diff --git a/python/python/lancedb/namespace.py b/python/python/lancedb/namespace.py
index 2085c90a..0825a3cc 100644
--- a/python/python/lancedb/namespace.py
+++ b/python/python/lancedb/namespace.py
@@ -99,7 +99,14 @@ def _convert_pyarrow_schema_to_json(schema: pa.Schema) -> JsonArrowSchema:
         )
         fields.append(json_field)
 
-    return JsonArrowSchema(fields=fields, metadata=schema.metadata)
+    # decode binary metadata to strings for JSON
+    meta = None
+    if schema.metadata:
+        meta = {
+            k.decode("utf-8"): v.decode("utf-8") for k, v in schema.metadata.items()
+        }
+
+    return JsonArrowSchema(fields=fields, metadata=meta)
 
 
 class LanceNamespaceStorageOptionsProvider(StorageOptionsProvider):