"bar"} },
+            redirect: "/",
+            component: () => import("/app/pages/index.vue").then(m => m.default || m)
+          }
+        ]",
+        }
+      `)
+  })
+
+  it('should produce valid route objects when used without extracted meta', () => {
+    const page: NuxtPage = { path: '/', file: filePath }
+    page.meta ||= {}
+    page.meta.layout = 'test'
+    page.meta.foo = 'bar'
+
+    const { routes, imports } = normalizeRoutes([page], new Set())
+    expect({ routes, imports }).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`
+        {
+          "imports": Set {
+            "import { default as indexN6pT4Un8hYMeta } from "/app/pages/index.vue?macro=true";",
+          },
+          "routes": "[
+          {
+            name: indexN6pT4Un8hYMeta?.name ?? undefined,
+            path: indexN6pT4Un8hYMeta?.path ?? "/",
+            meta: { ...(indexN6pT4Un8hYMeta || {}), ...{"layout":"test","foo":"bar"} },
+            alias: indexN6pT4Un8hYMeta?.alias || [],
+            redirect: indexN6pT4Un8hYMeta?.redirect,
+            component: () => import("/app/pages/index.vue").then(m => m.default || m)
+          }
+        ]",
+        }
+      `)
+  })
+})
diff --git a/test/basic.test.ts b/test/basic.test.ts
index f86faf36d1..864e48726e 100644
--- a/test/basic.test.ts
+++ b/test/basic.test.ts
@@ -166,6 +166,21 @@ describe('pages', () => {
     expect(res.headers.get('x-extend')).toEqual('added in pages:extend')
   })
 
+  it('preserves page metadata added in pages:extend hook', async () => {
+    const html = await $fetch<string>('/some-custom-path')
+    expect (html.match(/<pre>([^<]*)<\/pre>/)?.[1]?.trim().replace(/&quot;/g, '"').replace(/&gt;/g, '>')).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`
+      "{
+        "name": "some-custom-name",
+        "path": "/some-custom-path",
+        "validate": "() => true",
+        "middleware": [
+          "() => true"
+        ],
+        "otherValue": "{\\"foo\\":\\"bar\\"}"
+      }"
+    `)
+  })
+
   it('validates routes', async () => {
     const { status, headers } = await fetch('/forbidden')
     expect(status).toEqual(404)
diff --git a/test/fixtures/basic/nuxt.config.ts b/test/fixtures/basic/nuxt.config.ts
index d312d55944..08f427b2a6 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/basic/nuxt.config.ts
+++ b/test/fixtures/basic/nuxt.config.ts
@@ -151,6 +151,17 @@ export default defineNuxtConfig({
         internalParent!.children = newPages
       })
     },
+    function (_options, nuxt) {
+      // to check that page metadata is preserved
+      nuxt.hook('pages:extend', (pages) => {
+        const customName = pages.find(page => page.name === 'some-custom-name')
+        if (!customName) { throw new Error('Page with custom name not found') }
+        if (customName.path !== '/some-custom-path') { throw new Error('Page path not extracted') }
+
+        customName.meta ||= {}
+        customName.meta.someProp = true
+      })
+    },
     // To test falsy module values
     undefined,
   ],
diff --git a/test/fixtures/basic/pages/meta.vue b/test/fixtures/basic/pages/meta.vue
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7983bde1ee
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/basic/pages/meta.vue
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+<script setup lang="ts">
+definePageMeta({
+  name: 'some-custom-name',
+  path: '/some-custom-path',
+  validate: () => true,
+  middleware: [() => true],
+  otherValue: {
+    foo: 'bar',
+  },
+})
+
+const serialisedMeta: Record<string, string> = {}
+const meta = useRoute().meta
+for (const key in meta) {
+  if (Array.isArray(meta[key])) {
+    serialisedMeta[key] = meta[key].map((fn: Function) => fn.toString())
+    continue
+  }
+  if (typeof meta[key] === 'string') {
+    serialisedMeta[key] = meta[key]
+    continue
+  }
+  if (typeof meta[key] === 'object') {
+    serialisedMeta[key] = JSON.stringify(meta[key])
+    continue
+  }
+  if (typeof meta[key] === 'function') {
+    serialisedMeta[key] = meta[key].toString()
+    continue
+  }
+}
+</script>
+
+<template>
+  <pre>{{ serialisedMeta }}</pre>
+</template>