diff --git a/src/snapshot/metadata.rs b/src/snapshot/metadata.rs
index 62ef7fb8..d7997489 100644
--- a/src/snapshot/metadata.rs
+++ b/src/snapshot/metadata.rs
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ pub struct InstanceMetadata {
     /// This information is used to make sure the instance has the correct name,
     /// project-added children, and metadata when it's updated in response to a
     /// file change.
+    #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
     pub project_node: Option<(String, ProjectNode)>,
 }
 
diff --git a/src/snapshot/tests/snapshots/apply__add_property.snap b/src/snapshot/tests/snapshots/apply__add_property.snap
index bb466314..72c85688 100644
--- a/src/snapshot/tests/snapshots/apply__add_property.snap
+++ b/src/snapshot/tests/snapshots/apply__add_property.snap
@@ -12,5 +12,4 @@ properties:
 metadata:
   ignore_unknown_instances: false
   contributing_paths: []
-  project_node: ~
 children: []
diff --git a/src/snapshot/tests/snapshots/apply__remove_property_initial.snap b/src/snapshot/tests/snapshots/apply__remove_property_initial.snap
index a8aaaa3e..e7d7d8a1 100644
--- a/src/snapshot/tests/snapshots/apply__remove_property_initial.snap
+++ b/src/snapshot/tests/snapshots/apply__remove_property_initial.snap
@@ -12,5 +12,4 @@ properties:
 metadata:
   ignore_unknown_instances: false
   contributing_paths: []
-  project_node: ~
 children: []
diff --git a/src/snapshot/tests/snapshots/apply__set_name_and_class_name.snap b/src/snapshot/tests/snapshots/apply__set_name_and_class_name.snap
index 707accac..80941bda 100644
--- a/src/snapshot/tests/snapshots/apply__set_name_and_class_name.snap
+++ b/src/snapshot/tests/snapshots/apply__set_name_and_class_name.snap
@@ -9,5 +9,4 @@ properties: {}
 metadata:
   ignore_unknown_instances: false
   contributing_paths: []
-  project_node: ~
 children: []
diff --git a/src/snapshot/tests/snapshots/compute__add_child.snap b/src/snapshot/tests/snapshots/compute__add_child.snap
index b2281d8a..48699fdc 100644
--- a/src/snapshot/tests/snapshots/compute__add_child.snap
+++ b/src/snapshot/tests/snapshots/compute__add_child.snap
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ added_instances:
       metadata:
         ignore_unknown_instances: false
         contributing_paths: []
-        project_node: ~
       name: New
       class_name: Folder
       properties: {}
diff --git a/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__client_from_imfs.snap b/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__client_from_imfs.snap
index bc4df00b..8b6b2ebb 100644
--- a/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__client_from_imfs.snap
+++ b/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__client_from_imfs.snap
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ metadata:
   ignore_unknown_instances: false
   contributing_paths:
     - /foo.client.lua
-  project_node: ~
 name: foo
 class_name: LocalScript
 properties:
diff --git a/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__csv_from_imfs.snap b/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__csv_from_imfs.snap
index f932eadc..e2d4df4b 100644
--- a/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__csv_from_imfs.snap
+++ b/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__csv_from_imfs.snap
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ metadata:
   ignore_unknown_instances: false
   contributing_paths:
     - /foo.csv
-  project_node: ~
 name: foo
 class_name: LocalizationTable
 properties:
diff --git a/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__empty_folder.snap b/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__empty_folder.snap
index 15556287..36a0eb13 100644
--- a/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__empty_folder.snap
+++ b/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__empty_folder.snap
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ metadata:
   ignore_unknown_instances: false
   contributing_paths:
     - /foo
-  project_node: ~
 name: foo
 class_name: Folder
 properties: {}
diff --git a/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__folder_in_folder.snap b/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__folder_in_folder.snap
index a65151d7..7f01fbdc 100644
--- a/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__folder_in_folder.snap
+++ b/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__folder_in_folder.snap
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ metadata:
   ignore_unknown_instances: false
   contributing_paths:
     - /foo
-  project_node: ~
 name: foo
 class_name: Folder
 properties: {}
@@ -17,7 +16,6 @@ children:
       ignore_unknown_instances: false
       contributing_paths:
         - /foo/Child
-      project_node: ~
     name: Child
     class_name: Folder
     properties: {}
diff --git a/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__instance_from_imfs.snap b/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__instance_from_imfs.snap
index 5d7dca15..45e26d09 100644
--- a/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__instance_from_imfs.snap
+++ b/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__instance_from_imfs.snap
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ metadata:
   ignore_unknown_instances: false
   contributing_paths:
     - /foo.txt
-  project_node: ~
 name: foo
 class_name: StringValue
 properties:
diff --git a/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__model_from_imfs.snap b/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__model_from_imfs.snap
index f8a223fb..1d2ff82d 100644
--- a/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__model_from_imfs.snap
+++ b/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__model_from_imfs.snap
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ metadata:
   ignore_unknown_instances: false
   contributing_paths:
     - /foo.model.json
-  project_node: ~
 name: foo
 class_name: IntValue
 properties:
@@ -19,7 +18,6 @@ children:
     metadata:
       ignore_unknown_instances: false
       contributing_paths: []
-      project_node: ~
     name: The Child
     class_name: StringValue
     properties: {}
diff --git a/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__module_from_imfs.snap b/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__module_from_imfs.snap
index 5d0407fe..0d036205 100644
--- a/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__module_from_imfs.snap
+++ b/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__module_from_imfs.snap
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ metadata:
   ignore_unknown_instances: false
   contributing_paths:
     - /foo.lua
-  project_node: ~
 name: foo
 class_name: ModuleScript
 properties:
