diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 51d743faf7e..29f3256a669 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -4,6 +4,14 @@ All notable changes to this project will be documented in this file.
 The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/),
 and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.html).
 
+## [0.44.2] - 2026-01-09
+
+This manually cherry-picks https://github.com/paritytech/subxt/pull/2142 onto the 0.44 branch to allow using $OUT_DIR in a couple of Subxt macro attributes.
+
+### Changed
+
+- Allow passing $OUT_DIR in the runtime_metadata_path attribute [#2142](https://github.com/paritytech/subxt/pull/2142)
+
 ## [0.44.1] - 2026-01-08
 
 When using `.tip_of(some_tip, optional_asset_id)` to configure a tip for transactions, the actual tip was being set to 0. This is now fixed.
diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index a62b9ef57d3..faf190bee62 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -464,7 +464,7 @@ checksum = "7c02d123df017efcdfbd739ef81735b36c5ba83ec3c59c80a9d7ecc718f92e50"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "artifacts"
-version = "0.44.1"
+version = "0.44.2"
 dependencies = [
  "substrate-runner",
 ]
@@ -2110,7 +2110,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "generate-custom-metadata"
-version = "0.44.1"
+version = "0.44.2"
 dependencies = [
  "frame-metadata 23.0.0",
  "parity-scale-codec",
@@ -2731,7 +2731,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "integration-tests"
-version = "0.44.1"
+version = "0.44.2"
 dependencies = [
  "assert_matches",
  "cfg_aliases",
@@ -5575,7 +5575,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "substrate-runner"
-version = "0.44.1"
+version = "0.44.2"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "subtle"
@@ -5585,7 +5585,7 @@ checksum = "13c2bddecc57b384dee18652358fb23172facb8a2c51ccc10d74c157bdea3292"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "subxt"
-version = "0.44.1"
+version = "0.44.2"
 dependencies = [
  "assert_matches",
  "async-trait",
@@ -5630,7 +5630,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "subxt-cli"
-version = "0.44.1"
+version = "0.44.2"
 dependencies = [
  "clap",
  "color-eyre",
@@ -5662,7 +5662,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "subxt-codegen"
-version = "0.44.1"
+version = "0.44.2"
 dependencies = [
  "frame-metadata 23.0.0",
  "getrandom 0.2.16",
@@ -5679,7 +5679,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "subxt-core"
-version = "0.44.1"
+version = "0.44.2"
 dependencies = [
  "assert_matches",
  "base58",
@@ -5735,7 +5735,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "subxt-lightclient"
-version = "0.44.1"
+version = "0.44.2"
 dependencies = [
  "futures",
  "futures-timer",
@@ -5760,7 +5760,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "subxt-macro"
-version = "0.44.1"
+version = "0.44.2"
 dependencies = [
  "darling",
  "parity-scale-codec",
@@ -5780,7 +5780,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "subxt-metadata"
-version = "0.44.1"
+version = "0.44.2"
 dependencies = [
  "bitvec",
  "criterion",
@@ -5796,7 +5796,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "subxt-rpcs"
-version = "0.44.1"
+version = "0.44.2"
 dependencies = [
  "derive-where",
  "finito",
@@ -5825,7 +5825,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "subxt-signer"
-version = "0.44.1"
+version = "0.44.2"
 dependencies = [
  "base64 0.22.1",
  "bip32",
@@ -5858,7 +5858,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "subxt-test-macro"
-version = "0.44.1"
+version = "0.44.2"
 dependencies = [
  "quote",
  "syn 2.0.101",
@@ -5866,7 +5866,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "subxt-utils-fetchmetadata"
-version = "0.44.1"
+version = "0.44.2"
 dependencies = [
  "frame-metadata 23.0.0",
  "hex",
@@ -5879,7 +5879,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "subxt-utils-stripmetadata"
-version = "0.44.1"
+version = "0.44.2"
 dependencies = [
  "either",
  "frame-metadata 23.0.0",
@@ -5962,7 +5962,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "test-runtime"
-version = "0.44.1"
+version = "0.44.2"
 dependencies = [
  "hex",
  "impl-serde",
@@ -6390,7 +6390,7 @@ checksum = "1dccffe3ce07af9386bfd29e80c0ab1a8205a2fc34e4bcd40364df902cfa8f3f"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "ui-tests"
-version = "0.44.1"
+version = "0.44.2"
 dependencies = [
  "frame-metadata 23.0.0",
  "generate-custom-metadata",
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 3250be8ddb8..d21d77f26a2 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ resolver = "2"
 [workspace.package]
 authors = ["Parity Technologies <admin@parity.io>"]
 edition = "2024"
-version = "0.44.1"
+version = "0.44.2"
 rust-version = "1.85.0"
 license = "Apache-2.0 OR GPL-3.0"
 repository = "https://github.com/paritytech/subxt"
@@ -156,16 +156,16 @@ sp-state-machine = { version = "0.45.0", default-features = false }
 sp-runtime = { version = "41.1.0", default-features = false }
 
