diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index da500cf..d5ff477 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -64,6 +64,8 @@ Options
 
  * -o _file_.mbtiles: Name the output file.
  * -f: Delete the mbtiles file if it already exists instead of giving an error
+ * -F: Proceed (without deleting existing data) if the metadata or tiles table already exists
+   or if metadata fields can't be set
  * -t _directory_: Put the temporary files in _directory_.
  * -P: Use multiple threads to read different parts of each input file at once.
    This will only work if the input is line-delimited JSON with each Feature on its
diff --git a/geojson.c b/geojson.c
index 85f5894..3c5eae5 100644
--- a/geojson.c
+++ b/geojson.c
@@ -1080,7 +1080,7 @@ void start_parsing(int fd, FILE *fp, long long offset, long long len, volatile i
 	}
 }
 
-int read_json(int argc, char **argv, char *fname, const char *layername, int maxzoom, int minzoom, int basezoom, double basezoom_marker_width, sqlite3 *outdb, struct pool *exclude, struct pool *include, int exclude_all, double droprate, int buffer, const char *tmpdir, double gamma, char *prevent, char *additional, int read_parallel) {
+int read_json(int argc, char **argv, char *fname, const char *layername, int maxzoom, int minzoom, int basezoom, double basezoom_marker_width, sqlite3 *outdb, struct pool *exclude, struct pool *include, int exclude_all, double droprate, int buffer, const char *tmpdir, double gamma, char *prevent, char *additional, int read_parallel, int forcetable) {
 	int ret = EXIT_SUCCESS;
 
 	struct reader reader[CPUS];
@@ -2028,7 +2028,7 @@ int read_json(int argc, char **argv, char *fname, const char *layername, int max
 		midlon = maxlon;
 	}
 
-	mbtiles_write_metadata(outdb, fname, layernames, minzoom, maxzoom, minlat, minlon, maxlat, maxlon, midlat, midlon, file_keys, nlayers);
+	mbtiles_write_metadata(outdb, fname, layernames, minzoom, maxzoom, minlat, minlon, maxlat, maxlon, midlat, midlon, file_keys, nlayers, forcetable);
 
 	for (i = 0; i < nlayers; i++) {
 		pool_free_strings(&file_keys1[i]);
@@ -2069,6 +2069,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
 	int basezoom = -1;
 	double basezoom_marker_width = 1;
 	int force = 0;
+	int forcetable = 0;
 	double droprate = 2.5;
 	double gamma = 0;
 	int buffer = 5;
@@ -2087,7 +2088,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
 		additional[i] = 0;
 	}
 
-	while ((i = getopt(argc, argv, "l:n:z:Z:d:D:m:o:x:y:r:b:fXt:g:p:vqa:B:P")) != -1) {
+	while ((i = getopt(argc, argv, "l:n:z:Z:d:D:m:o:x:y:r:b:fFXt:g:p:vqa:B:P")) != -1) {
 		switch (i) {
 		case 'n':
 			name = optarg;
@@ -2170,6 +2171,10 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
 			force = 1;
 			break;
 
+		case 'F':
+			forcetable = 1;
+			break;
+
 		case 't':
 			tmpdir = optarg;
 			break;
@@ -2256,10 +2261,10 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
 		unlink(outdir);
 	}
 
-	sqlite3 *outdb = mbtiles_open(outdir, argv);
+	sqlite3 *outdb = mbtiles_open(outdir, argv, forcetable);
 	int ret = EXIT_SUCCESS;
 
-	ret = read_json(argc - optind, argv + optind, name ? name : outdir, layer, maxzoom, minzoom, basezoom, basezoom_marker_width, outdb, &exclude, &include, exclude_all, droprate, buffer, tmpdir, gamma, prevent, additional, read_parallel);
+	ret = read_json(argc - optind, argv + optind, name ? name : outdir, layer, maxzoom, minzoom, basezoom, basezoom_marker_width, outdb, &exclude, &include, exclude_all, droprate, buffer, tmpdir, gamma, prevent, additional, read_parallel, forcetable);
 
 	mbtiles_close(outdb, argv);
 
diff --git a/man/tippecanoe.1 b/man/tippecanoe.1
index 15c0a9e..ff9157d 100644
--- a/man/tippecanoe.1
+++ b/man/tippecanoe.1
@@ -69,6 +69,9 @@ specified, the files are all merged into the single named layer.
 .IP \(bu 2
 \-f: Delete the mbtiles file if it already exists instead of giving an error
 .IP \(bu 2
+\-F: Proceed (without deleting existing data) if the metadata or tiles table already exists
+or if metadata fields can't be set
+.IP \(bu 2
 \-t \fIdirectory\fP: Put the temporary files in \fIdirectory\fP\&.
 .IP \(bu 2
 \-P: Use multiple threads to read different parts of each input file at once.
diff --git a/mbtiles.c b/mbtiles.c
index 008170d..a3f2195 100644
--- a/mbtiles.c
+++ b/mbtiles.c
@@ -7,8 +7,9 @@
 #include <sqlite3.h>
 #include "pool.h"
 #include "tile.h"
+#include "mbtiles.h"
 
