diff --git a/cloudinit/performance.py b/cloudinit/performance.py
index 5ad386320250..060afed6fac9 100644
--- a/cloudinit/performance.py
+++ b/cloudinit/performance.py
@@ -58,12 +58,19 @@ def __exit__(self, exc_type, exc_val, exc_tb):
         suffix = f"took {self.delta:.3f} seconds"
         if "always" == self.log_mode:
             LOG.debug("%s %s", self.msg, suffix)
-        elif "threshold" == self.log_mode and self.delta > self.threshold:
-            LOG.debug("%s %s", self.msg, suffix)
-            self.output = f"{self.msg} {suffix}"
-
-
-def timed(msg: str, /, *, threshold: float = 0.01, log_mode: str = ""):
+        elif "skip" == self.log_mode:
+            return
+        elif "threshold" == self.log_mode:
+            if self.delta > self.threshold:
+                LOG.debug("%s %s", self.msg, suffix)
+                self.output = f"{self.msg} {suffix}"
+        else:
+            raise ValueError(
+                f"Invalid Timed log_mode value: '{self.log_mode}'."
+            )
+
+
+def timed(msg: str, /, *, threshold: float = 0.01, log_mode: str = "threshold"):
     """
     A decorator which measures and optionally logs context run time.
 
diff --git a/cloudinit/sources/__init__.py b/cloudinit/sources/__init__.py
index e323a59e2da4..d2b4f619bd45 100644
--- a/cloudinit/sources/__init__.py
+++ b/cloudinit/sources/__init__.py
@@ -483,7 +483,7 @@ def clear_cached_attrs(self, attr_defaults=()):
         if not attr_defaults:
             self._dirty_cache = False
 
-    @performance.timed("Getting metadata")
+    @performance.timed("Getting metadata", log_mode="always")
     def get_data(self) -> bool:
         """Datasources implement _get_data to setup metadata and userdata_raw.