 # Subxt workspace crates:
-subxt = { version = "0.44.1", path = "subxt", default-features = false }
-subxt-core = { version = "0.44.1", path = "core", default-features = false }
-subxt-macro = { version = "0.44.1", path = "macro" }
-subxt-metadata = { version = "0.44.1", path = "metadata", default-features = false }
-subxt-codegen = { version = "0.44.1", path = "codegen" }
-subxt-signer = { version = "0.44.1", path = "signer", default-features = false }
-subxt-rpcs = { version = "0.44.1", path = "rpcs", default-features = false }
-subxt-lightclient = { version = "0.44.1", path = "lightclient", default-features = false }
-subxt-utils-fetchmetadata = { version = "0.44.1", path = "utils/fetch-metadata", default-features = false }
-subxt-utils-stripmetadata = { version = "0.44.1", path = "utils/strip-metadata", default-features = false }
+subxt = { version = "0.44.2", path = "subxt", default-features = false }
+subxt-core = { version = "0.44.2", path = "core", default-features = false }
+subxt-macro = { version = "0.44.2", path = "macro" }
+subxt-metadata = { version = "0.44.2", path = "metadata", default-features = false }
+subxt-codegen = { version = "0.44.2", path = "codegen" }
+subxt-signer = { version = "0.44.2", path = "signer", default-features = false }
+subxt-rpcs = { version = "0.44.2", path = "rpcs", default-features = false }
+subxt-lightclient = { version = "0.44.2", path = "lightclient", default-features = false }
+subxt-utils-fetchmetadata = { version = "0.44.2", path = "utils/fetch-metadata", default-features = false }
+subxt-utils-stripmetadata = { version = "0.44.2", path = "utils/strip-metadata", default-features = false }
 test-runtime = { path = "testing/test-runtime" }
 substrate-runner = { path = "testing/substrate-runner" }
 
