diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index 23228e33..96c74793 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 {
   "name": "@multiversx/sdk-core",
-  "version": "13.13.0",
+  "version": "13.13.1",
   "lockfileVersion": 2,
   "requires": true,
   "packages": {
     "": {
       "name": "@multiversx/sdk-core",
-      "version": "13.13.0",
+      "version": "13.13.1",
       "license": "MIT",
       "dependencies": {
         "@multiversx/sdk-transaction-decoder": "1.0.2",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index a68e5f55..0bc0b4cb 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@multiversx/sdk-core",
-  "version": "13.13.0",
+  "version": "13.13.1",
   "description": "MultiversX SDK for JavaScript and TypeScript",
   "author": "MultiversX",
   "homepage": "https://multiversx.com",
diff --git a/src/smartcontracts/codeMetadata.spec.ts b/src/smartcontracts/codeMetadata.spec.ts
index 7b0eab88..7d184c4e 100644
--- a/src/smartcontracts/codeMetadata.spec.ts
+++ b/src/smartcontracts/codeMetadata.spec.ts
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ describe("CodeMetadata Class Tests", function () {
                 CodeMetadata.fromBuffer(buffer);
             },
             Error,
-            "Buffer is too short.",
+            "code metadata buffer has length 1, expected 2",
         );
     });
 
diff --git a/src/smartcontracts/codeMetadata.ts b/src/smartcontracts/codeMetadata.ts
index 9d2fa2bc..7efff036 100644
--- a/src/smartcontracts/codeMetadata.ts
+++ b/src/smartcontracts/codeMetadata.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+export const CodeMetadataLength = 2;
+
 /**
  * The metadata of a Smart Contract, as an abstraction.
  */
@@ -6,7 +8,6 @@ export class CodeMetadata {
     public readable: boolean;
     public payable: boolean;
     public payableBySc: boolean;
-    private static readonly codeMetadataLength = 2;
 
     static ByteZero = {
         Upgradeable: 1,
@@ -48,8 +49,8 @@ export class CodeMetadata {
      * Creates a metadata object from a buffer.
      */
     static fromBuffer(buffer: Buffer): CodeMetadata {
-        if (buffer.length < this.codeMetadataLength) {
-            throw new Error("Buffer is too short.");
+        if (buffer.length != CodeMetadataLength) {
+            throw new Error(`code metadata buffer has length ${buffer.length}, expected ${CodeMetadataLength}`);
         }
 
         const byteZero = buffer[0];
diff --git a/src/smartcontracts/codec/codemetadata.ts b/src/smartcontracts/codec/codemetadata.ts
index a631502d..e5502ad8 100644
--- a/src/smartcontracts/codec/codemetadata.ts
+++ b/src/smartcontracts/codec/codemetadata.ts
@@ -1,16 +1,14 @@
-import { CodeMetadata } from "../codeMetadata";
+import { CodeMetadata, CodeMetadataLength } from "../codeMetadata";
 import { CodeMetadataValue } from "../typesystem/codeMetadata";
 
 export class CodeMetadataCodec {
     decodeNested(buffer: Buffer): [CodeMetadataValue, number] {
-        const codeMetadata = CodeMetadata.fromBuffer(buffer);
-
-        return [new CodeMetadataValue(codeMetadata), length];
+        const codeMetadata = CodeMetadata.fromBuffer(buffer.slice(0, CodeMetadataLength));
+        return [new CodeMetadataValue(codeMetadata), CodeMetadataLength];
     }
 
     decodeTopLevel(buffer: Buffer): CodeMetadataValue {
         const codeMetadata = CodeMetadata.fromBuffer(buffer);
-
         return new CodeMetadataValue(codeMetadata);
     }