diff --git a/pkg/restore/restore.go b/pkg/restore/restore.go
index 2a5f79bdf..94a1f252a 100644
--- a/pkg/restore/restore.go
+++ b/pkg/restore/restore.go
@@ -740,6 +740,12 @@ func (ctx *context) restoreResource(resource, namespace, resourcePath string) (a
 			}
 		}
 
+		// clear out non-core metadata fields & status
+		if obj, err = resetMetadataAndStatus(obj); err != nil {
+			addToResult(&errs, namespace, err)
+			continue
+		}
+
 		for _, action := range applicableActions {
 			if !action.selector.Matches(labels.Set(obj.GetLabels())) {
 				continue
@@ -765,12 +771,6 @@ func (ctx *context) restoreResource(resource, namespace, resourcePath string) (a
 			obj = unstructuredObj
 		}
 
-		// clear out non-core metadata fields & status
-		if obj, err = resetMetadataAndStatus(obj); err != nil {
-			addToResult(&errs, namespace, err)
-			continue
-		}
-
 		// necessary because we may have remapped the namespace
 		// if the namespace is blank, don't create the key
 		originalNamespace := obj.GetNamespace()