-sqlite3 *mbtiles_open(char *dbname, char **argv) {
+sqlite3 *mbtiles_open(char *dbname, char **argv, int forcetable) {
 	sqlite3 *outdb;
 
 	if (sqlite3_open(dbname, &outdb) != SQLITE_OK) {
@@ -31,19 +32,27 @@ sqlite3 *mbtiles_open(char *dbname, char **argv) {
 	}
 	if (sqlite3_exec(outdb, "CREATE TABLE metadata (name text, value text);", NULL, NULL, &err) != SQLITE_OK) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "%s: create metadata table: %s\n", argv[0], err);
-		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+		if (!forcetable) {
+			exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+		}
 	}
 	if (sqlite3_exec(outdb, "CREATE TABLE tiles (zoom_level integer, tile_column integer, tile_row integer, tile_data blob);", NULL, NULL, &err) != SQLITE_OK) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "%s: create tiles table: %s\n", argv[0], err);
-		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+		if (!forcetable) {
+			exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+		}
 	}
 	if (sqlite3_exec(outdb, "create unique index name on metadata (name);", NULL, NULL, &err) != SQLITE_OK) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "%s: index metadata: %s\n", argv[0], err);
-		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+		if (!forcetable) {
+			exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+		}
 	}
 	if (sqlite3_exec(outdb, "create unique index tile_index on tiles (zoom_level, tile_column, tile_row);", NULL, NULL, &err) != SQLITE_OK) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "%s: index tiles: %s\n", argv[0], err);
-		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+		if (!forcetable) {
+			exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+		}
 	}
 
 	return outdb;
@@ -113,69 +122,87 @@ static void aprintf(char **buf, const char *format, ...) {
 	free(tmp);
 }
 
-void mbtiles_write_metadata(sqlite3 *outdb, const char *fname, char **layername, int minzoom, int maxzoom, double minlat, double minlon, double maxlat, double maxlon, double midlat, double midlon, struct pool **file_keys, int nlayers) {
+void mbtiles_write_metadata(sqlite3 *outdb, const char *fname, char **layername, int minzoom, int maxzoom, double minlat, double minlon, double maxlat, double maxlon, double midlat, double midlon, struct pool **file_keys, int nlayers, int forcetable) {
 	char *sql, *err;
 
 	sql = sqlite3_mprintf("INSERT INTO metadata (name, value) VALUES ('name', %Q);", fname);
 	if (sqlite3_exec(outdb, sql, NULL, NULL, &err) != SQLITE_OK) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "set name in metadata: %s\n", err);
-		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+		if (!forcetable) {
+			exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+		}
 	}
 	sqlite3_free(sql);
 
 	sql = sqlite3_mprintf("INSERT INTO metadata (name, value) VALUES ('description', %Q);", fname);
 	if (sqlite3_exec(outdb, sql, NULL, NULL, &err) != SQLITE_OK) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "set description in metadata: %s\n", err);
-		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+		if (!forcetable) {
+			exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+		}
 	}
 	sqlite3_free(sql);
 
 	sql = sqlite3_mprintf("INSERT INTO metadata (name, value) VALUES ('version', %d);", 1);
 	if (sqlite3_exec(outdb, sql, NULL, NULL, &err) != SQLITE_OK) {
-		fprintf(stderr, "set metadata: %s\n", err);
-		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+		fprintf(stderr, "set version : %s\n", err);
+		if (!forcetable) {
+			exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+		}
 	}
 	sqlite3_free(sql);
 
 	sql = sqlite3_mprintf("INSERT INTO metadata (name, value) VALUES ('minzoom', %d);", minzoom);
 	if (sqlite3_exec(outdb, sql, NULL, NULL, &err) != SQLITE_OK) {
-		fprintf(stderr, "set metadata: %s\n", err);
-		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+		fprintf(stderr, "set minzoom: %s\n", err);
+		if (!forcetable) {
+			exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+		}
 	}
 	sqlite3_free(sql);
 
 	sql = sqlite3_mprintf("INSERT INTO metadata (name, value) VALUES ('maxzoom', %d);", maxzoom);
 	if (sqlite3_exec(outdb, sql, NULL, NULL, &err) != SQLITE_OK) {
-		fprintf(stderr, "set metadata: %s\n", err);
-		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+		fprintf(stderr, "set maxzoom: %s\n", err);
+		if (!forcetable) {
+			exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+		}
 	}
 	sqlite3_free(sql);
 
