diff --git a/ui/cli.py b/ui/cli.py
index 18c8dc0..e7aafb6 100644
--- a/ui/cli.py
+++ b/ui/cli.py
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ from cryptography.hazmat.primitives.serialization import Encoding, \
 import base58
 import copy
 import datetime
+import functools
 import hashlib
 import mock
 import os.path
@@ -142,7 +143,10 @@ class MDBase(object):
 		return '%s(%s)' % (self.__class__.__name__, `self._obj`)
 
 	def __getattr__(self, k):
-		return self._obj[k]
+		try:
+			return self._obj[k]
+		except KeyError:
+			raise AttributeError(k)
 
 	def __setattr__(self, k, v):
 		if k[0] == '_': # direct attribute
@@ -227,6 +231,11 @@ class Persona(object):
 
 		self._created_by_ref = self._identity.uuid
 
+	def MetaData(self, *args, **kwargs):
+		kwargs['created_by_ref'] = self.uuid
+
+		return self.sign(MetaData(*args, **kwargs))
+
 	@property
 	def uuid(self):
 		'''Return the UUID of the identity represented.'''
@@ -676,6 +685,9 @@ class _TestCases(unittest.TestCase):
 		# gets set directly, and is not a list
 		self.assertEqual(md3.sig, fvalue)
 
+		# that invalid attribute access raises correct exception
+		self.assertRaises(AttributeError, getattr, md, 'somerandombogusattribute')
+
 	def test_mdbase_encode_decode(self):
 		# that an object
 		baseobj = {
@@ -864,6 +876,24 @@ class _TestCases(unittest.TestCase):
 		# and the old persona can verify it.
 		self.assertTrue(vpersona.verify(nvtestobj))
 
+	def test_persona_metadata(self):
+		# that a persona
+		persona = Persona()
+		persona.generate_key()
+
+		# can create a metadata object
+		hashobj = ['asdlfkj']
+		mdobj = persona.MetaData(hashes=hashobj)
+
+		# that the object has the correct created_by_ref
+		self.assertEqual(mdobj.created_by_ref, persona.uuid)
+
+		# and has the provided hashes
+		self.assertEqual(mdobj.hashes, hashobj)
+
+		# and that it can be verified
+		persona.verify(mdobj)
+
 	def test_objectstore(self):
 		objst = ObjectStore.load(os.path.join('fixtures', 'sample.data.pasn1'))