diff --git a/metrics/ewma.go b/metrics/ewma.go
index 57c949e7d..039286493 100644
--- a/metrics/ewma.go
+++ b/metrics/ewma.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"math"
 	"sync"
 	"sync/atomic"
+	"time"
 )
 
 // EWMAs continuously calculate an exponentially-weighted moving average
@@ -85,7 +86,7 @@ type StandardEWMA struct {
 func (a *StandardEWMA) Rate() float64 {
 	a.mutex.Lock()
 	defer a.mutex.Unlock()
-	return a.rate * float64(1e9)
+	return a.rate * float64(time.Second)
 }
 
 // Snapshot returns a read-only copy of the EWMA.
@@ -98,7 +99,7 @@ func (a *StandardEWMA) Snapshot() EWMA {
 func (a *StandardEWMA) Tick() {
 	count := atomic.LoadInt64(&a.uncounted)
 	atomic.AddInt64(&a.uncounted, -count)
-	instantRate := float64(count) / float64(5e9)
+	instantRate := float64(count) / float64(5*time.Second)
 	a.mutex.Lock()
 	defer a.mutex.Unlock()
 	if a.init {
diff --git a/metrics/meter.go b/metrics/meter.go
index 58d170fae..7d2a2f530 100644
--- a/metrics/meter.go
+++ b/metrics/meter.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package metrics
 
 import (
 	"sync"
+	"sync/atomic"
 	"time"
 )
 
@@ -101,6 +102,7 @@ func NewRegisteredMeterForced(name string, r Registry) Meter {
 // MeterSnapshot is a read-only copy of another Meter.
 type MeterSnapshot struct {
 	count                          int64
+	temp                           int64
 	rate1, rate5, rate15, rateMean float64
 }
 
@@ -149,7 +151,7 @@ func (NilMeter) Rate1() float64 { return 0.0 }
 // Rate5 is a no-op.
 func (NilMeter) Rate5() float64 { return 0.0 }
 
-// Rate15is a no-op.
+// Rate15 is a no-op.
 func (NilMeter) Rate15() float64 { return 0.0 }
 
 // RateMean is a no-op.
@@ -167,7 +169,7 @@ type StandardMeter struct {
 	snapshot    *MeterSnapshot
 	a1, a5, a15 EWMA
 	startTime   time.Time
-	stopped     bool
+	stopped     uint32
 }
 
 func newStandardMeter() *StandardMeter {
@@ -182,11 +184,8 @@ func newStandardMeter() *StandardMeter {
 
 // Stop stops the meter, Mark() will be a no-op if you use it after being stopped.
 func (m *StandardMeter) Stop() {
-	m.lock.Lock()
-	stopped := m.stopped
-	m.stopped = true
-	m.lock.Unlock()
-	if !stopped {
+	stopped := atomic.SwapUint32(&m.stopped, 1)
+	if stopped != 1 {
 		arbiter.Lock()
 		delete(arbiter.meters, m)
 		arbiter.Unlock()
@@ -194,57 +193,45 @@ func (m *StandardMeter) Stop() {
 }
 
 // Count returns the number of events recorded.
+// It updates the meter to be as accurate as possible
 func (m *StandardMeter) Count() int64 {
-	m.lock.RLock()
-	count := m.snapshot.count
-	m.lock.RUnlock()
-	return count
+	m.lock.Lock()
+	defer m.lock.Unlock()
+	m.updateMeter()
+	return m.snapshot.count
 }
 
 // Mark records the occurrence of n events.
 func (m *StandardMeter) Mark(n int64) {
-	m.lock.Lock()
-	defer m.lock.Unlock()
-	if m.stopped {
-		return
-	}
-	m.snapshot.count += n
-	m.a1.Update(n)
-	m.a5.Update(n)
-	m.a15.Update(n)
-	m.updateSnapshot()
+	atomic.AddInt64(&m.snapshot.temp, n)
 }
 
 // Rate1 returns the one-minute moving average rate of events per second.
 func (m *StandardMeter) Rate1() float64 {
 	m.lock.RLock()
-	rate1 := m.snapshot.rate1
-	m.lock.RUnlock()
-	return rate1
+	defer m.lock.RUnlock()
+	return m.snapshot.rate1
 }
 
 // Rate5 returns the five-minute moving average rate of events per second.
 func (m *StandardMeter) Rate5() float64 {
 	m.lock.RLock()
-	rate5 := m.snapshot.rate5
-	m.lock.RUnlock()
-	return rate5
+	defer m.lock.RUnlock()
+	return m.snapshot.rate5
 }
 
 // Rate15 returns the fifteen-minute moving average rate of events per second.
 func (m *StandardMeter) Rate15() float64 {
 	m.lock.RLock()
-	rate15 := m.snapshot.rate15
-	m.lock.RUnlock()
-	return rate15
+	defer m.lock.RUnlock()
+	return m.snapshot.rate15
 }
 
 // RateMean returns the meter's mean rate of events per second.
 func (m *StandardMeter) RateMean() float64 {
 	m.lock.RLock()
-	rateMean := m.snapshot.rateMean
-	m.lock.RUnlock()
-	return rateMean
+	defer m.lock.RUnlock()
+	return m.snapshot.rateMean
 }
 
 // Snapshot returns a read-only copy of the meter.
@@ -264,9 +251,19 @@ func (m *StandardMeter) updateSnapshot() {
 	snapshot.rateMean = float64(snapshot.count) / time.Since(m.startTime).Seconds()
 }
 
+func (m *StandardMeter) updateMeter() {
+	// should only run with write lock held on m.lock
+	n := atomic.LoadInt64(&m.snapshot.temp)
+	m.snapshot.count += n
+	m.a1.Update(n)
+	m.a5.Update(n)
+	m.a15.Update(n)
+}
+
 func (m *StandardMeter) tick() {
 	m.lock.Lock()
 	defer m.lock.Unlock()
+	m.updateMeter()
 	m.a1.Tick()
 	m.a5.Tick()
 	m.a15.Tick()
@@ -282,7 +279,7 @@ type meterArbiter struct {
 	ticker  *time.Ticker
 }
 
-var arbiter = meterArbiter{ticker: time.NewTicker(5e9), meters: make(map[*StandardMeter]struct{})}
+var arbiter = meterArbiter{ticker: time.NewTicker(5 * time.Second), meters: make(map[*StandardMeter]struct{})}
 
 // Ticks meters on the scheduled interval
 func (ma *meterArbiter) tick() {
diff --git a/metrics/meter_test.go b/metrics/meter_test.go
index 28472253e..9c43b6156 100644
--- a/metrics/meter_test.go
+++ b/metrics/meter_test.go
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ func TestGetOrRegisterMeter(t *testing.T) {
 	r := NewRegistry()
 	NewRegisteredMeter("foo", r).Mark(47)
 	if m := GetOrRegisterMeter("foo", r); m.Count() != 47 {
-		t.Fatal(m)
+		t.Fatal(m.Count())
 	}
 }
 
@@ -29,10 +29,11 @@ func TestMeterDecay(t *testing.T) {
 	defer ma.ticker.Stop()
 	m := newStandardMeter()
 	ma.meters[m] = struct{}{}
-	go ma.tick()
 	m.Mark(1)
+	ma.tickMeters()
 	rateMean := m.RateMean()
 	time.Sleep(100 * time.Millisecond)
+	ma.tickMeters()
 	if m.RateMean() >= rateMean {
 		t.Error("m.RateMean() didn't decrease")
 	}