diff --git a/crates/kumod/src/delivery_metrics.rs b/crates/kumod/src/delivery_metrics.rs
index 3885dc77..301360ba 100644
--- a/crates/kumod/src/delivery_metrics.rs
+++ b/crates/kumod/src/delivery_metrics.rs
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ impl DeliveryMetrics {
         self.connection_total.inc();
         self.global_connection_total.inc();
         MetricsWrappedConnection {
-            client,
+            client: Some(client),
             metrics: self.clone(),
             armed: true,
         }
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ impl DeliveryMetrics {
 /// and decrements them when dropped
 #[derive(Debug)]
 pub struct MetricsWrappedConnection<T> {
-    client: T,
+    client: Option<T>,
     metrics: DeliveryMetrics,
     armed: bool,
 }
@@ -72,11 +72,20 @@ impl<T> MetricsWrappedConnection<T> {
     pub fn map_connection<O>(mut self, client: O) -> MetricsWrappedConnection<O> {
         self.armed = false;
         MetricsWrappedConnection {
-            client,
+            client: Some(client),
             metrics: self.metrics.clone(),
             armed: true,
         }
     }
+
+    pub fn take(mut self) -> T {
+        if self.armed {
+            self.metrics.connection_gauge.dec();
+            self.metrics.global_connection_gauge.dec();
+            self.armed = false;
+        }
+        self.client.take().expect("to take only once")
+    }
 }
 
 impl<T> Drop for MetricsWrappedConnection<T> {
@@ -91,12 +100,12 @@ impl<T> Drop for MetricsWrappedConnection<T> {
 impl<T> std::ops::Deref for MetricsWrappedConnection<T> {
     type Target = T;
     fn deref(&self) -> &T {
-        &self.client
+        self.client.as_ref().expect("to be valid")
     }
 }
 
 impl<T> std::ops::DerefMut for MetricsWrappedConnection<T> {
     fn deref_mut(&mut self) -> &mut T {
-        &mut self.client
+        self.client.as_mut().expect("to be valid")
     }
 }
diff --git a/crates/kumod/src/lua_deliver.rs b/crates/kumod/src/lua_deliver.rs
index f298f13d..278fea8e 100644
--- a/crates/kumod/src/lua_deliver.rs
+++ b/crates/kumod/src/lua_deliver.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+use crate::delivery_metrics::MetricsWrappedConnection;
 use crate::logging::{log_disposition, LogDisposition};
 use crate::ready_queue::{Dispatcher, QueueDispatcher};
 use crate::runtime::{rt_spawn, spawn};
@@ -25,7 +26,7 @@ pub struct LuaDeliveryProtocol {
 pub struct LuaQueueDispatcher {
     lua_config: LuaConfig,
     proto_config: LuaDeliveryProtocol,
-    connection: Option<RegistryKey>,
+    connection: Option<MetricsWrappedConnection<RegistryKey>>,
     peer_address: ResolvedAddress,
 }
 
@@ -49,7 +50,7 @@ impl LuaQueueDispatcher {
 impl QueueDispatcher for LuaQueueDispatcher {
     async fn close_connection(&mut self, _dispatcher: &mut Dispatcher) -> anyhow::Result<bool> {
         if let Some(connection) = self.connection.take() {
-            self.lua_config.remove_registry_value(connection)?;
+            self.lua_config.remove_registry_value(connection.take())?;
             Ok(true)
         } else {
             Ok(false)
@@ -57,6 +58,7 @@ impl QueueDispatcher for LuaQueueDispatcher {
     }
 
     async fn attempt_connection(&mut self, dispatcher: &mut Dispatcher) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+        let connection_wrapper = dispatcher.metrics.wrap_connection(());
         let components = QueueNameComponents::parse(&dispatcher.queue_name);
         let connection = self
             .lua_config
@@ -66,7 +68,8 @@ impl QueueDispatcher for LuaQueueDispatcher {
             )
             .await?;
 
-        self.connection.replace(connection);
+        self.connection
+            .replace(connection_wrapper.map_connection(connection));
         Ok(())
     }
 
diff --git a/crates/kumod/src/ready_queue.rs b/crates/kumod/src/ready_queue.rs
index dff0d0ab..d9bb61f4 100644
--- a/crates/kumod/src/ready_queue.rs
+++ b/crates/kumod/src/ready_queue.rs
@@ -487,8 +487,6 @@ impl Dispatcher {
             }
             if let Err(err) = queue_dispatcher.attempt_connection(&mut dispatcher).await {
                 connection_failures.push(format!("{err:#}"));
-                dispatcher.metrics.connection_gauge.dec();
-                dispatcher.metrics.global_connection_gauge.dec();
                 if !queue_dispatcher
                     .have_more_connection_candidates(&mut dispatcher)
                     .await