diff --git a/cmd/touch/touch.go b/cmd/touch/touch.go
index d5f3f1e9a..b868784a6 100644
--- a/cmd/touch/touch.go
+++ b/cmd/touch/touch.go
@@ -61,7 +61,11 @@ time instead of the current time. Times may be specified as one of:
 - 'YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.SSS' - e.g. 2006-01-02T15:04:05.123456789
 
 Note that value of ` + "`--timestamp`" + ` is in UTC. If you want local time
-then add the ` + "`--localtime`" + ` flag.`,
+then add the ` + "`--localtime`" + ` flag.
+
+Metadata can be added when creating a new file with ` + "`--metadata-set`" + `.
+For example:
+  rclone touch remote:path -M --metadata-set key=value`,
 	Annotations: map[string]string{
 		"versionIntroduced": "v1.39",
 		"groups":            "Filter,Listing,Important",
@@ -123,10 +127,10 @@ func timeOfTouch() (time.Time, error) {
 }
 
 // createEmptyObject creates an empty object (file) with specified timestamp
-func createEmptyObject(ctx context.Context, remote string, modTime time.Time, f fs.Fs) error {
+func createEmptyObject(ctx context.Context, remote string, modTime time.Time, f fs.Fs, options []fs.OpenOption) error {
 	var buffer []byte
 	src := object.NewStaticObjectInfo(remote, modTime, int64(len(buffer)), true, nil, f)
-	_, err := f.Put(ctx, bytes.NewBuffer(buffer), src)
+	_, err := f.Put(ctx, bytes.NewBuffer(buffer), src, options...)
 	return err
 }
 
@@ -163,7 +167,8 @@ func Touch(ctx context.Context, f fs.Fs, remote string) error {
 				return nil
 			}
 			fs.Debugf(f, "Touching (creating) %q", remote)
-			if err = createEmptyObject(ctx, remote, t, f); err != nil {
+			options := fs.MetadataAsOpenOptions(ctx)
+			if err = createEmptyObject(ctx, remote, t, f, options); err != nil {
 				return fmt.Errorf("failed to touch (create): %w", err)
 			}
 		}
diff --git a/cmd/touch/touch_test.go b/cmd/touch/touch_test.go
index 47e904549..40ff84e1b 100644
--- a/cmd/touch/touch_test.go
+++ b/cmd/touch/touch_test.go
@@ -150,3 +150,32 @@ func TestRecursiveTouchDirWithFiles(t *testing.T) {
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	fstest.CheckListingWithPrecision(t, r.Fremote, []fstest.Item{file1, file2, file3}, []string{"a", "a/b", "a/b/c"}, fs.ModTimeNotSupported)
 }
+
+func TestTouchWithMetadata(t *testing.T) {
+	r := fstest.NewRun(t)
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	features := r.Fremote.Features()
+	if !features.UserMetadata {
+		t.Skip("Skipping metadata test; backend does not support user metadata")
+	}
+
+	ci := fs.GetConfig(ctx)
+	origMetadata := ci.Metadata
+	origMetadataSet := ci.MetadataSet
+	t.Cleanup(func() {
+		ci.Metadata = origMetadata
+		ci.MetadataSet = origMetadataSet
+	})
+
+	ci.Metadata = true
+	ci.MetadataSet = fs.Metadata{
+		"testkey": "testvalue",
+	}
+
+	err := Touch(ctx, r.Fremote, "metaFile")
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	o, err := r.Fremote.NewObject(ctx, "metaFile")
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	fstest.CheckEntryMetadata(ctx, t, r.Fremote, o, ci.MetadataSet)
+}