diff --git a/weed/plugin/worker/iceberg/exec_test.go b/weed/plugin/worker/iceberg/exec_test.go
index 3f6b9534f..cbb4c088a 100644
--- a/weed/plugin/worker/iceberg/exec_test.go
+++ b/weed/plugin/worker/iceberg/exec_test.go
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ type fakeFilerServer struct {
 
 	mu           sync.Mutex
 	entries      map[string]map[string]*filer_pb.Entry // dir → name → entry
-	beforeUpdate func(*fakeFilerServer, *filer_pb.UpdateEntryRequest)
+	beforeUpdate func(*fakeFilerServer, *filer_pb.UpdateEntryRequest) error
 
 	// Counters for assertions
 	createCalls int
@@ -145,7 +145,9 @@ func (f *fakeFilerServer) UpdateEntry(_ context.Context, req *filer_pb.UpdateEnt
 	f.mu.Unlock()
 
 	if beforeUpdate != nil {
-		beforeUpdate(f, req)
+		if err := beforeUpdate(f, req); err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
 	}
 
 	f.mu.Lock()
@@ -161,7 +163,13 @@ func (f *fakeFilerServer) UpdateEntry(_ context.Context, req *filer_pb.UpdateEnt
 	}
 	for key, expectedValue := range req.ExpectedExtended {
 		actualValue, ok := current.Extended[key]
-		if !ok || !bytes.Equal(actualValue, expectedValue) {
+		if ok {
+			if !bytes.Equal(actualValue, expectedValue) {
+				return nil, status.Errorf(codes.FailedPrecondition, "extended attribute %q changed", key)
+			}
+			continue
+		}
+		if len(expectedValue) > 0 {
 			return nil, status.Errorf(codes.FailedPrecondition, "extended attribute %q changed", key)
 		}
 	}
@@ -307,7 +315,8 @@ func populateTable(t *testing.T, fs *fakeFilerServer, setup tableSetup) table.Me
 		Name:        setup.TableName,
 		IsDirectory: true,
 		Extended: map[string][]byte{
-			s3tables.ExtendedKeyMetadata: xattr,
+			s3tables.ExtendedKeyMetadata:        xattr,
+			s3tables.ExtendedKeyMetadataVersion: metadataVersionXattr(metadataVersion),
 		},
 	})
 
@@ -1527,30 +1536,32 @@ func TestMetadataVersionCASDetectsConcurrentUpdate(t *testing.T) {
 	populateTable(t, fs, setup)
 
 	tableDir := path.Join(s3tables.TablesPath, setup.BucketName, setup.tablePath())
-	fs.beforeUpdate = func(f *fakeFilerServer, req *filer_pb.UpdateEntryRequest) {
+	fs.beforeUpdate = func(f *fakeFilerServer, req *filer_pb.UpdateEntryRequest) error {
 		entry := f.getEntry(path.Dir(tableDir), path.Base(tableDir))
 		if entry == nil {
-			t.Fatal("table entry not found before concurrent update")
+			return fmt.Errorf("table entry not found before concurrent update")
 		}
 
 		updatedEntry := cloneEntryForTest(t, entry)
 		var internalMeta map[string]json.RawMessage
 		if err := json.Unmarshal(updatedEntry.Extended[s3tables.ExtendedKeyMetadata], &internalMeta); err != nil {
-			t.Fatalf("unmarshal xattr: %v", err)
+			return fmt.Errorf("unmarshal xattr: %w", err)
 		}
 
 		versionJSON, err := json.Marshal(2)
 		if err != nil {
-			t.Fatalf("marshal version: %v", err)
+			return fmt.Errorf("marshal version: %w", err)
 		}
 		internalMeta["metadataVersion"] = versionJSON
 
 		updatedXattr, err := json.Marshal(internalMeta)
 		if err != nil {
-			t.Fatalf("marshal xattr: %v", err)
+			return fmt.Errorf("marshal xattr: %w", err)
 		}
 		updatedEntry.Extended[s3tables.ExtendedKeyMetadata] = updatedXattr
+		updatedEntry.Extended[s3tables.ExtendedKeyMetadataVersion] = metadataVersionXattr(2)
 		f.putEntry(path.Dir(tableDir), path.Base(tableDir), updatedEntry)
+		return nil
 	}
 