 	sql = sqlite3_mprintf("INSERT INTO metadata (name, value) VALUES ('center', '%f,%f,%d');", midlon, midlat, maxzoom);
 	if (sqlite3_exec(outdb, sql, NULL, NULL, &err) != SQLITE_OK) {
-		fprintf(stderr, "set metadata: %s\n", err);
-		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+		fprintf(stderr, "set center: %s\n", err);
+		if (!forcetable) {
+			exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+		}
 	}
 	sqlite3_free(sql);
 
 	sql = sqlite3_mprintf("INSERT INTO metadata (name, value) VALUES ('bounds', '%f,%f,%f,%f');", minlon, minlat, maxlon, maxlat);
 	if (sqlite3_exec(outdb, sql, NULL, NULL, &err) != SQLITE_OK) {
-		fprintf(stderr, "set metadata: %s\n", err);
-		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+		fprintf(stderr, "set bounds: %s\n", err);
+		if (!forcetable) {
+			exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+		}
 	}
 	sqlite3_free(sql);
 
 	sql = sqlite3_mprintf("INSERT INTO metadata (name, value) VALUES ('type', %Q);", "overlay");
 	if (sqlite3_exec(outdb, sql, NULL, NULL, &err) != SQLITE_OK) {
-		fprintf(stderr, "set metadata: %s\n", err);
-		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+		fprintf(stderr, "set type: %s\n", err);
+		if (!forcetable) {
+			exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+		}
 	}
 	sqlite3_free(sql);
 
 	sql = sqlite3_mprintf("INSERT INTO metadata (name, value) VALUES ('format', %Q);", "pbf");
 	if (sqlite3_exec(outdb, sql, NULL, NULL, &err) != SQLITE_OK) {
-		fprintf(stderr, "set metadata: %s\n", err);
-		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+		fprintf(stderr, "set format: %s\n", err);
+		if (!forcetable) {
+			exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+		}
 	}
 	sqlite3_free(sql);
 
@@ -217,8 +244,10 @@ void mbtiles_write_metadata(sqlite3 *outdb, const char *fname, char **layername,
 
 	sql = sqlite3_mprintf("INSERT INTO metadata (name, value) VALUES ('json', %Q);", buf);
 	if (sqlite3_exec(outdb, sql, NULL, NULL, &err) != SQLITE_OK) {
-		fprintf(stderr, "set metadata: %s\n", err);
-		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+		fprintf(stderr, "set json: %s\n", err);
+		if (!forcetable) {
+			exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+		}
 	}
 	sqlite3_free(sql);
 	free(buf);
diff --git a/mbtiles.h b/mbtiles.h
index 9e42f1b..faa3413 100644
--- a/mbtiles.h
+++ b/mbtiles.h
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
-sqlite3 *mbtiles_open(char *dbname, char **argv);
+sqlite3 *mbtiles_open(char *dbname, char **argv, int forcetable);
 
 void mbtiles_write_tile(sqlite3 *outdb, int z, int tx, int ty, const char *data, int size);
 
-void mbtiles_write_metadata(sqlite3 *outdb, const char *fname, char **layername, int minzoom, int maxzoom, double minlat, double minlon, double maxlat, double maxlon, double midlat, double midlon, struct pool **file_keys, int nlayers);
+void mbtiles_write_metadata(sqlite3 *outdb, const char *fname, char **layername, int minzoom, int maxzoom, double minlat, double minlon, double maxlat, double maxlon, double midlat, double midlon, struct pool **file_keys, int nlayers, int forcetable);
 
 void mbtiles_close(sqlite3 *outdb, char **argv);
diff --git a/tile-join.cc b/tile-join.cc
index 9ccfa48..36e183c 100644
--- a/tile-join.cc
+++ b/tile-join.cc
@@ -547,7 +547,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
 		unlink(outfile);
 	}
 
-	sqlite3 *outdb = mbtiles_open(outfile, argv);
+	sqlite3 *outdb = mbtiles_open(outfile, argv, 0);
 	struct stats st;
 	memset(&st, 0, sizeof(st));
 	st.minzoom = st.minlat = st.minlon = INT_MAX;
@@ -566,7 +566,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
 		fk[i] = &(file_keys[i]);
 	}
 
-	mbtiles_write_metadata(outdb, outfile, layernames, st.minzoom, st.maxzoom, st.minlat, st.minlon, st.maxlat, st.maxlon, st.midlat, st.midlon, fk, nlayers);
+	mbtiles_write_metadata(outdb, outfile, layernames, st.minzoom, st.maxzoom, st.minlat, st.minlon, st.maxlat, st.maxlon, st.midlat, st.midlon, fk, nlayers, 0);
 	mbtiles_close(outdb, argv);
 
 	return 0;