diff --git a/src/entt/meta/container.hpp b/src/entt/meta/container.hpp
index c9a48bbab..6b9bb4350 100644
--- a/src/entt/meta/container.hpp
+++ b/src/entt/meta/container.hpp
@@ -63,13 +63,18 @@ struct basic_meta_sequence_container_traits {
         return iterator{as_const, static_cast<typename iterator::difference_type>(as_end * as_const.size())};
     }
 
-    [[nodiscard]] static iterator insert([[maybe_unused]] any &container, [[maybe_unused]] const std::ptrdiff_t offset, [[maybe_unused]] meta_any &value) {
+    [[nodiscard]] static iterator insert_or_erase([[maybe_unused]] any &container, [[maybe_unused]] const std::ptrdiff_t offset, [[maybe_unused]] meta_any &value) {
         if constexpr(is_dynamic_sequence_container<Type>::value) {
             if(auto *const cont = any_cast<Type>(&container); cont) {
-                // this abomination is necessary because only on macos value_type and const_reference are different types for std::vector<bool>
-                if(value.allow_cast<typename Type::const_reference>() || value.allow_cast<typename Type::value_type>()) {
-                    const auto *element = value.try_cast<std::remove_reference_t<typename Type::const_reference>>();
-                    const auto curr = cont->insert(cont->begin() + offset, element ? *element : value.cast<typename Type::value_type>());
+                if(value) {
+                    // this abomination is necessary because only on macos value_type and const_reference are different types for std::vector<bool>
+                    if(value.allow_cast<typename Type::const_reference>() || value.allow_cast<typename Type::value_type>()) {
+                        const auto *element = value.try_cast<std::remove_reference_t<typename Type::const_reference>>();
+                        const auto curr = cont->insert(cont->begin() + offset, element ? *element : value.cast<typename Type::value_type>());
+                        return iterator{*cont, curr - cont->begin()};
+                    }
+                } else {
+                    const auto curr = cont->erase(cont->begin() + offset);
                     return iterator{*cont, curr - cont->begin()};
                 }
             }
@@ -77,17 +82,6 @@ struct basic_meta_sequence_container_traits {
 
         return {};
     }
-
-    [[nodiscard]] static iterator erase([[maybe_unused]] any &container, [[maybe_unused]] const std::ptrdiff_t offset) {
-        if constexpr(is_dynamic_sequence_container<Type>::value) {
-            if(auto *const cont = any_cast<Type>(&container); cont) {
-                const auto curr = cont->erase(cont->begin() + offset);
-                return iterator{*cont, curr - cont->begin()};
-            }
-        }
-
-        return {};
-    }
 };
 
 template<typename Type>
@@ -119,21 +113,20 @@ struct basic_meta_associative_container_traits {
         return iterator{std::integral_constant<bool, key_only>{}, as_end ? as_const.end() : as_const.begin()};
     }
 
-    [[nodiscard]] static bool insert(any &container, meta_any &key, [[maybe_unused]] meta_any &value) {
-        auto *const cont = any_cast<Type>(&container);
-
-        if constexpr(is_key_only_meta_associative_container<Type>::value) {
-            return cont && key.allow_cast<const typename Type::key_type &>()
-                   && cont->insert(key.cast<const typename Type::key_type &>()).second;
-        } else {
-            return cont && key.allow_cast<const typename Type::key_type &>() && value.allow_cast<const typename Type::mapped_type &>()
-                   && cont->emplace(key.cast<const typename Type::key_type &>(), value.cast<const typename Type::mapped_type &>()).second;
+    [[nodiscard]] static size_type insert_or_erase(any &container, meta_any &key, meta_any &value) {
+        if(auto *const cont = any_cast<Type>(&container); cont && key.allow_cast<const typename Type::key_type &>()) {
+            if(value) {
+                if constexpr(is_key_only_meta_associative_container<Type>::value) {
+                    return cont->insert(key.cast<const typename Type::key_type &>()).second;
+                } else {
+                    return value.allow_cast<const typename Type::mapped_type &>() && cont->emplace(key.cast<const typename Type::key_type &>(), value.cast<const typename Type::mapped_type &>()).second;
+                }
+            } else {
+                return cont->erase(key.cast<const typename Type::key_type &>());
+            }
         }
-    }
 
-    [[nodiscard]] static size_type erase(any &container, meta_any &key) {
-        auto *const cont = any_cast<Type>(&container);
-        return cont && key.allow_cast<const typename Type::key_type &>() ? cont->erase(key.cast<const typename Type::key_type &>()) : size_type{};
+        return 0u;
     }
 
