diff --git a/pkg/iptables/iptables.go b/pkg/iptables/iptables.go
index f72365b..99c5613 100644
--- a/pkg/iptables/iptables.go
+++ b/pkg/iptables/iptables.go
@@ -221,6 +221,7 @@ type Controller struct {
 	errors       chan error
 	logger       log.Logger
 	resyncPeriod time.Duration
+	registerer   prometheus.Registerer
 
 	sync.Mutex
 	rules      []Rule
@@ -252,10 +253,16 @@ func WithClients(v4, v6 Client) ControllerOption {
 	}
 }
 
+func WithRegisterer(registerer prometheus.Registerer) ControllerOption {
+	return func(c *Controller) {
+		c.registerer = registerer
+	}
+}
+
 // New generates a new iptables rules controller.
 // If no options are given, IPv4 and IPv6 clients
 // will be instantiated using the regular iptables backend.
-func New(registerer prometheus.Registerer, opts ...ControllerOption) (*Controller, error) {
+func New(opts ...ControllerOption) (*Controller, error) {
 	c := &Controller{
 		errors: make(chan error),
 		logger: log.NewNopLogger(),
@@ -268,7 +275,11 @@ func New(registerer prometheus.Registerer, opts ...ControllerOption) (*Controlle
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to create iptables IPv4 client: %v", err)
 		}
-		c.v4 = wrapWithMetrics(v4, "IPv4", registerer)
+		if c.registerer != nil {
+			c.v4 = wrapWithMetrics(v4, "IPv4", c.registerer)
+		} else {
+			c.v4 = v4
+		}
 	}
 	if c.v6 == nil {
 		disabled, err := ipv6Disabled()
@@ -283,7 +294,11 @@ func New(registerer prometheus.Registerer, opts ...ControllerOption) (*Controlle
 			if err != nil {
 				return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to create iptables IPv6 client: %v", err)
 			}
-			c.v6 = wrapWithMetrics(v6, "IPv6", registerer)
+			if c.registerer != nil {
+				c.v6 = wrapWithMetrics(v6, "IPv6", c.registerer)
+			} else {
+				c.v6 = v6
+			}
 		}
 	}
 	return c, nil
diff --git a/pkg/iptables/iptables_test.go b/pkg/iptables/iptables_test.go
index a95ddb4..25c5c17 100644
--- a/pkg/iptables/iptables_test.go
+++ b/pkg/iptables/iptables_test.go
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@
 package iptables
 
 import (
-	"github.com/prometheus/client_golang/prometheus"
 	"testing"
 )
 
@@ -85,7 +84,7 @@ func TestSet(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 	} {
 		client := &fakeClient{}
-		controller, err := New(prometheus.NewRegistry(), WithClients(client, client))
+		controller, err := New(WithClients(client, client))
 		if err != nil {
 			t.Fatalf("test case %q: got unexpected error instantiating controller: %v", tc.name, err)
 		}
@@ -142,7 +141,7 @@ func TestCleanUp(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 	} {
 		client := &fakeClient{}
-		controller, err := New(prometheus.NewRegistry(), WithClients(client, client))
+		controller, err := New(WithClients(client, client))
 		if err != nil {
 			t.Fatalf("test case %q: got unexpected error instantiating controller: %v", tc.name, err)
 		}
diff --git a/pkg/mesh/mesh.go b/pkg/mesh/mesh.go
index 728372d..040790d 100644
--- a/pkg/mesh/mesh.go
+++ b/pkg/mesh/mesh.go
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ func New(backend Backend, enc encapsulation.Encapsulator, granularity Granularit
 		externalIP = publicIP
 	}
 	level.Debug(logger).Log("msg", fmt.Sprintf("using %s as the public IP address", publicIP.String()))
-	ipTables, err := iptables.New(registerer, iptables.WithLogger(log.With(logger, "component", "iptables")), iptables.WithResyncPeriod(resyncPeriod))
+	ipTables, err := iptables.New(iptables.WithRegisterer(registerer), iptables.WithLogger(log.With(logger, "component", "iptables")), iptables.WithResyncPeriod(resyncPeriod))
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to IP tables controller: %v", err)
 	}