diff --git a/unmaintained/load_test/load_test_meta_tail/load_test_meta_tail.go b/unmaintained/load_test/load_test_meta_tail/load_test_meta_tail.go
index 762af2088..eb08e5353 100644
--- a/unmaintained/load_test/load_test_meta_tail/load_test_meta_tail.go
+++ b/unmaintained/load_test/load_test_meta_tail/load_test_meta_tail.go
@@ -79,7 +79,19 @@ func startGenerateMetadata() {
 
 func startSubscribeMetadata(eachEntryFunc func(event *filer_pb.SubscribeMetadataResponse) error) {
 
-	tailErr := pb.FollowMetadata(pb.ServerAddress(*tailFiler), grpc.WithTransportCredentials(insecure.NewCredentials()), "tail", 0, 0, *dir, nil, 0, 0, 0, eachEntryFunc, pb.TrivialOnError)
+	metadataFollowOption := &pb.MetadataFollowOption{
+		ClientName:             "tail",
+		ClientId:               0,
+		ClientEpoch:            0,
+		SelfSignature:          0,
+		PathPrefix:             *dir,
+		AdditionalPathPrefixes: nil,
+		DirectoriesToWatch:     nil,
+		StartTsNs:              0,
+		StopTsNs:               0,
+		EventErrorType:         pb.TrivialOnError,
+	}
+	tailErr := pb.FollowMetadata(pb.ServerAddress(*tailFiler), grpc.WithTransportCredentials(insecure.NewCredentials()), metadataFollowOption, eachEntryFunc)
 
 	if tailErr != nil {
 		fmt.Printf("tail %s: %v\n", *tailFiler, tailErr)
diff --git a/weed/command/filer_backup.go b/weed/command/filer_backup.go
index 6f379a6d6..b51dd65b6 100644
--- a/weed/command/filer_backup.go
+++ b/weed/command/filer_backup.go
@@ -138,6 +138,19 @@ func doFilerBackup(grpcDialOption grpc.DialOption, backupOption *FilerBackupOpti
 		}()
 	}
 
-	return pb.FollowMetadata(sourceFiler, grpcDialOption, "backup_"+dataSink.GetName(), clientId, clientEpoch, sourcePath, nil, startFrom.UnixNano(), 0, 0, processEventFnWithOffset, pb.TrivialOnError)
+	metadataFollowOption := &pb.MetadataFollowOption{
+		ClientName:             "backup_" + dataSink.GetName(),
+		ClientId:               clientId,
+		ClientEpoch:            clientEpoch,
+		SelfSignature:          0,
+		PathPrefix:             sourcePath,
+		AdditionalPathPrefixes: nil,
+		DirectoriesToWatch:     nil,
+		StartTsNs:              startFrom.UnixNano(),
+		StopTsNs:               0,
+		EventErrorType:         pb.TrivialOnError,
+	}
+
+	return pb.FollowMetadata(sourceFiler, grpcDialOption, metadataFollowOption, processEventFnWithOffset)
 
 }
diff --git a/weed/command/filer_meta_backup.go b/weed/command/filer_meta_backup.go
index f2cba9382..ff4a61e41 100644
--- a/weed/command/filer_meta_backup.go
+++ b/weed/command/filer_meta_backup.go
@@ -196,8 +196,21 @@ func (metaBackup *FilerMetaBackupOptions) streamMetadataBackup() error {
 	})
 
 	metaBackup.clientEpoch++
-	return pb.FollowMetadata(pb.ServerAddress(*metaBackup.filerAddress), metaBackup.grpcDialOption, "meta_backup", metaBackup.clientId, metaBackup.clientEpoch,
-		*metaBackup.filerDirectory, nil, startTime.UnixNano(), 0, 0, processEventFnWithOffset, pb.TrivialOnError)
+
+	metadataFollowOption := &pb.MetadataFollowOption{
+		ClientName:             "meta_backup",
+		ClientId:               metaBackup.clientId,
+		ClientEpoch:            metaBackup.clientEpoch,
+		SelfSignature:          0,
+		PathPrefix:             *metaBackup.filerDirectory,
+		AdditionalPathPrefixes: nil,
+		DirectoriesToWatch:     nil,
+		StartTsNs:              startTime.UnixNano(),
+		StopTsNs:               0,
+		EventErrorType:         pb.TrivialOnError,
+	}
+
+	return pb.FollowMetadata(pb.ServerAddress(*metaBackup.filerAddress), metaBackup.grpcDialOption, metadataFollowOption, processEventFnWithOffset)
 
