Index: wp-includes/meta.php
===================================================================
--- wp-includes/meta.php	(revision 18324)
+++ wp-includes/meta.php	(working copy)
@@ -588,12 +588,31 @@
  * @return bool True if the key is protected, false otherwise.
  */
 function is_protected_meta( $meta_key, $meta_type = null ) {
-	$protected = (  '_' == $meta_key[0] );
+	$protected = false;
+	$protected_keys = array( '_edit_last', '_edit_lock', '_thumbnail_id' );
 
+ 	if ( 0 === strpos( $meta_key, '_wp_' ) || 0 === strpos( $meta_key, '_menu_item_' ) ||
+		0 === strpos( $meta_key, '__' ) || in_array( $meta_key, $protected_keys ) )
+		$protected = true;
+
 	return apply_filters( 'is_protected_meta', $protected, $meta_key, $meta_type );
 }
 
 /**
+ * Determine whether a meta key is hidden
+ *
+ * @since 3.2.0
+ *
+ * @param string $meta_key Meta key
+ * @return bool True if the key is hidden, false otherwise.
+ */
+function is_hidden_meta( $meta_key, $meta_type = null ) {
+	$hidden = (  '_' == $meta_key[0] );
+
+	return apply_filters( 'is_hidden_meta', $hidden, $meta_key, $meta_type );
+}
+
+/**
  * Sanitize meta value
  *
  * @since 3.1.3
Index: wp-admin/admin-ajax.php
===================================================================
--- wp-admin/admin-ajax.php	(revision 18324)
+++ wp-admin/admin-ajax.php	(working copy)
@@ -396,7 +396,7 @@
 	if ( !$meta = get_post_meta_by_id( $id ) )
 		die('1');
 
-	if ( !current_user_can( 'edit_post', $meta->post_id ) || is_protected_meta( $meta->meta_key ) )
+	if ( !current_user_can( 'edit_post', $meta->post_id ) || is_hidden_meta( $meta->meta_key ) || is_protected_meta( $meta->meta_key ) )
 		die('-1');
 	if ( delete_meta( $meta->meta_id ) )
 		die('1');
@@ -870,7 +870,7 @@
 			die('0'); // if meta doesn't exist
 		if ( !current_user_can( 'edit_post', $meta->post_id ) )
 			die('-1');
-		if ( is_protected_meta( $meta->meta_key ) )
+		if ( is_hidden_meta( $meta->meta_key ) || is_protected_meta( $meta->meta_key ) )
 			die('-1');
 		if ( $meta->meta_value != stripslashes($value) || $meta->meta_key != stripslashes($key) ) {
 			if ( !$u = update_meta( $mid, $key, $value ) )
Index: wp-admin/includes/post.php
===================================================================
--- wp-admin/includes/post.php	(revision 18324)
+++ wp-admin/includes/post.php	(working copy)
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@
 				continue;
 			if ( $meta->post_id != $post_ID )
 				continue;
-			if ( is_protected_meta( $value['key'] ) )
+			if ( is_hidden_meta( $value['key'] ) || is_protected_meta( $value['key'] ) )
 				continue;
 			update_meta( $key, $value['key'], $value['value'] );
 		}
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@
 				continue;
 			if ( $meta->post_id != $post_ID )
 				continue;
-			if ( is_protected_meta( $meta->meta_key ) )
+			if ( is_hidden_meta( $meta->meta_key ) || is_protected_meta( $meta->meta_key ) )
 				continue;
 			delete_meta( $key );
 		}
@@ -662,7 +662,7 @@
 		if ( $metakeyinput)
 			$metakey = $metakeyinput; // default
 
-		if ( is_protected_meta( $metakey ) )
+		if ( is_hidden_meta( $metakey ) || is_protected_meta( $metakey ) )
 			return false;
 
 		wp_cache_delete($post_ID, 'post_meta');