diff --git a/config/config.go b/config/config.go
index 94e18be27f..874bcb5a5a 100644
--- a/config/config.go
+++ b/config/config.go
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ type Config struct {
 	HolePunchingOptions []holepunch.Option
 }
 
-func (cfg *Config) makeSwarm() (*swarm.Swarm, error) {
+func (cfg *Config) makeSwarm(enableMetrics bool) (*swarm.Swarm, error) {
 	if cfg.Peerstore == nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("no peerstore specified")
 	}
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ func (cfg *Config) makeSwarm() (*swarm.Swarm, error) {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	opts := make([]swarm.Option, 0, 3)
+	opts := make([]swarm.Option, 0, 6)
 	if cfg.Reporter != nil {
 		opts = append(opts, swarm.WithMetrics(cfg.Reporter))
 	}
@@ -167,6 +167,9 @@ func (cfg *Config) makeSwarm() (*swarm.Swarm, error) {
 	if cfg.MultiaddrResolver != nil {
 		opts = append(opts, swarm.WithMultiaddrResolver(cfg.MultiaddrResolver))
 	}
+	if enableMetrics {
+		opts = append(opts, swarm.WithMetricsTracer(swarm.NewMetricsTracer()))
+	}
 	// TODO: Make the swarm implementation configurable.
 	return swarm.NewSwarm(pid, cfg.Peerstore, opts...)
 }
@@ -276,7 +279,7 @@ func (cfg *Config) addTransports(h host.Host) error {
 //
 // This function consumes the config. Do not reuse it (really!).
 func (cfg *Config) NewNode() (host.Host, error) {
-	swrm, err := cfg.makeSwarm()
+	swrm, err := cfg.makeSwarm(true)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -382,7 +385,7 @@ func (cfg *Config) NewNode() (host.Host, error) {
 			Peerstore:          ps,
 		}
 
-		dialer, err := autoNatCfg.makeSwarm()
+		dialer, err := autoNatCfg.makeSwarm(false)
 		if err != nil {
 			h.Close()
 			return nil, err
diff --git a/p2p/net/swarm/swarm.go b/p2p/net/swarm/swarm.go
index 7606b80c82..18d5183f52 100644
--- a/p2p/net/swarm/swarm.go
+++ b/p2p/net/swarm/swarm.go
@@ -71,6 +71,13 @@ func WithMetrics(reporter metrics.Reporter) Option {
 	}
 }
 
+func WithMetricsTracer(t MetricsTracer) Option {
+	return func(s *Swarm) error {
+		s.metricsTracer = t
+		return nil
+	}
+}
+
 func WithDialTimeout(t time.Duration) Option {
 	return func(s *Swarm) error {
 		s.dialTimeout = t
@@ -151,7 +158,8 @@ type Swarm struct {
 	ctx       context.Context // is canceled when Close is called
 	ctxCancel context.CancelFunc
 
-	bwc metrics.Reporter
+	bwc           metrics.Reporter
+	metricsTracer MetricsTracer
 }
 
 // NewSwarm constructs a Swarm.
diff --git a/p2p/net/swarm/swarm_conn.go b/p2p/net/swarm/swarm_conn.go
index f85cd907cb..c24ddee310 100644
--- a/p2p/net/swarm/swarm_conn.go
+++ b/p2p/net/swarm/swarm_conn.go
@@ -60,8 +60,9 @@ func (c *Conn) Close() error {
 }
 
 func (c *Conn) doClose() {
-	recordConnectionClosed(c.stat.Direction, c.ConnState())
-	recordConnectionDuration(c.stat.Direction, time.Since(c.stat.Stats.Opened), c.ConnState())
+	if c.swarm.metricsTracer != nil {
+		c.swarm.metricsTracer.ClosedConnection(c.stat.Direction, time.Since(c.stat.Stats.Opened), c.ConnState())
+	}
 