diff --git a/examples/ffi-example/Cargo.lock b/examples/ffi-example/Cargo.lock
index f907047af09..d4223f5d85d 100644
--- a/examples/ffi-example/Cargo.lock
+++ b/examples/ffi-example/Cargo.lock
@@ -2686,7 +2686,7 @@ checksum = "13c2bddecc57b384dee18652358fb23172facb8a2c51ccc10d74c157bdea3292"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "subxt"
-version = "0.44.1"
+version = "0.44.2"
 dependencies = [
  "async-trait",
  "derive-where",
@@ -2721,7 +2721,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "subxt-codegen"
-version = "0.44.1"
+version = "0.44.2"
 dependencies = [
  "heck",
  "parity-scale-codec",
@@ -2736,7 +2736,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "subxt-core"
-version = "0.44.1"
+version = "0.44.2"
 dependencies = [
  "base58",
  "blake2",
@@ -2774,7 +2774,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "subxt-lightclient"
-version = "0.44.1"
+version = "0.44.2"
 dependencies = [
  "futures",
  "futures-util",
@@ -2789,7 +2789,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "subxt-macro"
-version = "0.44.1"
+version = "0.44.2"
 dependencies = [
  "darling",
  "parity-scale-codec",
@@ -2804,7 +2804,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "subxt-metadata"
-version = "0.44.1"
+version = "0.44.2"
 dependencies = [
  "frame-decode",
  "frame-metadata",
@@ -2817,7 +2817,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "subxt-rpcs"
-version = "0.44.1"
+version = "0.44.2"
 dependencies = [
  "derive-where",
  "frame-metadata",
@@ -2839,7 +2839,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "subxt-signer"
-version = "0.44.1"
+version = "0.44.2"
 dependencies = [
  "base64",
  "bip39",
@@ -2865,7 +2865,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "subxt-utils-fetchmetadata"
-version = "0.44.1"
+version = "0.44.2"
 dependencies = [
  "hex",
  "parity-scale-codec",
diff --git a/examples/parachain-example/Cargo.lock b/examples/parachain-example/Cargo.lock
index 9e2730cb770..8001e55566f 100644
--- a/examples/parachain-example/Cargo.lock
+++ b/examples/parachain-example/Cargo.lock
@@ -2757,7 +2757,7 @@ checksum = "81cdd64d312baedb58e21336b31bc043b77e01cc99033ce76ef539f78e965ebc"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "subxt"
-version = "0.44.1"
+version = "0.44.2"
 dependencies = [
  "async-trait",
  "derive-where",
@@ -2792,7 +2792,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "subxt-codegen"
-version = "0.44.1"
+version = "0.44.2"
 dependencies = [
  "heck",
  "parity-scale-codec",
@@ -2807,7 +2807,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "subxt-core"
-version = "0.44.1"
+version = "0.44.2"
 dependencies = [
  "base58",
  "blake2",
@@ -2835,7 +2835,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "subxt-lightclient"
-version = "0.44.1"
+version = "0.44.2"
 dependencies = [
  "futures",
  "futures-util",
@@ -2850,7 +2850,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "subxt-macro"
-version = "0.44.1"
+version = "0.44.2"
 dependencies = [
  "darling",
  "parity-scale-codec",
@@ -2865,7 +2865,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "subxt-metadata"
-version = "0.44.1"
+version = "0.44.2"
 dependencies = [
  "frame-decode",
  "frame-metadata",
@@ -2878,7 +2878,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "subxt-rpcs"
-version = "0.44.1"
+version = "0.44.2"
 dependencies = [
  "derive-where",
  "frame-metadata",
@@ -2900,7 +2900,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "subxt-signer"
-version = "0.44.1"
+version = "0.44.2"
 dependencies = [
  "base64 0.22.1",
  "bip39",
@@ -2926,7 +2926,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "subxt-utils-fetchmetadata"
-version = "0.44.1"
+version = "0.44.2"
 dependencies = [
  "hex",
  "parity-scale-codec",
diff --git a/examples/wasm-example/Cargo.lock b/examples/wasm-example/Cargo.lock
index 49498cbaccf..b1aa685e943 100644
--- a/examples/wasm-example/Cargo.lock
+++ b/examples/wasm-example/Cargo.lock
@@ -2452,7 +2452,7 @@ checksum = "13c2bddecc57b384dee18652358fb23172facb8a2c51ccc10d74c157bdea3292"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "subxt"
-version = "0.44.1"
+version = "0.44.2"
 dependencies = [
  "async-trait",
  "derive-where",
@@ -2486,7 +2486,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "subxt-codegen"
-version = "0.44.1"
+version = "0.44.2"
 dependencies = [
  "getrandom",
  "heck",
@@ -2502,7 +2502,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "subxt-core"
-version = "0.44.1"
+version = "0.44.2"
 dependencies = [
  "base58",
  "blake2",
@@ -2530,7 +2530,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "subxt-lightclient"
-version = "0.44.1"
+version = "0.44.2"
 dependencies = [
  "futures",
  "futures-timer",
@@ -2555,7 +2555,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "subxt-macro"
-version = "0.44.1"
+version = "0.44.2"
 dependencies = [
  "darling",
  "parity-scale-codec",
@@ -2570,7 +2570,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "subxt-metadata"
-version = "0.44.1"
+version = "0.44.2"
 dependencies = [
  "frame-decode",
  "frame-metadata",
@@ -2583,7 +2583,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "subxt-rpcs"
-version = "0.44.1"
+version = "0.44.2"
 dependencies = [
  "derive-where",
  "finito",
@@ -2608,7 +2608,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "subxt-utils-fetchmetadata"
-version = "0.44.1"
+version = "0.44.2"
 dependencies = [
  "hex",
  "parity-scale-codec",
diff --git a/macro/src/lib.rs b/macro/src/lib.rs
index c3e00da1b97..01261f8793c 100644
--- a/macro/src/lib.rs
+++ b/macro/src/lib.rs
@@ -102,17 +102,7 @@ fn subxt_inner(args: TokenStream, item_mod: syn::ItemMod) -> Result<TokenStream,
         .map_err(|e| TokenStream::from(e.write_errors()))?;
 
     // Fetch metadata first, because we need it to validate some of the chosen codegen options.
-    let metadata = {
-        let mut metadata = fetch_metadata(&args)?;
-
-        // Run this first to ensure type paths are unique (which may result in 1,2,3 suffixes being added
-        // to type paths), so that when we validate derives/substitutions below, they are allowed for such
-        // types. See <https://github.com/paritytech/subxt/issues/2011>.
-        scale_typegen::utils::ensure_unique_type_paths(metadata.types_mut())
-            .expect("ensure_unique_type_paths should not fail; please report an issue.");
-
-        metadata
-    };
+    let metadata = fetch_metadata(&args)?;
 
     let mut codegen = CodegenBuilder::new();
 
