•Thermal dehydration/decomposition of metakaolin-based geopolymer proceeds in multistep process.•The process comprises the desorption of water vapor and subsequent two-step reactions.•Desorption of water vapor separates into two steps at a high water vapor pressure.•The kinetics of the first reaction step is significantly influenced by the atmospheric water vapor.•The second reaction step is less sensitive to the atmospheric water vapor. This study investigated the kinetics of the multistep thermal dehydration/decomposition of the metakaolin-based geopolymer paste. The component two reaction steps were characterized by the evolution of water vapor and the simultaneous evolution of water vapor and CO2, respectively. In a stream of dry N2, the kinetics of the first and second reaction steps were characterized by the apparent activation energy (Ea) values of 92 and 166 kJ mol−1, respectively. Both reaction steps exhibited a diffusion-controlled rate behavior. In a stream of wet N2, the mass loss curves systematically shifted to higher temperatures with an increase in the water vapor pressure (p(H2O)). The first reaction step was significantly influenced by p(H2O), and the apparent Ea increased to 175 kJ mol−1 at p(H2O) = 11.4 kPa. The second reaction step was less sensitive to the atmospheric water vapor, as characterized by its Ea of ∼165 kJ mol−1, irrespective of the p(H2O). Display omitted