diff --git a/go/cmd/vtgateproxy/vtgateproxy.go b/go/cmd/vtgateproxy/vtgateproxy.go
index a2763e2a6c7..13378d445a9 100644
--- a/go/cmd/vtgateproxy/vtgateproxy.go
+++ b/go/cmd/vtgateproxy/vtgateproxy.go
@@ -21,12 +21,11 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"vitess.io/vitess/go/exit"
+	"vitess.io/vitess/go/stats/prometheusbackend"
 	"vitess.io/vitess/go/vt/servenv"
 	"vitess.io/vitess/go/vt/vtgateproxy"
 )
 
-var ()
-
 func init() {
 	rand.Seed(time.Now().UnixNano())
 	servenv.RegisterDefaultFlags()
@@ -38,6 +37,8 @@ func main() {
 	servenv.ParseFlags("vtgateproxy")
 	servenv.Init()
 
+	prometheusbackend.Init("vtgateproxy")
+
 	servenv.OnRun(func() {
 		// Flags are parsed now. Parse the template using the actual flag value and overwrite the current template.
 		vtgateproxy.RegisterJsonDiscovery()