diff --git a/sdk/src/main/java/com/bugsnag/android/Configuration.java b/sdk/src/main/java/com/bugsnag/android/Configuration.java
index 204adc8005..d4c99a0dd6 100644
--- a/sdk/src/main/java/com/bugsnag/android/Configuration.java
+++ b/sdk/src/main/java/com/bugsnag/android/Configuration.java
@@ -63,7 +63,6 @@ public class Configuration extends Observable implements Observer {
     public Configuration(@NonNull String apiKey) {
         this.apiKey = apiKey;
         this.metaData = new MetaData();
-        setDefaultMetaDataFilters();
         this.metaData.addObserver(this);
     }
 
@@ -388,10 +387,6 @@ protected void setMetaData(@NonNull MetaData metaData) {
             this.metaData = metaData;
         }
 
-        if (this.metaData.getFilters() == null) {
-            setDefaultMetaDataFilters();
-        }
-
         this.metaData.addObserver(this);
         notifyBugsnagObservers(NotifyType.META);
     }
@@ -580,10 +575,6 @@ protected boolean inProject(@NonNull String className) {
         return false;
     }
 
-    private void setDefaultMetaDataFilters() {
-        metaData.setFilters("password");
-    }
-
     private void notifyBugsnagObservers(@NonNull NotifyType type) {
         setChanged();
         super.notifyObservers(type.getValue());
diff --git a/sdk/src/main/java/com/bugsnag/android/MetaData.java b/sdk/src/main/java/com/bugsnag/android/MetaData.java
index b32bd930a4..258aba7797 100644
--- a/sdk/src/main/java/com/bugsnag/android/MetaData.java
+++ b/sdk/src/main/java/com/bugsnag/android/MetaData.java
@@ -25,7 +25,8 @@ public class MetaData extends Observable implements JsonStream.Streamable {
     private static final String FILTERED_PLACEHOLDER = "[FILTERED]";
     private static final String OBJECT_PLACEHOLDER = "[OBJECT]";
 
-    private String[] filters;
+    private String[] filters = {"password"};
+
     @NonNull
     final Map<String, Object> store;