diff --git a/Duplicati/Library/Common/IO/SystemIOWindows.cs b/Duplicati/Library/Common/IO/SystemIOWindows.cs
index 13342f417..e91fb0537 100644
--- a/Duplicati/Library/Common/IO/SystemIOWindows.cs
+++ b/Duplicati/Library/Common/IO/SystemIOWindows.cs
@@ -487,7 +487,15 @@ namespace Duplicati.Library.Common.IO
                 objs.Add(new FileSystemAccess((FileSystemAccessRule)f));
 
             dict["win-ext:accessrules"] = SerializeObject(objs);
-            dict["win-ext:accessrulesprotected"] = rules.AreAccessRulesProtected.ToString();
+
+            // Only include the following key when its value is True.
+            // This prevents unnecessary 'metadata change' detections when upgrading from
+            // older versions (pre-2.0.5.101) that didn't store this value at all.
+            // When key is not present, its value is presumed False by the restore code.
+            if (rules.AreAccessRulesProtected)
+            {
+                dict["win-ext:accessrulesprotected"] = "True";
+            }
 
             return dict;
         }