diff --git a/src/lib/metrics-gauge.ts b/src/lib/metrics-gauge.ts
index 7938759f6d..87a0269ed4 100644
--- a/src/lib/metrics-gauge.ts
+++ b/src/lib/metrics-gauge.ts
@@ -22,17 +22,19 @@ export class DbMetricsMonitor {
 
     constructor() {}
 
-    registerGaugeDbMetric<T>(definition: GaugeDefinition<T>) {
+    registerGaugeDbMetric<T>(definition: GaugeDefinition<T>): Task {
         const gauge = createGauge(definition);
         this.gauges.set(definition.name, gauge);
-        this.tasks.add(async () => {
+        const task = async () => {
             const result = await definition.query();
-            if (result) {
+            if (result !== null && result !== undefined) {
                 const { count, labels } = definition.map(result);
                 gauge.reset();
                 gauge.labels(labels).set(count);
             }
-        });
+        };
+        this.tasks.add(task);
+        return task;
     }
 
     refreshDbMetrics = async () => {
diff --git a/src/lib/metrics.ts b/src/lib/metrics.ts
index 429f3478f4..d276e61e44 100644
--- a/src/lib/metrics.ts
+++ b/src/lib/metrics.ts
@@ -117,13 +117,16 @@ export default class MetricsMonitor {
             help: 'Number of times a feature flag has been used',
             labelNames: ['toggle', 'active', 'appName'],
         });
-        dbMetrics.registerGaugeDbMetric({
+
+        // schedule and execute immediately
+        await dbMetrics.registerGaugeDbMetric({
             name: 'feature_toggles_total',
             help: 'Number of feature flags',
             labelNames: ['version'],
             query: () => instanceStatsService.getToggleCount(),
             map: (count) => ({ count, labels: { version } }),
-        });
+        })();
+
         dbMetrics.registerGaugeDbMetric({
             name: 'max_feature_environment_strategies',
             help: 'Maximum number of environment strategies in one feature',