diff --git a/bundles/org.openhab.core.model.yaml/src/main/java/org/openhab/core/model/yaml/internal/items/fileconverter/YamlItemConverter.java b/bundles/org.openhab.core.model.yaml/src/main/java/org/openhab/core/model/yaml/internal/items/fileconverter/YamlItemConverter.java
index d4879108439..a827cf62cda 100644
--- a/bundles/org.openhab.core.model.yaml/src/main/java/org/openhab/core/model/yaml/internal/items/fileconverter/YamlItemConverter.java
+++ b/bundles/org.openhab.core.model.yaml/src/main/java/org/openhab/core/model/yaml/internal/items/fileconverter/YamlItemConverter.java
@@ -110,14 +110,9 @@ private YamlItemDTO buildItemDTO(Item item, List<Metadata> channelLinks, List<Me
         dto.name = item.getName();
 
         String label = item.getLabel();
-        boolean patternSet = false;
-        String defaultPattern = getDefaultStatePattern(item);
         if (label != null && !label.isEmpty()) {
             dto.label = item.getLabel();
         }
-        String patternToSet = stateFormatter != null && !stateFormatter.equals(defaultPattern) ? stateFormatter : null;
-        dto.format = patternToSet;
-        patternSet = patternToSet != null;
 
         dto.type = item.getType();
         String mainType = ItemUtil.getMainItemType(item.getType());
@@ -191,40 +186,42 @@ private YamlItemDTO buildItemDTO(Item item, List<Metadata> channelLinks, List<Me
                 if (value != null && !value.isEmpty()) {
                     dto.autoupdate = Boolean.valueOf(value);
                 }
-            } else if ("unit".equals(namespace)) {
+                continue;
+            }
+
+            if ("unit".equals(namespace)) {
                 dto.unit = value; // When unit value is empty string, keep it as empty string
-            } else if ("expire".equals(namespace)) {
-                Map<String, Object> configuration = md.getConfiguration();
-                if (configuration.isEmpty()) {
-                    dto.expire = value; // When expire value is empty string, keep it as empty string
-                } else {
-                    YamlMetadataDTO mdDto = new YamlMetadataDTO();
-                    mdDto.value = value.isEmpty() ? null : value;
-                    mdDto.config = configuration;
-                    metadataDto.put(namespace, mdDto);
-                }
-            } else {
-                YamlMetadataDTO mdDto = new YamlMetadataDTO();
-                mdDto.value = value.isEmpty() ? null : value;
-                Map<String, Object> configuration = new LinkedHashMap<>();
-                String statePattern = null;
-                for (ConfigParameter param : getConfigurationParameters(md)) {
-                    configuration.put(param.name(), param.value());
-                    if ("stateDescription".equals(namespace) && "pattern".equals(param.name())) {
-                        statePattern = param.value().toString();
-                    }
+                continue;
+            }
+
+            if ("expire".equals(namespace) && md.getConfiguration().isEmpty()) {
+                dto.expire = value; // When expire value is empty string, keep it as empty string
+                continue;
+            }
+
+            if ("stateDescription".equals(namespace) && (value == null || value.isBlank())) {
+                Map<String, Object> config = md.getConfiguration();
+
+                String defaultPattern = getDefaultStatePattern(item);
+                if (config.isEmpty() && stateFormatter != null && !stateFormatter.equals(defaultPattern)) {
+                    dto.format = stateFormatter;
+                    continue;
                 }
-                // Ignore state description in case it contains only a state pattern and state pattern was injected
-                // in field format or is the default pattern
-                if (!(statePattern != null && configuration.size() == 1
-                        && (patternSet || statePattern.equals(defaultPattern)))) {
-                    mdDto.config = configuration.isEmpty() ? null : configuration;
-                    metadataDto.put(namespace, mdDto);
-                    if (patternSet && statePattern != null) {
-                        dto.format = null;
-                    }
+
+                if (config.get("pattern") instanceof String pattern && !pattern.isBlank() && config.size() == 1) {
+                    dto.format = pattern;
+                    continue;
                 }
             }
+
+            YamlMetadataDTO mdDto = new YamlMetadataDTO();
+            mdDto.value = value;
+            Map<String, Object> configuration = new LinkedHashMap<>();
+            for (ConfigParameter param : getConfigurationParameters(md)) {
+                configuration.put(param.name(), param.value());
+            }
+            mdDto.config = configuration.isEmpty() ? null : configuration;
+            metadataDto.put(namespace, mdDto);
         }
         dto.metadata = metadataDto.isEmpty() ? null : metadataDto;
 
diff --git a/bundles/org.openhab.core.model.yaml/src/test/java/org/openhab/core/model/yaml/internal/items/fileconverter/YamlItemConverterTest.java b/bundles/org.openhab.core.model.yaml/src/test/java/org/openhab/core/model/yaml/internal/items/fileconverter/YamlItemConverterTest.java
index e02e30db2db..347a60d8551 100644
--- a/bundles/org.openhab.core.model.yaml/src/test/java/org/openhab/core/model/yaml/internal/items/fileconverter/YamlItemConverterTest.java
+++ b/bundles/org.openhab.core.model.yaml/src/test/java/org/openhab/core/model/yaml/internal/items/fileconverter/YamlItemConverterTest.java
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@
 import org.openhab.core.model.yaml.internal.items.YamlChannelLinkProvider;
 import org.openhab.core.model.yaml.internal.items.YamlItemDTO;
 import org.openhab.core.model.yaml.internal.items.YamlItemProvider;
+import org.openhab.core.model.yaml.internal.items.YamlMetadataDTO;
 import org.openhab.core.model.yaml.internal.items.YamlMetadataProvider;
 
 @NonNullByDefault
@@ -98,6 +99,30 @@ public void testUnitMetadataEmptyStringStaysInShortForm() {
         assertNull(dto.metadata);
     }
 
+    @Test
+    public void testStateDescriptionMetadataConvertedToShortForm() {
+        Metadata stateDescriptionMetadata = new Metadata(new MetadataKey("stateDescription", "item_name"), "",
+                Map.of("pattern", "%d"));
+        YamlItemDTO dto = convertWithMetadata(stateDescriptionMetadata, "Number");
+        assertEquals("%d", dto.format);
+        assertNull(dto.metadata);
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void testStateDescriptionMetadataWithOtherConfigStaysInMetadata() {
+        Metadata stateDescriptionMetadata = new Metadata(new MetadataKey("stateDescription", "item_name"), "",
+                Map.of("pattern", "%d", "min", 0, "max", 100));
+        YamlItemDTO dto = convertWithMetadata(stateDescriptionMetadata, "Number");
+        assertNull(dto.format);
+        assertNotNull(dto.metadata);
+        YamlMetadataDTO stateDescDto = dto.metadata.get("stateDescription");
+        assertNotNull(stateDescDto);
+        assertEquals("", stateDescDto.getValue());
+        assertEquals("%d", stateDescDto.config.get("pattern"));
+        assertEquals(0, stateDescDto.config.get("min"));
+        assertEquals(100, stateDescDto.config.get("max"));
+    }
+
     private YamlItemDTO convertWithMetadata(Metadata metadata, String itemType) {
         CapturingYamlModelRepository repository = new CapturingYamlModelRepository();
         YamlItemConverter converter = new YamlItemConverter(repository, mock(YamlItemProvider.class),