diff --git a/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__project_from_direct_file.snap b/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__project_from_direct_file.snap
index 3eaefb0a..19350c7d 100644
--- a/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__project_from_direct_file.snap
+++ b/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__project_from_direct_file.snap
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ metadata:
   ignore_unknown_instances: true
   contributing_paths:
     - /foo/hello.project.json
-  project_node: ~
 name: direct-project
 class_name: Model
 properties: {}
diff --git a/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__project_from_folder.snap b/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__project_from_folder.snap
index 52f5019c..ee08d8a4 100644
--- a/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__project_from_folder.snap
+++ b/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__project_from_folder.snap
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ metadata:
   ignore_unknown_instances: true
   contributing_paths:
     - /foo/default.project.json
-  project_node: ~
 name: indirect-project
 class_name: Folder
 properties: {}
diff --git a/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__project_path_property_overrides.snap b/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__project_path_property_overrides.snap
index fd45518e..c40c7e6b 100644
--- a/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__project_path_property_overrides.snap
+++ b/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__project_path_property_overrides.snap
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ metadata:
   contributing_paths:
     - /foo/default.project.json
     - /foo/other.project.json
-  project_node: ~
 name: path-property-override
 class_name: StringValue
 properties:
diff --git a/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__project_with_children.snap b/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__project_with_children.snap
index 2850c3b5..7d489305 100644
--- a/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__project_with_children.snap
+++ b/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__project_with_children.snap
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ metadata:
   ignore_unknown_instances: true
   contributing_paths:
     - /foo/default.project.json
-  project_node: ~
 name: children
 class_name: Folder
 properties: {}
@@ -16,7 +15,6 @@ children:
     metadata:
       ignore_unknown_instances: true
       contributing_paths: []
-      project_node: ~
     name: Child
     class_name: Model
     properties: {}
diff --git a/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__project_with_path_to_project.snap b/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__project_with_path_to_project.snap
index 4ad043a7..2aa19545 100644
--- a/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__project_with_path_to_project.snap
+++ b/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__project_with_path_to_project.snap
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ metadata:
   contributing_paths:
     - /foo/default.project.json
     - /foo/other.project.json
-  project_node: ~
 name: path-project
 class_name: Model
 properties: {}
diff --git a/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__project_with_path_to_project_with_children.snap b/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__project_with_path_to_project_with_children.snap
index 6ba03cb5..0da40c3a 100644
--- a/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__project_with_path_to_project_with_children.snap
+++ b/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__project_with_path_to_project_with_children.snap
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ metadata:
   contributing_paths:
     - /foo/default.project.json
     - /foo/other.project.json
-  project_node: ~
 name: path-child-project
 class_name: Folder
 properties: {}
@@ -17,7 +16,6 @@ children:
     metadata:
       ignore_unknown_instances: true
       contributing_paths: []
-      project_node: ~
     name: SomeChild
     class_name: Model
     properties: {}
diff --git a/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__project_with_path_to_txt.snap b/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__project_with_path_to_txt.snap
index 019c88df..3dac9993 100644
--- a/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__project_with_path_to_txt.snap
+++ b/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__project_with_path_to_txt.snap
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ metadata:
   contributing_paths:
     - /foo/default.project.json
     - /foo/other.txt
-  project_node: ~
 name: path-project
 class_name: StringValue
 properties:
diff --git a/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__project_with_resolved_properties.snap b/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__project_with_resolved_properties.snap
index ac0cb468..49e4d4f7 100644
--- a/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__project_with_resolved_properties.snap
+++ b/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__project_with_resolved_properties.snap
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ metadata:
   ignore_unknown_instances: true
   contributing_paths:
     - /foo/default.project.json
-  project_node: ~
 name: resolved-properties
 class_name: StringValue
 properties:
diff --git a/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__project_with_unresolved_properties.snap b/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__project_with_unresolved_properties.snap
index 32cfe85c..adbd6e94 100644
--- a/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__project_with_unresolved_properties.snap
+++ b/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__project_with_unresolved_properties.snap
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ metadata:
   ignore_unknown_instances: true
   contributing_paths:
     - /foo/default.project.json
-  project_node: ~
 name: unresolved-properties
 class_name: StringValue
 properties:
diff --git a/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__server_from_imfs.snap b/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__server_from_imfs.snap
index c992669a..02dc90cd 100644
--- a/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__server_from_imfs.snap
+++ b/src/snapshot_middleware/snapshots/test__server_from_imfs.snap
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ metadata:
   ignore_unknown_instances: false
   contributing_paths:
     - /foo.server.lua
-  project_node: ~
 name: foo
 class_name: Script
 properties: