diff --git a/libbeat/common/mapstr.go b/libbeat/common/mapstr.go
index c38977d10f23..3bf851266e7d 100644
--- a/libbeat/common/mapstr.go
+++ b/libbeat/common/mapstr.go
@@ -11,9 +11,8 @@ import (
 // Event metadata constants. These keys are used within libbeat to identify
 // metadata stored in an event.
 const (
-	EventMetadataKey = "_event_metadata"
-	FieldsKey        = "fields"
-	TagsKey          = "tags"
+	FieldsKey = "fields"
+	TagsKey   = "tags"
 )
 
 var (
diff --git a/libbeat/publisher/pipeline/pipeline.go b/libbeat/publisher/pipeline/pipeline.go
index 1e80a0586bfd..8af8ee3bdf7d 100644
--- a/libbeat/publisher/pipeline/pipeline.go
+++ b/libbeat/publisher/pipeline/pipeline.go
@@ -60,10 +60,13 @@ type pipelineProcessors struct {
 	// The pipeline its processor settings for
 	// constructing the clients complete processor
 	// pipeline on connect.
-	beatMetaProcessor  beat.Processor
-	eventMetaProcessor beat.Processor
-	processors         beat.Processor
-	disabled           bool // disabled is set if outputs have been disabled via CLI
+	beatsMeta common.MapStr
+	fields    common.MapStr
+	tags      []string
+
+	processors beat.Processor
+
+	disabled bool // disabled is set if outputs have been disabled via CLI
 }
 
 // Settings is used to pass additional settings to a newly created pipeline instance.
@@ -132,39 +135,17 @@ func New(
 	out outputs.Group,
 	settings Settings,
 ) (*Pipeline, error) {
-	annotations := settings.Annotations
 	var err error
 
-	var beatMeta beat.Processor
-	if meta := annotations.Beat; meta != nil {
-		beatMeta = beatAnnotateProcessor(meta)
-	}
-
-	var eventMeta beat.Processor
-	if em := annotations.Event; len(em.Fields) > 0 || len(em.Tags) > 0 {
-		eventMeta = eventAnnotateProcessor(em)
-	}
-
-	var prog beat.Processor
-	if ps := settings.Processors; ps != nil && len(ps.List) > 0 {
-		tmp := &program{title: "global"}
-		for _, p := range ps.List {
-			tmp.add(p)
-		}
-		prog = tmp
-	}
-
 	log := defaultLogger
+	annotations := settings.Annotations
+	processors := settings.Processors
+	disabledOutput := settings.Disabled
 	p := &Pipeline{
 		logger:           log,
 		waitCloseMode:    settings.WaitCloseMode,
 		waitCloseTimeout: settings.WaitClose,
-		processors: pipelineProcessors{
-			beatMetaProcessor:  beatMeta,
-			eventMetaProcessor: eventMeta,
-			processors:         prog,
-			disabled:           settings.Disabled,
-		},
+		processors:       makePipelineProcessors(annotations, processors, disabledOutput),
 	}
 	p.ackBuilder = &pipelineEmptyACK{p}
 	p.ackActive = atomic.MakeBool(true)
@@ -382,3 +363,38 @@ func (e *waitCloser) dec(n int) {
 func (e *waitCloser) wait() {
 	e.events.Wait()
 }
+
+func makePipelineProcessors(
+	annotations Annotations,
+	processors *processors.Processors,
+	disabled bool,
+) pipelineProcessors {
+	p := pipelineProcessors{
+		disabled: disabled,
+	}
+
+	hasProcessors := processors != nil && len(processors.List) > 0
+	if hasProcessors {
+		tmp := &program{title: "global"}
+		for _, p := range processors.List {
+			tmp.add(p)
+		}
+		p.processors = tmp
+	}
+
+	if meta := annotations.Beat; meta != nil {
+		p.beatsMeta = common.MapStr{"beat": meta}
+	}
+
+	if em := annotations.Event; len(em.Fields) > 0 {
+		fields := common.MapStr{}
+		common.MergeFields(fields, em.Fields.Clone(), em.FieldsUnderRoot)
+		p.fields = fields
+	}
+
+	if t := annotations.Event.Tags; len(t) > 0 {
+		p.tags = t
+	}
+
+	return p
+}
diff --git a/libbeat/publisher/pipeline/processor.go b/libbeat/publisher/pipeline/processor.go
index 597af454011c..209150f58219 100644
--- a/libbeat/publisher/pipeline/processor.go
+++ b/libbeat/publisher/pipeline/processor.go
@@ -29,73 +29,76 @@ type processorFn struct {
 //
 // Pipeline (C=client, P=pipeline)
 //
-// 1. (P) extract EventMetadataKey fields + tags (to be removed in favor of 4)
-// 2. (P) generalize/normalize event
-// 3. (P) add beats metadata (name, hostname, version)
-// 4. (C) add Meta from client Config to event.Meta
-// 5. (C) add Fields from client config to event.Fields
-// 6. (P) add pipeline fields + tags
-// 7. (C) add client fields + tags
-// 8. (P/C) apply EventMetadataKey fields + tags (to be removed in favor of 4)
-// 9. (C) client processors list
-// 10. (P) pipeline processors list
-// 11. (P) (if publish/debug enabled) log event
-// 12. (P) (if output disabled) dropEvent
+//  1. (P) generalize/normalize event
+//  2. (C) add Meta from client Config to event.Meta
+//  3. (C) add Fields from client config to event.Fields
+//  4. (P) add pipeline fields + tags
+//  5. (C) add client fields + tags
+//  6. (C) client processors list
+//  7. (P) add beats metadata
+//  8. (P) pipeline processors list
+//  9. (P) (if publish/debug enabled) log event
+// 10. (P) (if output disabled) dropEvent
 func (p *Pipeline) newProcessorPipeline(
 	config beat.ClientConfig,
 ) beat.Processor {
-	processors := &program{title: "processPipeline"}
+	var (
+		// pipeline processors
+		processors = &program{title: "processPipeline"}
 
