diff --git a/express-zod-api/src/io-schema.ts b/express-zod-api/src/io-schema.ts
index 7d44e8194..b0cca8fda 100644
--- a/express-zod-api/src/io-schema.ts
+++ b/express-zod-api/src/io-schema.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import * as R from "ramda";
 import { z } from "zod";
 import { IOSchemaError } from "./errors";
-import { copyMeta } from "./metadata";
+import { mixExamples } from "./metadata";
 import { AbstractMiddleware } from "./middleware";
 
 type Base = object & { [Symbol.iterator]?: never };
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ export type IOSchema = z.ZodType<Base>;
  * @since 07.03.2022 former combineEndpointAndMiddlewareInputSchemas()
  * @since 05.03.2023 is immutable to metadata
  * @since 26.05.2024 uses the regular ZodIntersection
- * @see copyMeta
+ * @see mixExamples
  */
 export const getFinalEndpointInputSchema = <
   MIN extends IOSchema,
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ export const getFinalEndpointInputSchema = <
     z.intersection(acc, schema),
   );
   return allSchemas.reduce(
-    (acc, schema) => copyMeta(schema, acc),
+    (acc, schema) => mixExamples(schema, acc),
     finalSchema,
   ) as z.ZodIntersection<MIN, IN>;
 };
diff --git a/express-zod-api/src/metadata.ts b/express-zod-api/src/metadata.ts
index 830d0f1bb..6455382d4 100644
--- a/express-zod-api/src/metadata.ts
+++ b/express-zod-api/src/metadata.ts
@@ -11,26 +11,26 @@ export interface Metadata {
   brand?: string | number | symbol;
 }
 
-// @todo this should be renamed to copyExamples or mixinExamples or something similar
-export const copyMeta = <A extends z.ZodType, B extends z.ZodType>(
+export const mixExamples = <A extends z.ZodType, B extends z.ZodType>(
   src: A,
   dest: B,
 ): B => {
-  const srcMeta = src.meta()?.[metaSymbol];
-  const destMeta = dest.meta()?.[metaSymbol];
-  if (!srcMeta) return dest; // ensure metadata in src below
+  const srcMeta = src.meta();
+  const destMeta = dest.meta();
+  if (!srcMeta?.[metaSymbol]) return dest; // ensures srcMeta[metaSymbol]
+  const examples = combinations(
+    destMeta?.[metaSymbol]?.examples || [],
+    srcMeta[metaSymbol].examples || [],
+    ([destExample, srcExample]) =>
+      typeof destExample === "object" &&
+      typeof srcExample === "object" &&
+      destExample &&
+      srcExample
+        ? R.mergeDeepRight(destExample, srcExample)
+        : srcExample, // not supposed to be called on non-object schemas
+  );
   return dest.meta({
-    description: dest.description,
-    [metaSymbol]: {
-      ...destMeta,
-      examples: combinations(
-        destMeta?.examples || [],
-        srcMeta.examples || [],
-        ([destExample, srcExample]) =>
-          typeof destExample === "object" && typeof srcExample === "object"
-            ? R.mergeDeepRight({ ...destExample }, { ...srcExample })
-            : srcExample, // not supposed to be called on non-object schemas
-      ),
-    },
+    ...destMeta,
+    [metaSymbol]: { ...destMeta?.[metaSymbol], examples },
   });
 };
diff --git a/express-zod-api/src/zod-plugin.ts b/express-zod-api/src/zod-plugin.ts
index 0526ea467..cdb7b753b 100644
--- a/express-zod-api/src/zod-plugin.ts
+++ b/express-zod-api/src/zod-plugin.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
  * @desc Enables .label() on ZodDefault
  * @desc Enables .remap() on ZodObject
  * @desc Stores the argument supplied to .brand() on all schema (runtime distinguishable branded types)
+ * @desc Ensures that the brand withstands additional refinements or checks
  * */
 import * as R from "ramda";
 import { z, globalRegistry } from "zod";
@@ -55,20 +56,19 @@ declare module "zod" {
 }
 
 const exampleSetter = function (this: z.ZodType, value: z.input<typeof this>) {
-  const { examples, ...rest } = this.meta()?.[metaSymbol] || { examples: [] };
-  const copy = examples.slice();
+  const { [metaSymbol]: internal, ...rest } = this.meta() || {};
+  const copy = internal?.examples.slice() || [];
   copy.push(value);
   return this.meta({
-    description: this.description,
-    [metaSymbol]: { ...rest, examples: copy },
+    ...rest,
+    [metaSymbol]: { ...internal, examples: copy },
   });
 };
 
 const deprecationSetter = function (this: z.ZodType) {
   return this.meta({
-    description: this.description,
+    ...this.meta(),
     deprecated: true,
-    [metaSymbol]: this.meta()?.[metaSymbol],
   });
 };
 
