diff --git a/gallery_dl/postprocessor/metadata.py b/gallery_dl/postprocessor/metadata.py
index 03294b483f..5004bed6de 100644
--- a/gallery_dl/postprocessor/metadata.py
+++ b/gallery_dl/postprocessor/metadata.py
@@ -216,9 +216,9 @@ def _traverse(obj, key):
 
     while "[" in key:
         name, _, key = key.partition("[")
-        obj = obj[name.rstrip("]")]
+        obj = obj[name.strip("\"']")]
 
-    return obj, key.strip("]")
+    return obj, key.strip("\"']")
 
 
 __postprocessor__ = MetadataPP
diff --git a/test/test_postprocessor.py b/test/test_postprocessor.py
index 543947b8c6..1630e8a3a5 100644
--- a/test/test_postprocessor.py
+++ b/test/test_postprocessor.py
@@ -392,11 +392,11 @@ def test_metadata_modify(self):
         self._create({
             "mode": "modify",
             "fields": {
-                "foo"        : "{filename}-{foo!s}",
-                "foo2"       : "\fE bar['bax'] + 122",
-                "bar[baz]"   : "{_now}",
-                "bar[ba2]"   : "\fE {}",
-                "bar[ba2][a]": "test",
+                "foo"          : "{filename}-{foo!s}",
+                "foo2"         : "\fE bar['bax'] + 122",
+                "bar['baz']"   : "{_now}",
+                "bar[\"ba2\"]" : "\fE {}",
+                "bar['ba2'][a]": "test",
             },
         }, kwdict)
 
@@ -423,7 +423,7 @@ def test_metadata_delete(self):
         }
         self._create({
             "mode": "delete",
-            "fields": ["foo", "bar[bax]", "bar[baz][a]"],
+            "fields": ["foo", "bar['bax']", "bar[\"baz\"][a]"],
         }, kwdict)
 
         pdict = self.pathfmt.kwdict