 	c.swarm.removeConn(c)
 
diff --git a/p2p/net/swarm/swarm_dial.go b/p2p/net/swarm/swarm_dial.go
index 09e296ae4b..01b955e865 100644
--- a/p2p/net/swarm/swarm_dial.go
+++ b/p2p/net/swarm/swarm_dial.go
@@ -493,12 +493,17 @@ func (s *Swarm) dialAddr(ctx context.Context, p peer.ID, addr ma.Multiaddr) (tra
 	start := time.Now()
 	connC, err := tpt.Dial(ctx, addr, p)
 	if err != nil {
-		recordDialFailed(addr, err)
+		if s.metricsTracer != nil {
+			s.metricsTracer.FailedDialing(addr, err)
+		}
 		return nil, err
 	}
 	canonicallog.LogPeerStatus(100, connC.RemotePeer(), connC.RemoteMultiaddr(), "connection_status", "established", "dir", "outbound")
-	recordConnectionOpened(network.DirOutbound, connC.RemotePublicKey(), connC.ConnState())
-	recordHandshakeLatency(time.Since(start), connC.ConnState())
+	if s.metricsTracer != nil {
+		connState := connC.ConnState()
+		s.metricsTracer.OpenedConnection(network.DirOutbound, connC.RemotePublicKey(), connState)
+		s.metricsTracer.CompletedHandshake(time.Since(start), connState)
+	}
 
 	// Trust the transport? Yeah... right.
 	if connC.RemotePeer() != p {
diff --git a/p2p/net/swarm/swarm_listen.go b/p2p/net/swarm/swarm_listen.go
index 0c905075ee..334abb4ea3 100644
--- a/p2p/net/swarm/swarm_listen.go
+++ b/p2p/net/swarm/swarm_listen.go
@@ -130,7 +130,9 @@ func (s *Swarm) AddListenAddr(a ma.Multiaddr) error {
 				return
 			}
 			canonicallog.LogPeerStatus(100, c.RemotePeer(), c.RemoteMultiaddr(), "connection_status", "established", "dir", "inbound")
-			recordConnectionOpened(network.DirInbound, c.RemotePublicKey(), c.ConnState())
+			if s.metricsTracer != nil {
+				s.metricsTracer.OpenedConnection(network.DirInbound, c.RemotePublicKey(), c.ConnState())
+			}
 
 			log.Debugf("swarm listener accepted connection: %s <-> %s", c.LocalMultiaddr(), c.RemoteMultiaddr())
 			s.refs.Add(1)
diff --git a/p2p/net/swarm/swarm_metrics.go b/p2p/net/swarm/swarm_metrics.go
index c65622f815..292ad589e3 100644
--- a/p2p/net/swarm/swarm_metrics.go
+++ b/p2p/net/swarm/swarm_metrics.go
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ package swarm
 import (
 	"context"
 	"errors"
-	"fmt"
 	"net"
 	"strings"
 	"sync"
@@ -66,10 +65,28 @@ var (
 	)
 )
 
-func init() {
+var initMetricsOnce sync.Once
+
+func initMetrics() {
 	prometheus.MustRegister(connsOpened, keyTypes, connsClosed, dialError, connDuration, connHandshakeLatency)
 }
 
+type MetricsTracer interface {
+	OpenedConnection(network.Direction, crypto.PubKey, network.ConnectionState)
+	ClosedConnection(network.Direction, time.Duration, network.ConnectionState)
+	CompletedHandshake(time.Duration, network.ConnectionState)
+	FailedDialing(ma.Multiaddr, error)
+}
+
+type metricsTracer struct{}
+
+var _ MetricsTracer = &metricsTracer{}
+
+func NewMetricsTracer() *metricsTracer {
+	initMetricsOnce.Do(initMetrics)
+	return &metricsTracer{}
+}
+
 var stringPool = sync.Pool{New: func() any {
 	s := make([]string, 0, 8)
 	return &s
@@ -110,7 +127,7 @@ func appendConnectionState(tags []string, cs network.ConnectionState) []string {
 	return tags
 }
 
