diff --git a/gguf-py/gguf/gguf_writer.py b/gguf-py/gguf/gguf_writer.py
index 4bf85094f..0d8d8a0b0 100644
--- a/gguf-py/gguf/gguf_writer.py
+++ b/gguf-py/gguf/gguf_writer.py
@@ -236,8 +236,6 @@ class GGUFWriter:
             kv_bytes = bytearray()
 
             for key, val in kv_data.items():
-                if key == "general.license" and isinstance(val.value, list):
-                    val.value = ",".join(val.value)
                 kv_bytes += self._pack_val(key, GGUFValueType.STRING, add_vtype=False)
                 kv_bytes += self._pack_val(val.value, val.type, add_vtype=True)
 
diff --git a/gguf-py/gguf/metadata.py b/gguf-py/gguf/metadata.py
index db318542a..e6bbe1364 100644
--- a/gguf-py/gguf/metadata.py
+++ b/gguf-py/gguf/metadata.py
@@ -458,7 +458,10 @@ class Metadata:
             gguf_writer.add_size_label(self.size_label)
 
         if self.license is not None:
-            gguf_writer.add_license(self.license)
+            if isinstance(self.license, list):
+                gguf_writer.add_license(",".join(self.license))
+            else:
+                gguf_writer.add_license(self.license)
         if self.license_name is not None:
             gguf_writer.add_license_name(self.license_name)
         if self.license_link is not None: