diff --git a/cmd/utils/flags.go b/cmd/utils/flags.go
index 712729ec64..ec8ed678f5 100644
--- a/cmd/utils/flags.go
+++ b/cmd/utils/flags.go
@@ -1973,7 +1973,7 @@ func SetupMetrics(cfg *metrics.Config) {
 	if !cfg.Enabled {
 		return
 	}
-	metrics.Init(true)
+	metrics.Enable()
 	log.Info("Enabling metrics collection")
 	var (
 		enableExport   = cfg.EnableInfluxDB
diff --git a/metrics/influxdb/influxdb_test.go b/metrics/influxdb/influxdb_test.go
index ba896510d2..547da138b8 100644
--- a/metrics/influxdb/influxdb_test.go
+++ b/metrics/influxdb/influxdb_test.go
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 func TestMain(m *testing.M) {
-	metrics.Init(true)
+	metrics.Enable()
 	os.Exit(m.Run())
 }
 
diff --git a/metrics/metrics.go b/metrics/metrics.go
index 2245093501..6b8b9f9ec4 100644
--- a/metrics/metrics.go
+++ b/metrics/metrics.go
@@ -22,17 +22,12 @@ func Enabled() bool {
 	return metricsEnabled
 }
 
-// Init enables the metrics system.
+// Enable enables the metrics system.
 // The Enabled-flag is expected to be set, once, during startup, but toggling off and on
-// is not supported: YMMV.
-// Init is not safe to call concurrently. It has no effect if it was already called.
-func Init(enabled bool) {
-	metricsEnabled = enabled
-	if initRan {
-		return
-	}
-	initRan = true
-	// TODO: Maybe start the ticker for exp delays, and things like that.
+// is not supported,
+// Enable is not safe to call concurrently. It has no effect if it was already called.
+func Enable() {
+	metricsEnabled = true
 }
 
 var threadCreateProfile = pprof.Lookup("threadcreate")
diff --git a/metrics/prometheus/collector_test.go b/metrics/prometheus/collector_test.go
index 6ddca67652..a8585d1226 100644
--- a/metrics/prometheus/collector_test.go
+++ b/metrics/prometheus/collector_test.go
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 func TestMain(m *testing.M) {
-	metrics.Init(true)
+	metrics.Enable()
 	os.Exit(m.Run())
 }
 
diff --git a/metrics/resetting_timer.go b/metrics/resetting_timer.go
index f2236e2347..1b3e87bc3d 100644
--- a/metrics/resetting_timer.go
+++ b/metrics/resetting_timer.go
@@ -62,6 +62,9 @@ func (t *ResettingTimer) Time(f func()) {
 
 // Record the duration of an event.
 func (t *ResettingTimer) Update(d time.Duration) {
+	if !metricsEnabled {
+		return
+	}
 	t.mutex.Lock()
 	defer t.mutex.Unlock()
 	t.values = append(t.values, int64(d))