diff --git a/sdk/RELEASE.md b/sdk/RELEASE.md
index bd17174452a..b5d666a51d3 100644
--- a/sdk/RELEASE.md
+++ b/sdk/RELEASE.md
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@
 ## Documentation Updates
 
 * N/A
-*
+
 # 1.8.9
 
 ## Major Features and Improvements
diff --git a/sdk/python/kfp/v2/compiler/pipeline_spec_builder.py b/sdk/python/kfp/v2/compiler/pipeline_spec_builder.py
index b84b9fdcba7..152d6511712 100644
--- a/sdk/python/kfp/v2/compiler/pipeline_spec_builder.py
+++ b/sdk/python/kfp/v2/compiler/pipeline_spec_builder.py
@@ -356,7 +356,7 @@ def build_importer_spec_for_task(
         type_schema=type_schema,
         reimport=task.importer_spec.reimport)
 
-    if task.importer_spec.metadata and len(task.importer_spec.metadata) != 0:
+    if task.importer_spec.metadata:
         metadata_protobuf_struct = struct_pb2.Struct()
         metadata_protobuf_struct.update(task.importer_spec.metadata)
         importer_spec.metadata.CopyFrom(metadata_protobuf_struct)