     [[nodiscard]] static iterator find(any &container, meta_any &key) {
diff --git a/src/entt/meta/meta.hpp b/src/entt/meta/meta.hpp
index 506372a75..3f783cc0e 100644
--- a/src/entt/meta/meta.hpp
+++ b/src/entt/meta/meta.hpp
@@ -49,8 +49,7 @@ public:
           size_fn{&meta_sequence_container_traits<Type>::size},
           resize_fn{&meta_sequence_container_traits<Type>::resize},
           iter_fn{&meta_sequence_container_traits<Type>::iter},
-          insert_fn{&meta_sequence_container_traits<Type>::insert},
-          erase_fn{&meta_sequence_container_traits<Type>::erase},
+          insert_or_erase_fn{&meta_sequence_container_traits<Type>::insert_or_erase},
           storage{std::move(instance)} {}
 
     [[nodiscard]] inline meta_type value_type() const noexcept;
@@ -69,8 +68,7 @@ private:
     size_type (*size_fn)(const any &) noexcept = nullptr;
     bool (*resize_fn)(any &, size_type) = nullptr;
     iterator (*iter_fn)(any &, const bool) = nullptr;
-    iterator (*insert_fn)(any &, const std::ptrdiff_t, meta_any &) = nullptr;
-    iterator (*erase_fn)(any &, const std::ptrdiff_t) = nullptr;
+    iterator (*insert_or_erase_fn)(any &, const std::ptrdiff_t, meta_any &) = nullptr;
     any storage{};
 };
 
@@ -101,8 +99,7 @@ public:
           size_fn{&meta_associative_container_traits<Type>::size},
           clear_fn{&meta_associative_container_traits<Type>::clear},
           iter_fn{&meta_associative_container_traits<Type>::iter},
-          insert_fn{&meta_associative_container_traits<Type>::insert},
-          erase_fn{&meta_associative_container_traits<Type>::erase},
+          insert_or_erase_fn{&meta_associative_container_traits<Type>::insert_or_erase},
           find_fn{&meta_associative_container_traits<Type>::find},
           storage{std::move(instance)} {
         if constexpr(!meta_associative_container_traits<Type>::key_only) {
@@ -131,8 +128,7 @@ private:
     size_type (*size_fn)(const any &) noexcept = nullptr;
     bool (*clear_fn)(any &) = nullptr;
     iterator (*iter_fn)(any &, const bool) = nullptr;
-    bool (*insert_fn)(any &, meta_any &, meta_any &) = nullptr;
-    size_type (*erase_fn)(any &, meta_any &) = nullptr;
+    size_type (*insert_or_erase_fn)(any &, meta_any &, meta_any &) = nullptr;
     iterator (*find_fn)(any &, meta_any &) = nullptr;
     any storage{};
 };
@@ -1668,7 +1664,7 @@ inline bool meta_sequence_container::clear() {
  * @return A possibly invalid iterator to the inserted element.
  */
 inline meta_sequence_container::iterator meta_sequence_container::insert(iterator it, meta_any value) {
-    return insert_fn(storage, it.offset, value);
+    return insert_or_erase_fn(storage, it.offset, value);
 }
 
 /**
@@ -1677,7 +1673,7 @@ inline meta_sequence_container::iterator meta_sequence_container::insert(iterato
  * @return A possibly invalid iterator following the last removed element.
  */
 inline meta_sequence_container::iterator meta_sequence_container::erase(iterator it) {
-    return erase_fn(storage, it.offset);
+    return insert(std::move(it), {});
 }
 
 /**
@@ -1755,8 +1751,8 @@ inline bool meta_associative_container::clear() {
  * @param value The value of the element to insert.
  * @return A bool denoting whether the insertion took place.
  */
-inline bool meta_associative_container::insert(meta_any key, meta_any value = {}) {
-    return insert_fn(storage, key, value);
+inline bool meta_associative_container::insert(meta_any key, meta_any value = std::in_place_type<void>) {
+    return (insert_or_erase_fn(storage, key, value) != 0u);
 }
 
 /**
@@ -1765,7 +1761,7 @@ inline bool meta_associative_container::insert(meta_any key, meta_any value = {}
  * @return A bool denoting whether the removal took place.
  */
 inline meta_associative_container::size_type meta_associative_container::erase(meta_any key) {
-    return erase_fn(storage, key);
+    return insert(std::move(key), {});
 }
 
 /**