diff --git a/lib/meta.js b/lib/meta.js
index 74a2b0db..2d424457 100644
--- a/lib/meta.js
+++ b/lib/meta.js
@@ -2,38 +2,29 @@
  * Meta Extension
  *
  * Sets default metadata on a load record (load.metadata) from
- * loader.meta[moduleName].
+ * loader.meta.
+ *
+ *
  * Also provides an inline meta syntax for module meta in source.
  *
  * Eg:
  *
- * loader.meta['my/module'] = { some: 'meta' };
+ * loader.meta['my/module'] = { deps: ['jquery'] };
+ * loader.meta['my/*'] = { format: 'amd' };
  *
- * load.metadata.some = 'meta' will now be set on the load record.
+ * load.metadata.deps and load.metadata.format will then be set
+ * for 'my/module'
  *
  * The same meta could be set with a my/module.js file containing:
  * 
  * my/module.js
- *   "some meta"; 
- *   "another meta";
+ *   "format amd"; 
+ *   "deps jquery";
  *   console.log('this is my/module');
  *
- * The benefit of inline meta is that coniguration doesn't need
- * to be known in advance, which is useful for modularising
- * configuration and avoiding the need for configuration injection.
+ * Configuration meta always takes preference to inline meta.
  *
- *
- * Example
- * -------
- *
- * The simplest meta example is setting the module format:
- *
- * System.meta['my/module'] = { format: 'amd' };
- *
- * or inside 'my/module.js':
- *
- * "format amd";
- * define(...);
+ * Multiple matches in wildcards are supported and ammend the meta.
  * 
  */
 
@@ -46,12 +37,34 @@
     };
   });
 
+  function extend(a, b) {
+    for (var p in b) {
+      if (!(p in a))
+        a[p] = b[p];
+    }
+  }
+
   hook('locate', function(locate) {
     return function(load) {
-      var meta = this.meta[load.name];
-      for (var p in meta) {
-        if (load.metadata[p] === undefined)
-          load.metadata[p] = meta[p];
+      var meta = this.meta;
+      var name = load.name;
+      
+      // apply exact meta
+      if (meta[name])
+        extend(load.metadata, meta[name]);
+
+      // NB for perf, maybe introduce a fast-path wildcard lookup cache here
+      // which is checked first
+
+      // apply wildcard metas
+      var wildcardIndex;
+      for (var module in meta) {
+        wildcardIndex = indexOf.call(module, '*');
+        if (wildcardIndex === -1)
+          continue;
+        if (module.substr(0, wildcardIndex) === name.substr(0, wildcardIndex)
+            && module.substr(wildcardIndex + 1) === name.substr(name.length - module.length + wildcardIndex + 1))
+          extend(load.metadata, meta[module]);
       }
       return locate.call(this, load);
     };
@@ -84,9 +97,7 @@
           if (metaName) {
             var metaValue = metaString.substr(metaName.length + 1, metaString.length - metaName.length - 1);
 
-            if (load.metadata[metaName] instanceof Array)
-              load.metadata[metaName].push(metaValue);
-            else if (load.metadata[metaName] === undefined)
+            if (!(metaName in load.metadata))
               load.metadata[metaName] = metaValue;
           }
         }
diff --git a/lib/register.js b/lib/register.js
index 8a735c9e..abb00bcf 100644
--- a/lib/register.js
+++ b/lib/register.js
@@ -429,11 +429,13 @@
   });
 
   hook('translate', function(translate) {
+    // we run the meta detection here (register is after meta)
     return function(load) {
-      load.metadata.deps = load.metadata.deps || [];
-
-      // we run the meta detection here (register is after meta)
       return Promise.resolve(translate.call(this, load)).then(function(source) {
+
+        if (typeof load.metadata.deps === 'string')
+          load.metadata.deps = load.metadata.deps.split(',');
+        load.metadata.deps = load.metadata.deps || [];
         
         // dont run format detection for globals shimmed
         // ideally this should be in the global extension, but there is