 }
 
diff --git a/weed/command/filer_meta_tail.go b/weed/command/filer_meta_tail.go
index 58a496ff4..32855072b 100644
--- a/weed/command/filer_meta_tail.go
+++ b/weed/command/filer_meta_tail.go
@@ -107,16 +107,28 @@ func runFilerMetaTail(cmd *Command, args []string) bool {
 		untilTsNs = time.Now().Add(-*tailStop).UnixNano()
 	}
 
-	tailErr := pb.FollowMetadata(pb.ServerAddress(*tailFiler), grpcDialOption, "tail", clientId, 0, *tailTarget, nil,
-		time.Now().Add(-*tailStart).UnixNano(), untilTsNs, 0, func(resp *filer_pb.SubscribeMetadataResponse) error {
-			if !shouldPrint(resp) {
-				return nil
-			}
-			if err := eachEntryFunc(resp); err != nil {
-				return err
-			}
+	metadataFollowOption := &pb.MetadataFollowOption{
+		ClientName:             "tail",
+		ClientId:               clientId,
+		ClientEpoch:            0,
+		SelfSignature:          0,
+		PathPrefix:             *tailTarget,
+		AdditionalPathPrefixes: nil,
+		DirectoriesToWatch:     nil,
+		StartTsNs:              time.Now().Add(-*tailStart).UnixNano(),
+		StopTsNs:               untilTsNs,
+		EventErrorType:         pb.TrivialOnError,
+	}
+
+	tailErr := pb.FollowMetadata(pb.ServerAddress(*tailFiler), grpcDialOption, metadataFollowOption, func(resp *filer_pb.SubscribeMetadataResponse) error {
+		if !shouldPrint(resp) {
 			return nil
-		}, pb.TrivialOnError)
+		}
+		if err := eachEntryFunc(resp); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		return nil
+	})
 
 	if tailErr != nil {
 		fmt.Printf("tail %s: %v\n", *tailFiler, tailErr)
diff --git a/weed/command/filer_remote_gateway_buckets.go b/weed/command/filer_remote_gateway_buckets.go
index c5fce44f8..e884deaad 100644
--- a/weed/command/filer_remote_gateway_buckets.go
+++ b/weed/command/filer_remote_gateway_buckets.go
@@ -39,8 +39,21 @@ func (option *RemoteGatewayOptions) followBucketUpdatesAndUploadToRemote(filerSo
 	lastOffsetTs := collectLastSyncOffset(option, option.grpcDialOption, pb.ServerAddress(*option.filerAddress), option.bucketsDir, *option.timeAgo)
 
 	option.clientEpoch++
-	return pb.FollowMetadata(pb.ServerAddress(*option.filerAddress), option.grpcDialOption, "filer.remote.sync", option.clientId, option.clientEpoch,
-		option.bucketsDir, []string{filer.DirectoryEtcRemote}, lastOffsetTs.UnixNano(), 0, 0, processEventFnWithOffset, pb.TrivialOnError)
+
+	metadataFollowOption := &pb.MetadataFollowOption{
+		ClientName:             "filer.remote.sync",
+		ClientId:               option.clientId,
+		ClientEpoch:            option.clientEpoch,
+		SelfSignature:          0,
+		PathPrefix:             option.bucketsDir,
+		AdditionalPathPrefixes: []string{filer.DirectoryEtcRemote},
+		DirectoriesToWatch:     nil,
+		StartTsNs:              lastOffsetTs.UnixNano(),
+		StopTsNs:               0,
+		EventErrorType:         pb.TrivialOnError,
+	}
+
+	return pb.FollowMetadata(pb.ServerAddress(*option.filerAddress), option.grpcDialOption, metadataFollowOption, processEventFnWithOffset)
 }
 
 func (option *RemoteGatewayOptions) makeBucketedEventProcessor(filerSource *source.FilerSource) (pb.ProcessMetadataFunc, error) {
diff --git a/weed/command/filer_remote_sync_dir.go b/weed/command/filer_remote_sync_dir.go
index 5bc6ae300..1dc91b5d5 100644
--- a/weed/command/filer_remote_sync_dir.go
+++ b/weed/command/filer_remote_sync_dir.go
@@ -63,8 +63,21 @@ func followUpdatesAndUploadToRemote(option *RemoteSyncOptions, filerSource *sour
 	lastOffsetTs := collectLastSyncOffset(option, option.grpcDialOption, pb.ServerAddress(*option.filerAddress), mountedDir, *option.timeAgo)
 