 	err := updateTableMetadataXattr(context.Background(), client, tableDir, 1, []byte(`{}`), "metadata/v2.metadata.json")
diff --git a/weed/plugin/worker/iceberg/filer_io.go b/weed/plugin/worker/iceberg/filer_io.go
index 40eae8b93..406ae4560 100644
--- a/weed/plugin/worker/iceberg/filer_io.go
+++ b/weed/plugin/worker/iceberg/filer_io.go
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"path"
+	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 	"sync"
 	"time"
@@ -364,12 +365,14 @@ func updateTableMetadataXattr(ctx context.Context, client filer_pb.SeaweedFilerC
 		return fmt.Errorf("marshal updated xattr: %w", err)
 	}
 
+	expectedVersionXattr := resp.Entry.Extended[s3tables.ExtendedKeyMetadataVersion]
 	resp.Entry.Extended[s3tables.ExtendedKeyMetadata] = updatedXattr
+	resp.Entry.Extended[s3tables.ExtendedKeyMetadataVersion] = metadataVersionXattr(newVersion)
 	_, err = client.UpdateEntry(ctx, &filer_pb.UpdateEntryRequest{
 		Directory: parentDir,
 		Entry:     resp.Entry,
 		ExpectedExtended: map[string][]byte{
-			s3tables.ExtendedKeyMetadata: existingXattr,
+			s3tables.ExtendedKeyMetadataVersion: expectedVersionXattr,
 		},
 	})
 	if err != nil {
@@ -381,6 +384,10 @@ func updateTableMetadataXattr(ctx context.Context, client filer_pb.SeaweedFilerC
 	return nil
 }
 
+func metadataVersionXattr(version int) []byte {
+	return []byte(strconv.Itoa(version))
+}
+
 // generateIcebergVersionToken produces a random hex token, mirroring the
 // logic in s3tables.generateVersionToken (which is unexported).
 func generateIcebergVersionToken() string {
diff --git a/weed/s3api/s3tables/handler.go b/weed/s3api/s3tables/handler.go
index 1ead82309..2572a49c3 100644
--- a/weed/s3api/s3tables/handler.go
+++ b/weed/s3api/s3tables/handler.go
@@ -21,10 +21,11 @@ const (
 	DefaultRegion    = "us-east-1"
 
 	// Extended entry attributes for metadata storage
-	ExtendedKeyTableBucket = "s3tables.tableBucket"
-	ExtendedKeyMetadata    = "s3tables.metadata"
-	ExtendedKeyPolicy      = "s3tables.policy"
-	ExtendedKeyTags        = "s3tables.tags"
+	ExtendedKeyTableBucket     = "s3tables.tableBucket"
+	ExtendedKeyMetadata        = "s3tables.metadata"
+	ExtendedKeyMetadataVersion = "s3tables.metadataVersion"
+	ExtendedKeyPolicy          = "s3tables.policy"
+	ExtendedKeyTags            = "s3tables.tags"
 
 	// Maximum request body size (10MB)
 	maxRequestBodySize = 10 * 1024 * 1024
diff --git a/weed/server/filer_grpc_server.go b/weed/server/filer_grpc_server.go
index 076c3e9e9..1b7b050c0 100644
--- a/weed/server/filer_grpc_server.go
+++ b/weed/server/filer_grpc_server.go
@@ -252,7 +252,13 @@ func validateUpdateEntryPreconditions(entry *filer.Entry, expectedExtended map[s
 		if entry != nil {
 			actualValue, ok = entry.Extended[key]
 		}
-		if !ok || !bytes.Equal(actualValue, expectedValue) {
+		if ok {
+			if !bytes.Equal(actualValue, expectedValue) {
+				return status.Errorf(codes.FailedPrecondition, "extended attribute %q changed", key)
+			}
+			continue
+		}
+		if len(expectedValue) > 0 {
 			return status.Errorf(codes.FailedPrecondition, "extended attribute %q changed", key)
 		}
 	}