@@ -76,9 +76,11 @@ const labelSetter = function (
   this: z.ZodDefault<z.ZodTypeAny>,
   defaultLabel: string,
 ) {
+  const { [metaSymbol]: internal = { examples: [] }, ...rest } =
+    this.meta() || {};
   return this.meta({
-    description: this.description,
-    [metaSymbol]: { examples: [], ...this.meta()?.[metaSymbol], defaultLabel },
+    ...rest,
+    [metaSymbol]: { ...internal, defaultLabel },
   });
 };
 
@@ -86,9 +88,11 @@ const brandSetter = function (
   this: z.ZodType,
   brand?: string | number | symbol,
 ) {
+  const { [metaSymbol]: internal = { examples: [] }, ...rest } =
+    this.meta() || {};
   return this.meta({
-    description: this.description,
-    [metaSymbol]: { examples: [], ...this.meta()?.[metaSymbol], brand },
+    ...rest,
+    [metaSymbol]: { ...internal, brand },
   });
 };
 
diff --git a/express-zod-api/tests/metadata.spec.ts b/express-zod-api/tests/metadata.spec.ts
index 36b32d4c2..40ac7dd5c 100644
--- a/express-zod-api/tests/metadata.spec.ts
+++ b/express-zod-api/tests/metadata.spec.ts
@@ -1,24 +1,26 @@
 import { z } from "zod";
-import { copyMeta, metaSymbol } from "../src/metadata";
+import { mixExamples, metaSymbol } from "../src/metadata";
 
 describe("Metadata", () => {
-  describe("copyMeta()", () => {
+  describe("mixExamples()", () => {
     test("should return the same dest schema in case src one has no meta", () => {
       const src = z.string();
       const dest = z.number();
-      const result = copyMeta(src, dest);
+      const result = mixExamples(src, dest);
       expect(result).toEqual(dest);
       expect(result.meta()?.[metaSymbol]).toBeFalsy();
       expect(dest.meta()?.[metaSymbol]).toBeFalsy();
     });
     test("should copy meta from src to dest in case meta is defined", () => {
-      const src = z.string().example("some");
-      const dest = z.number();
-      const result = copyMeta(src, dest);
+      const src = z.string().example("some").describe("test");
+      const dest = z.number().describe("another");
+      const result = mixExamples(src, dest);
+      expect(result).not.toEqual(dest); // immutable
       expect(result.meta()?.[metaSymbol]).toBeTruthy();
       expect(result.meta()?.[metaSymbol]?.examples).toEqual(
         src.meta()?.[metaSymbol]?.examples,
       );
+      expect(result.description).toBe("another"); // preserves it
     });
 
     test("should merge the meta from src to dest", () => {
@@ -31,7 +33,7 @@ describe("Metadata", () => {
         .example({ b: 123 })
         .example({ b: 456 })
         .example({ b: 789 });
-      const result = copyMeta(src, dest);
+      const result = mixExamples(src, dest);
       expect(result.meta()?.[metaSymbol]).toBeTruthy();
       expect(result.meta()?.[metaSymbol]?.examples).toEqual([
         { a: "some", b: 123 },
@@ -53,7 +55,7 @@ describe("Metadata", () => {
         .example({ a: { c: 123 } })
         .example({ a: { c: 456 } })
         .example({ a: { c: 789 } });
-      const result = copyMeta(src, dest);
+      const result = mixExamples(src, dest);
       expect(result.meta()?.[metaSymbol]).toBeTruthy();
       expect(result.meta()?.[metaSymbol]?.examples).toEqual([
         { a: { b: "some", c: 123 } },
@@ -70,7 +72,7 @@ describe("Metadata", () => {
       const dest = z
         .object({ items: z.array(z.string()) })
         .example({ items: ["e", "f", "g"] });
-      const result = copyMeta(src, dest);
+      const result = mixExamples(src, dest);
       expect(result.meta()?.[metaSymbol]?.examples).toEqual(["a", "b"]);
     });
   });