 	option.clientEpoch++
-	return pb.FollowMetadata(pb.ServerAddress(*option.filerAddress), option.grpcDialOption, "filer.remote.sync", option.clientId, option.clientEpoch,
-		mountedDir, []string{filer.DirectoryEtcRemote}, lastOffsetTs.UnixNano(), 0, 0, processEventFnWithOffset, pb.TrivialOnError)
+
+	metadataFollowOption := &pb.MetadataFollowOption{
+		ClientName:             "filer.remote.sync",
+		ClientId:               option.clientId,
+		ClientEpoch:            option.clientEpoch,
+		SelfSignature:          0,
+		PathPrefix:             mountedDir,
+		AdditionalPathPrefixes: []string{filer.DirectoryEtcRemote},
+		DirectoriesToWatch:     nil,
+		StartTsNs:              lastOffsetTs.UnixNano(),
+		StopTsNs:               0,
+		EventErrorType:         pb.TrivialOnError,
+	}
+
+	return pb.FollowMetadata(pb.ServerAddress(*option.filerAddress), option.grpcDialOption, metadataFollowOption, processEventFnWithOffset)
 }
 
 func makeEventProcessor(remoteStorage *remote_pb.RemoteConf, mountedDir string, remoteStorageMountLocation *remote_pb.RemoteStorageLocation, filerSource *source.FilerSource) (pb.ProcessMetadataFunc, error) {
diff --git a/weed/command/filer_sync.go b/weed/command/filer_sync.go
index efef6250e..fcf60ae87 100644
--- a/weed/command/filer_sync.go
+++ b/weed/command/filer_sync.go
@@ -287,8 +287,20 @@ func doSubscribeFilerMetaChanges(clientId int32, clientEpoch int32, grpcDialOpti
 		return setOffset(grpcDialOption, targetFiler, getSignaturePrefixByPath(sourcePath), sourceFilerSignature, processor.processedTsWatermark)
 	})
 
-	return pb.FollowMetadata(sourceFiler, grpcDialOption, clientName, clientId, clientEpoch,
-		sourcePath, nil, sourceFilerOffsetTsNs, 0, targetFilerSignature, processEventFnWithOffset, pb.RetryForeverOnError)
+	metadataFollowOption := &pb.MetadataFollowOption{
+		ClientName:             clientName,
+		ClientId:               clientId,
+		ClientEpoch:            clientEpoch,
+		SelfSignature:          targetFilerSignature,
+		PathPrefix:             sourcePath,
+		AdditionalPathPrefixes: nil,
+		DirectoriesToWatch:     nil,
+		StartTsNs:              sourceFilerOffsetTsNs,
+		StopTsNs:               0,
+		EventErrorType:         pb.RetryForeverOnError,
+	}
+
+	return pb.FollowMetadata(sourceFiler, grpcDialOption, metadataFollowOption, processEventFnWithOffset)
 
 }
 
diff --git a/weed/filer/filer.go b/weed/filer/filer.go
index f6f06d9b2..8ba8f9cfa 100644
--- a/weed/filer/filer.go
+++ b/weed/filer/filer.go
@@ -87,10 +87,23 @@ func (f *Filer) MaybeBootstrapFromPeers(self pb.ServerAddress, existingNodes []*
 
 	glog.V(0).Infof("bootstrap from %v clientId:%d", earliestNode.Address, f.UniqueFilerId)
 	f.UniqueFilerEpoch++
-	err = pb.FollowMetadata(pb.ServerAddress(earliestNode.Address), f.GrpcDialOption, "bootstrap", f.UniqueFilerId, f.UniqueFilerEpoch, "/", nil,
-		0, snapshotTime.UnixNano(), f.Signature, func(resp *filer_pb.SubscribeMetadataResponse) error {
-			return Replay(f.Store, resp)
-		}, pb.FatalOnError)
+
+	metadataFollowOption := &pb.MetadataFollowOption{
+		ClientName:             "bootstrap",
+		ClientId:               f.UniqueFilerId,
+		ClientEpoch:            f.UniqueFilerEpoch,
+		SelfSignature:          f.Signature,
+		PathPrefix:             "/",
+		AdditionalPathPrefixes: nil,
+		DirectoriesToWatch:     nil,
+		StartTsNs:              snapshotTime.UnixNano(),
+		StopTsNs:               0,
+		EventErrorType:         pb.FatalOnError,
+	}
+
+	err = pb.FollowMetadata(pb.ServerAddress(earliestNode.Address), f.GrpcDialOption, metadataFollowOption, func(resp *filer_pb.SubscribeMetadataResponse) error {
+		return Replay(f.Store, resp)
+	})
 	return
 }
 
