diff --git a/dcicutils/portal_utils.py b/dcicutils/portal_utils.py
index ce541ddb5..b2378c75a 100644
--- a/dcicutils/portal_utils.py
+++ b/dcicutils/portal_utils.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 from requests.models import Response
 from threading import Thread
 from typing import Callable, Dict, List, Optional, Tuple, Type, Union
+# from urllib.parse import parse_qs as parse_url_query_string
 from uuid import uuid4 as uuid
 from webtest.app import TestApp, TestResponse
 from wsgiref.simple_server import make_server as wsgi_make_server
@@ -279,6 +280,8 @@ def get_metadata(self, object_id: str, raw: bool = False, database: bool = False
                      limit: Optional[int] = None, offset: Optional[int] = None,
                      field: Optional[str] = None, deleted: bool = False,
                      raise_exception: bool = True) -> Optional[dict]:
+        if not isinstance(object_id, str):
+            return None
         if isinstance(raw, bool) and raw:
             add_on = "frame=raw" + ("&datastore=database" if isinstance(database, bool) and database else "")
         elif database:
@@ -305,6 +308,13 @@ def get_metadata(self, object_id: str, raw: bool = False, database: bool = False
                 add_on += "&status=deleted"
             else:
                 add_on += "status=deleted"
+        if (question_mark := object_id.find("?")) > 0:
+            query_string = object_id[question_mark + 1:]
+            object_id = object_id[:question_mark]
+            if add_on:
+                add_on += f"&{query_string}"
+            else:
+                add_on += query_string
         if raise_exception:
             return get_metadata(obj_id=object_id, vapp=self.vapp, key=self.key, add_on=add_on)
         else: