diff --git a/src/Add-ons/Addon.cxx b/src/Add-ons/Addon.cxx
index 271a21e08..b3ef0307b 100644
--- a/src/Add-ons/Addon.cxx
+++ b/src/Add-ons/Addon.cxx
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 
 #include <cassert>
 
+#include <simgear/debug/logstream.hxx>
 #include <simgear/misc/sg_path.hxx>
 #include <simgear/misc/strutils.hxx>
 #include <simgear/nasal/cppbind/Ghost.hxx>
@@ -469,6 +470,9 @@ Addon Addon::fromAddonDir(const SGPath& addonPath)
   addon.setSupportUrl(addonSupportUrl);
   addon.setCodeRepositoryUrl(addonCodeRepoUrl);
 
+  SG_LOG(SG_GENERAL, SG_DEBUG,
+         "Loaded add-on metadata file: '" << metadataFile.utf8Str() + "'");
+
   return addon;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/Add-ons/Addon.hxx b/src/Add-ons/Addon.hxx
index 6bd455b61..76d4b7116 100644
--- a/src/Add-ons/Addon.hxx
+++ b/src/Add-ons/Addon.hxx
@@ -127,10 +127,6 @@ public:
   SGPath getBasePath() const;
   void setBasePath(const SGPath& addonBasePath);
 
-  // “Compute” a path to the metadata file from the add-on base path
-  static SGPath getMetadataFile(const SGPath& addonPath);
-  SGPath getMetadataFile() const;
-
   // Should be valid for use with simgear::strutils::compare_versions()
   std::string getMinFGVersionRequired() const;
   void setMinFGVersionRequired(const std::string& minFGVersionRequired);
@@ -175,6 +171,10 @@ public:
   static void setupGhost(nasal::Hash& addonsModule);
 
 private:
+  // “Compute” a path to the metadata file from the add-on base path
+  static SGPath getMetadataFile(const SGPath& addonPath);
+  SGPath getMetadataFile() const;
+
   static std::tuple<string, SGPath, string>
   parseLicenseNode(const SGPath& addonPath, SGPropertyNode* addonNode);
 
diff --git a/src/Add-ons/AddonManager.cxx b/src/Add-ons/AddonManager.cxx
index 0f5113d79..0620911a2 100644
--- a/src/Add-ons/AddonManager.cxx
+++ b/src/Add-ons/AddonManager.cxx
@@ -113,7 +113,6 @@ AddonManager::registerAddonMetadata(const SGPath& addonPath)
 {
   using ptr_traits = shared_ptr_traits<AddonRef>;
   AddonRef addon = ptr_traits::makeStrongRef(Addon::fromAddonDir(addonPath));
-  SGPath metadataFile = addon->getMetadataFile();
   string addonId = addon->getId();
 
   SGPropertyNode* addonPropNode = fgGetNode("addons", true)
@@ -151,9 +150,6 @@ AddonManager::registerAddonMetadata(const SGPath& addonPath)
       "path '" + existingElt->second->getBasePath().utf8Str() + "'");
   }
 
-  SG_LOG(SG_GENERAL, SG_DEBUG,
-         "Loaded add-on metadata file: '" << metadataFile.utf8Str() + "'");
-
   return addonId;
 }