diff --git a/weed/mount/meta_cache/meta_cache_subscribe.go b/weed/mount/meta_cache/meta_cache_subscribe.go
index f52660a42..d5d8150bc 100644
--- a/weed/mount/meta_cache/meta_cache_subscribe.go
+++ b/weed/mount/meta_cache/meta_cache_subscribe.go
@@ -58,9 +58,21 @@ func SubscribeMetaEvents(mc *MetaCache, selfSignature int32, client filer_pb.Fil
 	}
 
 	var clientEpoch int32
+	metadataFollowOption := &pb.MetadataFollowOption{
+		ClientName:             "mount",
+		ClientId:               selfSignature,
+		ClientEpoch:            clientEpoch,
+		SelfSignature:          selfSignature,
+		PathPrefix:             dir,
+		AdditionalPathPrefixes: nil,
+		DirectoriesToWatch:     nil,
+		StartTsNs:              lastTsNs,
+		StopTsNs:               0,
+		EventErrorType:         pb.FatalOnError,
+	}
 	util.RetryForever("followMetaUpdates", func() error {
 		clientEpoch++
-		return pb.WithFilerClientFollowMetadata(client, "mount", selfSignature, clientEpoch, dir, nil, &lastTsNs, 0, selfSignature, processEventFn, pb.FatalOnError)
+		return pb.WithFilerClientFollowMetadata(client, metadataFollowOption, processEventFn)
 	}, func(err error) bool {
 		glog.Errorf("follow metadata updates: %v", err)
 		return true
diff --git a/weed/pb/filer_pb_tail.go b/weed/pb/filer_pb_tail.go
index 32fa4d497..674d55ad8 100644
--- a/weed/pb/filer_pb_tail.go
+++ b/weed/pb/filer_pb_tail.go
@@ -19,22 +19,35 @@ const (
 	RetryForeverOnError
 )
 
+// MetadataFollowOption is used to control the behavior of the metadata following
+// process. Part of it is used as a cursor to resume the following process.
+type MetadataFollowOption struct {
+	ClientName             string
+	ClientId               int32
+	ClientEpoch            int32
+	SelfSignature          int32
+	PathPrefix             string
+	AdditionalPathPrefixes []string
+	DirectoriesToWatch     []string
+	StartTsNs              int64
+	StopTsNs               int64
+	EventErrorType         EventErrorType
+}
+
 type ProcessMetadataFunc func(resp *filer_pb.SubscribeMetadataResponse) error
 
-func FollowMetadata(filerAddress ServerAddress, grpcDialOption grpc.DialOption, clientName string, clientId int32, clientEpoch int32,
-	pathPrefix string, additionalPathPrefixes []string, lastTsNs int64, untilTsNs int64, selfSignature int32,
-	processEventFn ProcessMetadataFunc, eventErrorType EventErrorType) error {
+func FollowMetadata(filerAddress ServerAddress, grpcDialOption grpc.DialOption, option *MetadataFollowOption, processEventFn ProcessMetadataFunc) error {
 
-	err := WithFilerClient(true, clientId, filerAddress, grpcDialOption, makeSubscribeMetadataFunc(clientName, clientId, clientEpoch, pathPrefix, additionalPathPrefixes, nil, &lastTsNs, untilTsNs, selfSignature, processEventFn, eventErrorType))
+	err := WithFilerClient(true, option.SelfSignature, filerAddress, grpcDialOption, makeSubscribeMetadataFunc(option, processEventFn))
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("subscribing filer meta change: %v", err)
 	}
 	return err
 }
 
-func WithFilerClientFollowMetadata(filerClient filer_pb.FilerClient, clientName string, clientId int32, clientEpoch int32, pathPrefix string, directoriesToWatch []string, lastTsNs *int64, untilTsNs int64, selfSignature int32, processEventFn ProcessMetadataFunc, eventErrorType EventErrorType) error {
+func WithFilerClientFollowMetadata(filerClient filer_pb.FilerClient, option *MetadataFollowOption, processEventFn ProcessMetadataFunc) error {
 
-	err := filerClient.WithFilerClient(true, makeSubscribeMetadataFunc(clientName, clientId, clientEpoch, pathPrefix, nil, directoriesToWatch, lastTsNs, untilTsNs, selfSignature, processEventFn, eventErrorType))
+	err := filerClient.WithFilerClient(true, makeSubscribeMetadataFunc(option, processEventFn))
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("subscribing filer meta change: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -42,20 +55,20 @@ func WithFilerClientFollowMetadata(filerClient filer_pb.FilerClient, clientName
 	return nil
 }
 