-	global := p.processors
+		// client fields and metadata
+		clientMeta      = config.Meta
+		localProcessors = makeClientProcessors(config)
 
-	// setup 1: extract EventMetadataKey fields + tags
-	processors.add(preEventUserAnnotateProcessor)
+		// pipeline global
+		global = p.processors
+	)
 
-	// setup 2 and 3: generalize/normalize output (P)
+	needsCopy := localProcessors != nil || global.processors != nil
+
+	// setup 1: generalize/normalize output (P)
 	processors.add(generalizeProcessor)
-	processors.add(global.beatMetaProcessor)
 
-	// setup 4: add Meta from client config
-	if m := config.Meta; len(m) > 0 {
-		processors.add(clientEventMeta(m))
+	// setup 2: add Meta from client config (C)
+	if m := clientMeta; len(m) > 0 {
+		processors.add(clientEventMeta(m, needsCopy))
 	}
 
-	// setup 5: add Fields from client config
-	if m := config.Fields; len(m) > 0 {
-		processors.add(clientEventFields(m))
+	// setup 4, 5: pipeline tags + client tags
+	var tags []string
+	tags = append(tags, global.tags...)
+	tags = append(tags, config.EventMetadata.Tags...)
+	if len(tags) > 0 {
+		processors.add(makeAddTagsProcessor("tags", tags))
 	}
 
-	// setup 6: add event fields + tags (P)
-	processors.add(global.eventMetaProcessor)
-
-	// setup 7: add fields + tags (C)
-	if em := config.EventMetadata; len(em.Fields) > 0 || len(em.Tags) > 0 {
-		processors.add(eventAnnotateProcessor(em))
+	// setup 3, 4, 5: client config fields + pipeline fields + client fields
+	fields := config.Fields.Clone()
+	fields.DeepUpdate(global.fields)
+	if em := config.EventMetadata; len(em.Fields) > 0 {
+		common.MergeFields(fields, em.Fields.Clone(), em.FieldsUnderRoot)
+	}
+	if len(fields) > 0 {
+		processors.add(makeAddFieldsProcessor("fields", fields, needsCopy))
 	}
 
-	// setup 8: apply EventMetadata fields + tags
-	processors.add(eventUserAnnotateProcessor)
-
-	// setup 9: client processors (C)
-	if procs := config.Processor; procs != nil {
-		if lst := procs.All(); len(lst) > 0 {
+	// setup 5: client processor list
+	processors.add(localProcessors)
 
-			processors.add(&program{
-				title: "client",
-				list:  lst,
-			})
-		}
+	// setup 6: add beats metadata
+	if meta := global.beatsMeta; len(meta) > 0 {
+		processors.add(makeAddFieldsProcessor("beatsMeta", meta, needsCopy))
 	}
 
-	// setup 10: pipeline processors (P)
+	// setup 7: pipeline processors list
 	processors.add(global.processors)
 
-	// setup 11: debug print final event (P)
+	// setup 9: debug print final event (P)
 	if logp.IsDebug("publish") {
 		processors.add(debugPrintProcessor())
 	}
 
-	// setup 12: drop all events if outputs are disabled
+	// setup 10: drop all events if outputs are disabled (P)
 	if global.disabled {
 		processors.add(dropDisabledProcessor)
 	}
@@ -205,67 +208,41 @@ func eventAnnotateProcessor(eventMeta common.EventMetadata) *processorFn {
 	})
 }
 
