diff --git a/src/calibre/customize/builtins.py b/src/calibre/customize/builtins.py
index 25ad089afa..069d13b55d 100644
--- a/src/calibre/customize/builtins.py
+++ b/src/calibre/customize/builtins.py
@@ -76,7 +76,9 @@ class EPUBMetadataReader(MetadataReaderPlugin):
     description = _('Read metadata from %s files')%'EPUB'
 
     def get_metadata(self, stream, ftype):
-        from calibre.ebooks.metadata.epub import get_metadata
+        from calibre.ebooks.metadata.epub import get_metadata, get_quick_metadata
+        if self.quick:
+            return get_quick_metadata(stream)
         return get_metadata(stream)
 
 class FB2MetadataReader(MetadataReaderPlugin):
diff --git a/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/epub.py b/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/epub.py
index 9fd8bf44e9..bd5f06fa95 100644
--- a/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/epub.py
+++ b/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/epub.py
@@ -130,6 +130,9 @@ def get_metadata(stream, extract_cover=True):
             traceback.print_exc()
     return mi
 
+def get_quick_metadata(stream):
+    return get_metadata(stream, False)
+
 def set_metadata(stream, mi):
     stream.seek(0)
     reader = OCFZipReader(stream, root=os.getcwdu())
diff --git a/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/pdf.py b/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/pdf.py
index da7a50bab6..3881f65c63 100644
--- a/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/pdf.py
+++ b/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/pdf.py
@@ -22,6 +22,11 @@ from calibre.utils.podofo import get_metadata as podofo_get_metadata, \
 from calibre.utils.poppler import get_metadata as get_metadata_poppler, NotAvailable
 
 def get_quick_metadata(stream):
+    try:
+       return get_metadata_poppler(stream, False)
+    except NotAvailable:
+        pass
+
     return get_metadata_pypdf(stream)
     raw = stream.read()
     mi = get_metadata_quick(raw)
diff --git a/src/calibre/ebooks/oeb/base.py b/src/calibre/ebooks/oeb/base.py
index d5d4b01cee..39b2fae678 100644
--- a/src/calibre/ebooks/oeb/base.py
+++ b/src/calibre/ebooks/oeb/base.py
@@ -914,8 +914,12 @@ class Manifest(object):
                     p.remove(a)
                     if a.tail:
                         if idx <= 0:
+                            if p.text is None:
+                                p.text = ''
                             p.text += a.tail
                         else:
+                            if p[idx].tail is None:
+                                p[idx].tail = ''
                             p[idx].tail += a.tail
 
             return data