diff --git a/checkpoint/orbax/checkpoint/base_pytree_checkpoint_handler.py b/checkpoint/orbax/checkpoint/base_pytree_checkpoint_handler.py
index 07efbee08..3a2e5e1e1 100644
--- a/checkpoint/orbax/checkpoint/base_pytree_checkpoint_handler.py
+++ b/checkpoint/orbax/checkpoint/base_pytree_checkpoint_handler.py
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 import os
 import time
 from typing import Any, Callable, List, Optional, Tuple, Union
+import uuid
 
 from absl import logging
 from etils import epath
@@ -35,6 +36,7 @@
 from orbax.checkpoint import async_checkpoint_handler
 from orbax.checkpoint import checkpoint_args
 from orbax.checkpoint import future
+from orbax.checkpoint import proto_checkpoint_handler
 from orbax.checkpoint import transform_utils
 from orbax.checkpoint import tree as tree_utils
 from orbax.checkpoint import type_handlers
@@ -43,6 +45,7 @@
 from orbax.checkpoint.metadata import value as value_metadata
 import tensorstore as ts
 
+
 PyTree = Any
 TupleKey = Tuple[str, ...]
 RestoreArgs = type_handlers.RestoreArgs
@@ -66,6 +69,7 @@
 _CHECKPOINT_FILE = 'checkpoint'
 
 
+
 def get_byte_limiter(concurrent_gb: int):
   async def _create_byte_limiter():
     # Wrap creation in async function to avoid issues on python<=3.9.
@@ -362,7 +366,8 @@ def __init__(
         to None, then all hosts will be considered as primary.  It's useful in
         the case that all hosts are only working with local storage.
       type_handler_registry: a type_handlers.TypeHandlerRegistry. If not
-        specified, the global type handler registry will be used.
+        specified, the global type handler registry will be used. # BEGIN
+      enable_descriptor: If True, logs a Descriptor proto that contains lineage
     """
     self._aggregate_handler = MsgpackHandler(primary_host=primary_host)
     if aggregate_filename is None:
@@ -582,30 +587,28 @@ def _maybe_set_default_save_args(value, args_):
       logging.debug('param_info: %s', param_infos)
       logging.debug('save_args: %s', save_args)
 
-    metadata_future = None
-    if utils.is_primary_host(self._primary_host):
-      metadata_write_start_time = time.time()
-      metadata_future = await self._write_metadata_file(
-          directory, item, save_args, self._use_zarr3
-      )
-      jax.monitoring.record_event_duration_secs(
-          '/jax/checkpoint/write/async/metadata_write_duration_secs',
-          time.time() - metadata_write_start_time,
-      )
+    metadata_write_start_time = time.time()
+    commit_futures.append(
+        await self._write_metadata_file(
+            directory, item, save_args, self._use_zarr3
+        )
+    )
+    jax.monitoring.record_event_duration_secs(
+        '/jax/checkpoint/write/async/metadata_write_duration_secs',
+        time.time() - metadata_write_start_time,
+    )
 
     aggregate_file_write_start_time = time.time()
-    aggregate_commit_future = await self._write_aggregate_file(
-        directory, item, param_infos, save_args
+    commit_futures.append(
+        await self._write_aggregate_file(
+            directory, item, param_infos, save_args
+        )
     )
     jax.monitoring.record_event_duration_secs(
         '/jax/checkpoint/write/async/aggregate_write_duration_secs',
         time.time() - aggregate_file_write_start_time,
     )
-    return (
-        commit_futures + [aggregate_commit_future] + [metadata_future]
-        if metadata_future is not None
-        else commit_futures + [aggregate_commit_future]
-    )
+    return commit_futures
 
   def save(self, directory: epath.Path, *args, **kwargs):
     """Saves the provided item.
@@ -840,6 +843,7 @@ def _read_aggregate_file(self, directory: epath.Path) -> PyTree:
     else:
       return utils.pytree_structure(directory)
 
+
   async def _write_metadata_file(
       self,
       directory: epath.Path,
@@ -847,6 +851,9 @@ async def _write_metadata_file(
       save_args: PyTree,
       use_zarr3: bool = False,
   ) -> future.Future:
+    if not utils.is_primary_host(self._primary_host):
+      return future.NoopFuture()
+
     tspec = type_handlers._get_tensorstore_spec(  # pylint: disable=protected-access
         os.fspath(directory), name=METADATA_FILE, use_ocdbt=False
     )['kvstore']