@@ -145,7 +135,6 @@ fn subxt_inner(args: TokenStream, item_mod: syn::ItemMod) -> Result<TokenStream,
             .into_iter()
             .collect(),
     );
-
     for d in args.derive_for_type {
         validate_type_path(&d.path.path, &metadata);
         codegen.add_derives_for_type(d.path, d.derive.into_iter(), d.recursive);
@@ -212,6 +201,22 @@ fn validate_type_path(path: &syn::Path, metadata: &Metadata) {
     }
 }
 
+/// Resolves a path, handling the $OUT_DIR placeholder if present.
+/// If $OUT_DIR is present in the path, it's replaced with the actual OUT_DIR environment variable.
+/// Otherwise, the path is resolved relative to CARGO_MANIFEST_DIR.
+fn resolve_path(path_str: &str) -> std::path::PathBuf {
+    if path_str.contains("$OUT_DIR") {
+        let out_dir = std::env::var("OUT_DIR").unwrap_or_else(|_| {
+            abort_call_site!("$OUT_DIR is used in path but OUT_DIR environment variable is not set")
+        });
+        std::path::Path::new(&path_str.replace("$OUT_DIR", &out_dir)).into()
+    } else {
+        let root = std::env::var("CARGO_MANIFEST_DIR").unwrap_or_else(|_| ".".into());
+        let root_path = std::path::Path::new(&root);
+        root_path.join(path_str)
+    }
+}
+
 /// Fetches metadata in a blocking manner, from a url or file path.
 fn fetch_metadata(args: &RuntimeMetadataArgs) -> Result<subxt_codegen::Metadata, TokenStream> {
     // Do we want to fetch unstable metadata? This only works if fetching from a URL.
@@ -224,9 +229,7 @@ fn fetch_metadata(args: &RuntimeMetadataArgs) -> Result<subxt_codegen::Metadata,
                 "Only one of 'runtime_metadata_path', 'runtime_metadata_insecure_url' or `runtime_path` must be provided"
             );
         };
-        let root = std::env::var("CARGO_MANIFEST_DIR").unwrap_or_else(|_| ".".into());
-        let root_path = std::path::Path::new(&root);
-        let path = root_path.join(path);
+        let path = resolve_path(path);
 
         let metadata = wasm_loader::from_wasm_file(&path).map_err(|e| e.into_compile_error())?;
         return Ok(metadata);
@@ -243,9 +246,8 @@ fn fetch_metadata(args: &RuntimeMetadataArgs) -> Result<subxt_codegen::Metadata,
                 )
             }
 
-            let root = std::env::var("CARGO_MANIFEST_DIR").unwrap_or_else(|_| ".".into());
-            let root_path = std::path::Path::new(&root);
-            let path = root_path.join(rest_of_path);
+            let path = resolve_path(rest_of_path);
+
             subxt_utils_fetchmetadata::from_file_blocking(&path)
                 .and_then(|b| subxt_codegen::Metadata::decode(&mut &*b).map_err(Into::into))
                 .map_err(|e| CodegenError::Other(e.to_string()).into_compile_error())?
diff --git a/subxt/src/lib.rs b/subxt/src/lib.rs
index b6b872952bc..5b0bcf6785c 100644
--- a/subxt/src/lib.rs
+++ b/subxt/src/lib.rs
@@ -151,6 +151,15 @@ pub mod ext {
 /// mod polkadot {}
 /// ```
 ///
+/// You can use the `$OUT_DIR` placeholder in the path to reference metadata generated at build time:
+///
+/// ```rust,ignore
+/// #[subxt::subxt(
+///     runtime_metadata_path = "$OUT_DIR/metadata.scale",
+/// )]
+/// mod polkadot {}
+/// ```
+///
 /// ## Using a WASM runtime via `runtime_path = "..."`
 ///
 /// This requires the `runtime-wasm-path` feature flag.
@@ -164,6 +173,15 @@ pub mod ext {
 /// mod polkadot {}
 /// ```
 ///
+/// You can also use the `$OUT_DIR` placeholder in the path to reference WASM files generated at build time:
+///
+/// ```rust,ignore
+/// #[subxt::subxt(
+///     runtime_path = "$OUT_DIR/runtime.wasm",
+/// )]
+/// mod polkadot {}
+/// ```
+///
 /// ## Connecting to a node to download metadata via `runtime_metadata_insecure_url = "..."`
 ///
 /// This will, at compile time, connect to the JSON-RPC interface for some node at the URL given,