-func clientEventMeta(meta common.MapStr) *processorFn {
-	return newAnnotateProcessor("@metadata", func(event *beat.Event) {
-		if event.Meta == nil {
-			event.Meta = meta.Clone()
-		} else {
-			event.Meta = event.Meta.Clone()
-			event.Meta.DeepUpdate(meta.Clone())
-		}
-	})
+func clientEventMeta(meta common.MapStr, needsCopy bool) *processorFn {
+	fn := func(event *beat.Event) { addMeta(event, meta) }
+	if needsCopy {
+		fn = func(event *beat.Event) { addMeta(event, meta.Clone()) }
+	}
+	return newAnnotateProcessor("@metadata", fn)
 }
 
-func clientEventFields(fields common.MapStr) *processorFn {
-	return newAnnotateProcessor("globalFields", func(event *beat.Event) {
-		event.Fields.DeepUpdate(fields.Clone())
-	})
+func addMeta(event *beat.Event, meta common.MapStr) {
+	if event.Meta == nil {
+		event.Meta = meta
+	} else {
+		event.Meta.Clone()
+		event.Meta.DeepUpdate(meta)
+	}
 }
 
-// TODO: remove var-section. Keep for backwards compatibility with old publisher API.
-//       Remove after updating all beats to new publisher API.
-// Note: this functionality is used by filebeat/winlogbeat, so prospector/harvesters
-//       can apply fields to events after generating the event type.
-//       This functionality will be removed, in favor of harvesters publishing
-//       event to a beat.Client with properly setup processor
-var (
-	preEventUserAnnotateProcessor = newAnnotateProcessor("annotateEventUserPre", func(event *beat.Event) {
-		const key = common.EventMetadataKey
-		val, exists := event.Fields[key]
-		if !exists {
-			return
-		}
-
-		delete(event.Fields, key)
+func pipelineEventFields(fields common.MapStr, copy bool) *processorFn {
+	return makeAddFieldsProcessor("pipelineFields", fields, copy)
+}
 
-		if _, ok := val.(common.EventMetadata); ok {
-			if event.Meta == nil {
-				event.Meta = common.MapStr{}
-			}
-			event.Meta[key] = val
-		}
+func makeAddTagsProcessor(name string, tags []string) *processorFn {
+	return newAnnotateProcessor(name, func(event *beat.Event) {
+		common.AddTags(event.Fields, tags)
 	})
+}
 
-	eventUserAnnotateProcessor = newAnnotateProcessor("annotateEventUser", func(event *beat.Event) {
-		const key = common.EventMetadataKey
-
-		tmp, ok := event.Meta[key]
-		if !ok {
-			return
-		}
-
-		delete(event.Meta, key)
-		if len(event.Meta) == 0 {
-			event.Meta = nil
-		}
+func makeAddFieldsProcessor(name string, fields common.MapStr, copy bool) *processorFn {
+	fn := func(event *beat.Event) { event.Fields.DeepUpdate(fields) }
+	if copy {
+		fn = func(event *beat.Event) { event.Fields.DeepUpdate(fields.Clone()) }
+	}
 
-		eventMeta := tmp.(common.EventMetadata)
-		common.AddTags(event.Fields, eventMeta.Tags)
-		if fields := eventMeta.Fields; len(fields) > 0 {
-			common.MergeFields(event.Fields, fields.Clone(), eventMeta.FieldsUnderRoot)
-		}
-	})
-)
+	return newAnnotateProcessor(name, fn)
+}
 
 func debugPrintProcessor() *processorFn {
 	// ensure only one go-routine is using the encoder (in case
@@ -286,3 +263,15 @@ func debugPrintProcessor() *processorFn {
 		return event, nil
 	})
 }
+
+func makeClientProcessors(config beat.ClientConfig) processors.Processor {
+	procs := config.Processor
+	if procs == nil || len(procs.All()) == 0 {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	return &program{
+		title: "client",
+		list:  procs.All(),
+	}
+}
diff --git a/metricbeat/mb/module/event.go b/metricbeat/mb/module/event.go
index 3b3c1bd0e938..c9434cdff153 100644
--- a/metricbeat/mb/module/event.go
+++ b/metricbeat/mb/module/event.go
@@ -78,7 +78,6 @@ func (b EventBuilder) Build() (beat.Event, error) {
 	event := beat.Event{
 		Timestamp: time.Time(timestamp),
 		Fields: common.MapStr{
-			// common.EventMetadataKey: b.metadata,
 			b.ModuleName: moduleEvent,
 			"metricset":  metricsetData,
 		},
diff --git a/metricbeat/mb/testing/data_generator.go b/metricbeat/mb/testing/data_generator.go
index 1fe83e509777..77ad9922c844 100644
--- a/metricbeat/mb/testing/data_generator.go
+++ b/metricbeat/mb/testing/data_generator.go
@@ -85,9 +85,6 @@ func CreateFullEvent(ms mb.MetricSet, metricSetData common.MapStr) beat.Event {
 		"hostname": "host.example.com",
 	}
 
-	// Delete meta data as not needed for the event output here.
-	delete(fullEvent.Fields, common.EventMetadataKey)
-
 	return fullEvent
 }