diff --git a/source/net/sourceforge/filebot/similarity/CrossPropertyMetric.java b/source/net/sourceforge/filebot/similarity/CrossPropertyMetric.java
index 333d1df7..8a6a8608 100644
--- a/source/net/sourceforge/filebot/similarity/CrossPropertyMetric.java
+++ b/source/net/sourceforge/filebot/similarity/CrossPropertyMetric.java
@@ -27,15 +27,19 @@ public class CrossPropertyMetric implements SimilarityMetric {
 	@Override
 	public float getSimilarity(Object o1, Object o2) {
 		Map<String, Object> m1 = getProperties(o1);
-		Map<String, Object> m2 = getProperties(o2);
+		if (m1.isEmpty())
+			return 0;
 		
+		Map<String, Object> m2 = getProperties(o2);
+		if (m2.isEmpty())
+			return 0;
+		
+		// works with commons keys
 		Set<String> keys = new TreeSet<String>(String.CASE_INSENSITIVE_ORDER);
 		keys.addAll(m1.keySet());
 		keys.retainAll(m2.keySet());
-		
-		if (keys.isEmpty()) {
+		if (keys.isEmpty())
 			return 0;
-		}
 		
 		float feedback = 0;
 		for (String k : keys) {
diff --git a/source/net/sourceforge/filebot/similarity/EpisodeMetrics.java b/source/net/sourceforge/filebot/similarity/EpisodeMetrics.java
index b01fd551..469ea20a 100644
--- a/source/net/sourceforge/filebot/similarity/EpisodeMetrics.java
+++ b/source/net/sourceforge/filebot/similarity/EpisodeMetrics.java
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ package net.sourceforge.filebot.similarity;
 import static java.lang.Math.*;
 import static java.util.Arrays.*;
 import static java.util.Collections.*;
+import static net.sourceforge.filebot.Settings.*;
 import static net.sourceforge.filebot.similarity.Normalization.*;
 import static net.sourceforge.tuned.FileUtilities.*;
 
@@ -320,8 +321,8 @@ public enum EpisodeMetrics implements SimilarityMetric {
 				return super.getProperties(object);
 			}
 			
-			// deserialize MetaAttributes if available
-			if (object instanceof File) {
+			// deserialize MetaAttributes if enabled and available 
+			if (object instanceof File && useExtendedFileAttributes()) {
 				try {
 					return super.getProperties(new net.sourceforge.filebot.media.MetaAttributes((File) object).getMetaData());
 				} catch (Throwable e) {