-func recordConnectionOpened(dir network.Direction, p crypto.PubKey, cs network.ConnectionState) {
+func (m *metricsTracer) OpenedConnection(dir network.Direction, p crypto.PubKey, cs network.ConnectionState) {
 	tags := getStringSlice()
 	defer putStringSlice(tags)
 
@@ -124,37 +141,27 @@ func recordConnectionOpened(dir network.Direction, p crypto.PubKey, cs network.C
 	keyTypes.WithLabelValues(*tags...).Inc()
 }
 
-func recordConnectionClosed(dir network.Direction, cs network.ConnectionState) {
+func (m *metricsTracer) ClosedConnection(dir network.Direction, duration time.Duration, cs network.ConnectionState) {
 	tags := getStringSlice()
 	defer putStringSlice(tags)
 	*tags = append(*tags, getDirection(dir))
 	*tags = appendConnectionState(*tags, cs)
 	connsClosed.WithLabelValues(*tags...).Inc()
-}
 
-func recordConnectionDuration(dir network.Direction, t time.Duration, cs network.ConnectionState) {
-	tags := getStringSlice()
-	defer putStringSlice(tags)
+	*tags = (*tags)[:0]
 	*tags = append(*tags, getDirection(dir))
 	*tags = appendConnectionState(*tags, cs)
-	connDuration.WithLabelValues(*tags...).Observe(t.Seconds())
+	connDuration.WithLabelValues(*tags...).Observe(duration.Seconds())
 }
 
-func recordHandshakeLatency(t time.Duration, cs network.ConnectionState) {
+func (m *metricsTracer) CompletedHandshake(t time.Duration, cs network.ConnectionState) {
 	tags := getStringSlice()
 	defer putStringSlice(tags)
 	*tags = appendConnectionState(*tags, cs)
 	connHandshakeLatency.WithLabelValues(*tags...).Observe(t.Seconds())
 }
 
-func recordDialFailed(addr ma.Multiaddr, err error) {
-	var transport string
-	for _, p := range transports {
-		if _, err := addr.ValueForProtocol(p); err == nil {
-			transport = ma.ProtocolWithCode(p).Name
-			break
-		}
-	}
+func (m *metricsTracer) FailedDialing(_ ma.Multiaddr, err error) {
 	e := "other"
 	if errors.Is(err, context.Canceled) {
 		e = "canceled"
@@ -168,8 +175,5 @@ func recordDialFailed(addr ma.Multiaddr, err error) {
 			e = "connection refused"
 		}
 	}
-	if e == "other" {
-		fmt.Printf("transport: %s, category: %s (orig: %s)\n", transport, e, err)
-	}
 	dialError.WithLabelValues(e).Inc()
 }
diff --git a/p2p/net/swarm/swarm_metrics_test.go b/p2p/net/swarm/swarm_metrics_test.go
index df1c0504f0..9ccc9d10d2 100644
--- a/p2p/net/swarm/swarm_metrics_test.go
+++ b/p2p/net/swarm/swarm_metrics_test.go
@@ -20,12 +20,13 @@ func BenchmarkMetricsConnOpen(b *testing.B) {
 	}
 	_, pub, err := crypto.GenerateEd25519Key(rand.Reader)
 	require.NoError(b, err)
+	tr := NewMetricsTracer()
 	for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
 		switch i % 2 {
 		case 0:
-			recordConnectionOpened(network.DirInbound, pub, quicConnState)
+			tr.OpenedConnection(network.DirInbound, pub, quicConnState)
 		case 1:
-			recordConnectionOpened(network.DirInbound, pub, tcpConnState)
+			tr.OpenedConnection(network.DirInbound, pub, tcpConnState)
 		}
 	}
 }