diff --git a/.github/workflows/test.yaml b/.github/workflows/test.yaml
index f5f33dc9..8d5f7f17 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test.yaml
@@ -18,10 +18,10 @@ jobs:
       - name: Install Poetry
         run: |
           pipx install poetry
-      - name: Set up Python ${{ matrix.python-version }}
+      - name: Set up Python 3.11
         uses: actions/setup-python@v3
         with:
-          python-version: ${{ matrix.python-version }}
+          python-version: "3.11"
           cache: 'poetry'
       - name: Install lint tools
         run: |
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ jobs:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
         python-version:
+          - "3.11" 
           - "3.10"
           - 3.9
           - 3.8
diff --git a/tests/integration/test_meta.py b/tests/integration/test_meta.py
index 0d6b50cc..e94785fd 100644
--- a/tests/integration/test_meta.py
+++ b/tests/integration/test_meta.py
@@ -40,23 +40,22 @@ class NodeWithEnvParam(NodeWithEnv):
     OMP_NUM_THREADS = zntrack.meta.Environment("1", is_parameter=True)
 
 
-def test_NodeWithEnvNone(proj_path):
-    with zntrack.Project() as proj:
-        _ = NodeWithEnvNone()  # the actual test is inside the run method.
-    proj.run()
-
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("eager", [True, False])
+def test_NodeWithMeta(proj_path, eager):
+    with zntrack.Project() as project:
+        node_w_meta = NodeWithMeta()
 
-def test_NodeWithMeta(proj_path):
-    NodeWithMeta().write_graph()
+    project.run(eager=eager)
+    if not eager:
+        node_w_meta.load()
 
-    node_w_meta = NodeWithMeta.from_rev()
     assert node_w_meta.author == "Fabian"
 
-    dvc_yaml = yaml.safe_load(pathlib.Path("dvc.yaml").read_text())
-    assert dvc_yaml["stages"]["NodeWithMeta"]["meta"] == {
-        "author": "Fabian",
-        "title": "Test Node",
-    }
+
+def test_NodeWithEnvNone(proj_path):
+    with zntrack.Project() as proj:
+        _ = NodeWithEnvNone()  # the actual test is inside the run method.
+    proj.run()
 
 
 class CombinedNodeWithMeta(zntrack.Node):
diff --git a/zntrack/fields/meta/__init__.py b/zntrack/fields/meta/__init__.py
index e7a02bf2..9e387650 100644
--- a/zntrack/fields/meta/__init__.py
+++ b/zntrack/fields/meta/__init__.py
@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
 """Additional fields that are neither dvc/zn i/o fields."""
+import json
 import pathlib
 import typing
 
 import yaml
+import znjson
 
 from zntrack.fields.field import Field, FieldGroup
 from zntrack.utils import file_io
@@ -16,6 +18,7 @@ class Text(Field):
 
     dvc_option: str = None
     group = FieldGroup.PARAMETER
+    use_dvc_yaml: bool = False
 
     def get_files(self, instance) -> list:
         """Get the params.yaml file."""
@@ -23,16 +26,30 @@ def get_files(self, instance) -> list:
 
     def save(self, instance):
         """Save the field to disk."""
-        file_io.update_meta(
-            file=pathlib.Path("dvc.yaml"),
-            node_name=instance.name,
-            data={self.name: getattr(instance, self.name)},
-        )
+        value = getattr(instance, self.name)
+        if pathlib.Path("dvc.yaml").exists() and self.use_dvc_yaml:
+            file_io.update_meta(
+                file=pathlib.Path("dvc.yaml"),
+                node_name=instance.name,
+                data={self.name: value},
+            )
+        else:
+            # load from zntrack.json
+            self._write_value_to_config(value, instance, encoder=znjson.ZnEncoder)
 
     def get_data(self, instance: "Node") -> any:
         """Get the value of the field from the file."""
-        dvc_dict = yaml.safe_load(instance.state.fs.read_text("dvc.yaml"))
-        return dvc_dict["stages"][instance.name]["meta"].get(self.name, None)
+        if pathlib.Path("dvc.yaml").exists() and self.use_dvc_yaml:
+            dvc_dict = yaml.safe_load(instance.state.fs.read_text("dvc.yaml"))
+            return dvc_dict["stages"][instance.name]["meta"].get(self.name, None)
+        else:
+            # load from zntrack.json
+            zntrack_dict = json.loads(
+                instance.state.fs.read_text("zntrack.json"),
+            )
+            return json.loads(
+                json.dumps(zntrack_dict[instance.name][self.name]), cls=znjson.ZnDecoder
+            )
 
     def get_stage_add_argument(self, instance) -> typing.List[tuple]:
         """Get the dvc command for this field."""