-func makeSubscribeMetadataFunc(clientName string, clientId int32, clientEpoch int32, pathPrefix string, additionalPathPrefixes []string, directoriesToWatch []string, lastTsNs *int64, untilTsNs int64, selfSignature int32, processEventFn ProcessMetadataFunc, eventErrorType EventErrorType) func(client filer_pb.SeaweedFilerClient) error {
+func makeSubscribeMetadataFunc(option *MetadataFollowOption, processEventFn ProcessMetadataFunc) func(client filer_pb.SeaweedFilerClient) error {
 	return func(client filer_pb.SeaweedFilerClient) error {
 		ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
 		defer cancel()
 		stream, err := client.SubscribeMetadata(ctx, &filer_pb.SubscribeMetadataRequest{
-			ClientName:   clientName,
-			PathPrefix:   pathPrefix,
-			PathPrefixes: additionalPathPrefixes,
-			Directories:  directoriesToWatch,
-			SinceNs:      *lastTsNs,
-			Signature:    selfSignature,
-			ClientId:     clientId,
-			ClientEpoch:  clientEpoch,
-			UntilNs:      untilTsNs,
+			ClientName:   option.ClientName,
+			PathPrefix:   option.PathPrefix,
+			PathPrefixes: option.AdditionalPathPrefixes,
+			Directories:  option.DirectoriesToWatch,
+			SinceNs:      option.StartTsNs,
+			Signature:    option.SelfSignature,
+			ClientId:     option.ClientId,
+			ClientEpoch:  option.ClientEpoch,
+			UntilNs:      option.StopTsNs,
 		})
 		if err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("subscribe: %v", err)
@@ -71,7 +84,7 @@ func makeSubscribeMetadataFunc(clientName string, clientId int32, clientEpoch in
 			}
 
 			if err := processEventFn(resp); err != nil {
-				switch eventErrorType {
+				switch option.EventErrorType {
 				case TrivialOnError:
 					glog.Errorf("process %v: %v", resp, err)
 				case FatalOnError:
@@ -87,7 +100,7 @@ func makeSubscribeMetadataFunc(clientName string, clientId int32, clientEpoch in
 					glog.Errorf("process %v: %v", resp, err)
 				}
 			}
-			*lastTsNs = resp.TsNs
+			option.StartTsNs = resp.TsNs
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/weed/s3api/auth_credentials_subscribe.go b/weed/s3api/auth_credentials_subscribe.go
index 377cf2728..8006ff326 100644
--- a/weed/s3api/auth_credentials_subscribe.go
+++ b/weed/s3api/auth_credentials_subscribe.go
@@ -34,9 +34,21 @@ func (s3a *S3ApiServer) subscribeMetaEvents(clientName string, lastTsNs int64, p
 	}
 
 	var clientEpoch int32
+	metadataFollowOption := &pb.MetadataFollowOption{
+		ClientName:             clientName,
+		ClientId:               s3a.randomClientId,
+		ClientEpoch:            clientEpoch,
+		SelfSignature:          0,
+		PathPrefix:             prefix,
+		AdditionalPathPrefixes: nil,
+		DirectoriesToWatch:     directoriesToWatch,
+		StartTsNs:              lastTsNs,
+		StopTsNs:               0,
+		EventErrorType:         pb.FatalOnError,
+	}
 	util.RetryForever("followIamChanges", func() error {
 		clientEpoch++
-		return pb.WithFilerClientFollowMetadata(s3a, clientName, s3a.randomClientId, clientEpoch, prefix, directoriesToWatch, &lastTsNs, 0, 0, processEventFn, pb.FatalOnError)
+		return pb.WithFilerClientFollowMetadata(s3a, metadataFollowOption, processEventFn)
 	}, func(err error) bool {
 		glog.V(0).Infof("iam follow metadata changes: %v", err)
 		return true
@@ -65,7 +77,7 @@ func (s3a *S3ApiServer) onCircuitBreakerConfigUpdate(dir, filename string, conte
 	return nil
 }
 
-//reload bucket metadata
+// reload bucket metadata
 func (s3a *S3ApiServer) onBucketMetadataChange(dir string, oldEntry *filer_pb.Entry, newEntry *filer_pb.Entry) error {
 	if dir == s3a.option.BucketsPath {
 		if newEntry != nil {