diff --git a/datasette/default_permissions.py b/datasette/default_permissions.py
index ab2f6312..3c295470 100644
--- a/datasette/default_permissions.py
+++ b/datasette/default_permissions.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import time
 @hookimpl(tryfirst=True, specname="permission_allowed")
 def permission_allowed_default(datasette, actor, action, resource):
     async def inner():
+        # id=root gets some special permissions:
         if action in (
             "permissions-debug",
             "debug-menu",
@@ -20,45 +21,72 @@ def permission_allowed_default(datasette, actor, action, resource):
         ):
             if actor and actor.get("id") == "root":
                 return True
-        elif action == "view-instance":
-            allow = datasette.metadata("allow")
-            if allow is not None:
-                return actor_matches_allow(actor, allow)
-        elif action == "view-database":
-            if resource == "_internal" and (actor is None or actor.get("id") != "root"):
-                return False
-            database_allow = datasette.metadata("allow", database=resource)
-            if database_allow is None:
-                return None
-            return actor_matches_allow(actor, database_allow)
-        elif action == "view-table":
-            database, table = resource
-            tables = datasette.metadata("tables", database=database) or {}
-            table_allow = (tables.get(table) or {}).get("allow")
-            if table_allow is None:
-                return None
-            return actor_matches_allow(actor, table_allow)
-        elif action == "view-query":
-            # Check if this query has a "allow" block in metadata
-            database, query_name = resource
-            query = await datasette.get_canned_query(database, query_name, actor)
-            assert query is not None
-            allow = query.get("allow")
-            if allow is None:
-                return None
-            return actor_matches_allow(actor, allow)
-        elif action == "execute-sql":
-            # Use allow_sql block from database block, or from top-level
-            database_allow_sql = datasette.metadata("allow_sql", database=resource)
-            if database_allow_sql is None:
-                database_allow_sql = datasette.metadata("allow_sql")
-            if database_allow_sql is None:
-                return None
-            return actor_matches_allow(actor, database_allow_sql)
+
+        # Resolve metadata view permissions
+        if action in (
+            "view-instance",
+            "view-database",
+            "view-table",
+            "view-query",
+            "execute-sql",
+        ):
+            result = await _resolve_metadata_view_permissions(
+                datasette, actor, action, resource
+            )
+            if result is not None:
+                return result
+
+        # Check custom permissions: blocks
+        return await _resolve_metadata_permissions_blocks(
+            datasette, actor, action, resource
+        )
 
     return inner
 
 
+async def _resolve_metadata_permissions_blocks(datasette, actor, action, resource):
+    # Check custom permissions: blocks - not yet implemented
+    return None
+
+
+async def _resolve_metadata_view_permissions(datasette, actor, action, resource):
+    if action == "view-instance":
+        allow = datasette.metadata("allow")
+        if allow is not None:
+            return actor_matches_allow(actor, allow)
+    elif action == "view-database":
+        if resource == "_internal" and (actor is None or actor.get("id") != "root"):
+            return False
+        database_allow = datasette.metadata("allow", database=resource)
+        if database_allow is None:
+            return None
+        return actor_matches_allow(actor, database_allow)
+    elif action == "view-table":
+        database, table = resource
+        tables = datasette.metadata("tables", database=database) or {}
+        table_allow = (tables.get(table) or {}).get("allow")
+        if table_allow is None:
+            return None
+        return actor_matches_allow(actor, table_allow)
+    elif action == "view-query":
+        # Check if this query has a "allow" block in metadata
+        database, query_name = resource
+        query = await datasette.get_canned_query(database, query_name, actor)
+        assert query is not None
+        allow = query.get("allow")
+        if allow is None:
+            return None
+        return actor_matches_allow(actor, allow)
+    elif action == "execute-sql":
+        # Use allow_sql block from database block, or from top-level
+        database_allow_sql = datasette.metadata("allow_sql", database=resource)
+        if database_allow_sql is None:
+            database_allow_sql = datasette.metadata("allow_sql")
+        if database_allow_sql is None:
+            return None
+        return actor_matches_allow(actor, database_allow_sql)
+
+
 @hookimpl(specname="permission_allowed")
 def permission_allowed_actor_restrictions(actor, action, resource):
     if actor is None:
diff --git a/tests/test_permissions.py b/tests/test_permissions.py
index 4eb18cee..f414216c 100644
--- a/tests/test_permissions.py
+++ b/tests/test_permissions.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import collections
 from datasette.app import Datasette
 from .fixtures import app_client, assert_permissions_checked, make_app_client
 from bs4 import BeautifulSoup as Soup
@@ -640,3 +641,48 @@ async def test_actor_restricted_permissions(
         "result": expected_result,
     }
     assert response.json() == expected
+
+
+PermMetadataTestCase = collections.namedtuple(
+    "PermMetadataTestCase",
+    "metadata,actor,action,resource,default,expected_result",
+)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "metadata,actor,action,resource,default,expected_result",
+    (
+        # Simple view-instance default=True example
+        PermMetadataTestCase(
+            metadata={},
+            actor=None,
+            action="view-instance",
+            resource=None,
+            default=True,
+            expected_result=True,
+        ),
+        # debug-menu on root
+        PermMetadataTestCase(
+            metadata={"permissions": {"debug-menu": {"id": "user"}}},
+            actor={"id": "user"},
+            action="debug-menu",
+            resource=None,
+            default=False,
+            expected_result=True,
+        ),
+    ),
+)
+async def test_permissions_in_metadata(
+    perms_ds, metadata, actor, action, resource, default, expected_result
+):
+    previous_metadata = perms_ds.metadata()
+    updated_metadata = copy.deepcopy(previous_metadata)
+    updated_metadata.update(metadata)
+    try:
+        result = await perms_ds.permission_allowed(
+            actor, action, resource, default=default
+        )
+        assert result == expected_result
+    finally:
+        perms_ds._metadata_local = previous_metadata