diff --git a/news/changelog-1.9.md b/news/changelog-1.9.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..84c6a94179
--- /dev/null
+++ b/news/changelog-1.9.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+All changes included in 1.9:
+
+## Shortcodes
+
+- ([#13342](https://github.com/quarto-dev/quarto-cli/issues/13342)): Ensure that the `contents` shortcode works inside metadata.
diff --git a/src/resources/filters/quarto-pre/contentsshortcode.lua b/src/resources/filters/quarto-pre/contentsshortcode.lua
index 174d9ddfc6..8499ce0627 100644
--- a/src/resources/filters/quarto-pre/contentsshortcode.lua
+++ b/src/resources/filters/quarto-pre/contentsshortcode.lua
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ function contents_shortcode_filter()
 
   return {
     Pandoc = function(doc)
-      _quarto.ast.walk(doc.blocks, {
+      doc = doc:walk({
         RawInline = function(el)
           if el.format ~= "quarto-internal" then
             return
@@ -44,7 +44,8 @@ function contents_shortcode_filter()
           end
         end
       })
-      doc.blocks = _quarto.ast.walk(doc.blocks, {
+      
+      doc = doc:walk({
         Div = function(el)
           if ids_used[el.attr.identifier] then
             divs[el.attr.identifier] = el
@@ -110,13 +111,12 @@ function contents_shortcode_filter()
           "Removing from document.")
         return {}
       end
-      -- replace div-context entries
-      doc.blocks = _quarto.ast.walk(doc.blocks, {
+      doc = doc:walk({
         Para = handle_block,
         Plain = handle_block
       })
       -- replace span-context entries
-      doc.blocks = _quarto.ast.walk(doc.blocks, {
+      doc = doc:walk({
         RawInline = function(el)
           if el.format ~= "quarto-internal" then
             return
diff --git a/tests/docs/smoke-all/2025/09/07/issue-13342.qmd b/tests/docs/smoke-all/2025/09/07/issue-13342.qmd
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9275c027c8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/docs/smoke-all/2025/09/07/issue-13342.qmd
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+---
+title: "I wish I could write inline code in the abstract"
+author: carlos
+format: latex
+abstract: |
+  This is an abstract. My fancy value is {{< contents placeholder-source >}}.
+_quarto:
+  tests:
+    latex:
+      ensureFileRegexMatches:
+        - ['\{7\}\.\n\\end\{abstract\}']
+        - []
+---
+
+## A section
+
+```{r}
+#| include: false
+my_fancy_code <- 3 + 4
+```
+
+Of course when I do it here it works. We analyze `{r} my_fancy_code` articles and find that this doesn't work at all. [`{r} my_fancy_code`]{#placeholder-source}