diff --git a/R/csv.R b/R/csv.R
index 5fce18f4..8a31022c 100644
--- a/R/csv.R
+++ b/R/csv.R
@@ -188,6 +188,9 @@ read_cmdstan_csv <- function(files,
     }
   }
   metadata <- csv_metadata[[1]]
+  if (metadata$method == "sample") {
+    metadata$num_chains <- length(csv_metadata)
+  }
   uniq_seed <- unique(metadata$seed)
   if (length(uniq_seed) == 1) {
     metadata$seed <- uniq_seed
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-fit-mcmc.R b/tests/testthat/test-fit-mcmc.R
index 09507ba8..fd2bfc25 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-fit-mcmc.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-fit-mcmc.R
@@ -423,7 +423,8 @@ test_that("diagnostic_summary() works", {
   expect_equal(fit$diagnostic_summary(NULL), list())
 })
 
-test_that("metadata()$time has chains rowss", {
+test_that("metadata()$time has chains rows", {
+  expect_equal(fit_mcmc$metadata()$num_chains, fit_mcmc$num_chains())
   expect_equal(nrow(fit_mcmc$metadata()$time), fit_mcmc$num_chains())
   expect_equal(nrow(fit_mcmc_0$metadata()$time), fit_mcmc_0$num_chains())
   expect_equal(nrow(fit_mcmc_1$metadata()$time), fit_mcmc_1$num_chains())