diff --git a/openpype/lib/applications.py b/openpype/lib/applications.py
index 3302a88f97..a3c5b00a0b 100644
--- a/openpype/lib/applications.py
+++ b/openpype/lib/applications.py
@@ -17,6 +17,10 @@ from openpype.settings import (
     get_project_settings,
     get_environments
 )
+from openpype.settings.constants import (
+    METADATA_KEYS,
+    M_DYNAMIC_KEY_LABEL
+)
 from . import (
     PypeLogger,
     Anatomy
@@ -123,7 +127,16 @@ class ApplicationGroup:
         self.host_name = host_name
 
         variants = data.get("variants") or {}
+        key_label_mapping = variants.pop(M_DYNAMIC_KEY_LABEL, {})
         for variant_name, variant_data in variants.items():
+            if variant_name in METADATA_KEYS:
+                continue
+
+            if "variant_label" not in variant_data:
+                variant_label = key_label_mapping.get(variant_name)
+                if variant_label:
+                    variant_data["variant_label"] = variant_label
+
             variants[variant_name] = Application(
                 variant_name, variant_data, self
             )
@@ -265,10 +278,15 @@ class ApplicationManager:
         self.tool_groups.clear()
         self.tools.clear()
 
-        settings = get_system_settings()
+        settings = get_system_settings(
+            clear_metadata=False, exclude_locals=False
+        )
 
         app_defs = settings["applications"]
         for group_name, variant_defs in app_defs.items():
+            if group_name in METADATA_KEYS:
+                continue
+
             group = ApplicationGroup(group_name, variant_defs, self)
             self.app_groups[group_name] = group
             for app in group:
@@ -277,7 +295,7 @@ class ApplicationManager:
 
         tools_definitions = settings["tools"]["tool_groups"]
         for tool_group_name, tool_group_data in tools_definitions.items():
-            if not tool_group_name:
+            if not tool_group_name or tool_group_name in METADATA_KEYS:
                 continue
             group = EnvironmentToolGroup(
                 tool_group_name, tool_group_data, self