diff --git a/pelican/__init__.py b/pelican/__init__.py
index 68f3e5538..2fd69f1bc 100644
--- a/pelican/__init__.py
+++ b/pelican/__init__.py
@@ -127,12 +127,15 @@ def run(self):
             if hasattr(p, "generate_context"):
                 p.generate_context()
 
+        # for plugins that create/edit the summary
+        logger.debug("Signal all_generators_finalized.send(<generators>)")
+        signals.all_generators_finalized.send(generators)
+
+        # update links in the summary, etc
         for p in generators:
             if hasattr(p, "refresh_metadata_intersite_links"):
                 p.refresh_metadata_intersite_links()
 
-        signals.all_generators_finalized.send(generators)
-
         writer = self._get_writer()
 
         for p in generators:
diff --git a/pelican/contents.py b/pelican/contents.py
index 82be8f737..c640df698 100644
--- a/pelican/contents.py
+++ b/pelican/contents.py
@@ -530,13 +530,16 @@ def refresh_metadata_intersite_links(self) -> None:
                 setattr(self, key.lower(), value)
 
         # _summary is an internal variable that some plugins may be writing to,
-        # so ensure changes to it are picked up
-        if (
-            "summary" in self.settings["FORMATTED_FIELDS"]
-            and "summary" in self.metadata
-        ):
-            self._summary = self._update_content(self._summary, self.get_siteurl())
-            self.metadata["summary"] = self._summary
+        # so ensure changes to it are picked up, and write summary back to it
+        if "summary" in self.settings["FORMATTED_FIELDS"]:
+            if hasattr(self, "_summary"):
+                self.metadata["summary"] = self._summary
+
+            if "summary" in self.metadata:
+                self.metadata["summary"] = self._update_content(
+                    self.metadata["summary"], self.get_siteurl()
+                )
+                self._summary = self.metadata["summary"]
 
 
 class Page(Content):