diff --git a/plugins/in_forward/fw_prot.c b/plugins/in_forward/fw_prot.c
index b656a100321..b222ad3620b 100644
--- a/plugins/in_forward/fw_prot.c
+++ b/plugins/in_forward/fw_prot.c
@@ -451,6 +451,48 @@ static size_t receiver_to_unpacker(struct fw_conn *conn, size_t request_size,
     return recv_len;
 }
 
+static int append_log(struct flb_input_instance *ins, struct fw_conn *conn,
+                      int event_type,
+                      flb_sds_t out_tag, const void *data, size_t len)
+{
+    int ret;
+    size_t off = 0;
+    struct cmt *cmt;
+    struct ctrace *ctr;
+
+    if (event_type == FLB_EVENT_TYPE_LOGS) {
+        flb_input_log_append(conn->in,
+                             out_tag, flb_sds_len(out_tag),
+                             data, len);
+
+        return 0;
+    }
+    else if (event_type == FLB_EVENT_TYPE_METRICS) {
+        ret = cmt_decode_msgpack_create(&cmt, (char *) data, len, &off);
+        if (ret != CMT_DECODE_MSGPACK_SUCCESS) {
+            flb_error("cmt_decode_msgpack_create failed. ret=%d", ret);
+            return -1;
+        }
+        flb_input_metrics_append(conn->in,
+                                 out_tag, flb_sds_len(out_tag),
+                                 cmt);
+    }
+    else if (event_type == FLB_EVENT_TYPE_TRACES) {
+        off = 0;
+        ret = ctr_decode_msgpack_create(&ctr, (char *) data, len, &off);
+        if (ret == -1) {
+            return -1;
+        }
+
+        flb_input_trace_append(ins,
+                               out_tag, flb_sds_len(out_tag),
+                               ctr);
+    }
+
+    return 0;
+}
+
+
 int fw_prot_process(struct flb_input_instance *ins, struct fw_conn *conn)
 {
     int ret;
@@ -458,7 +500,6 @@ int fw_prot_process(struct flb_input_instance *ins, struct fw_conn *conn)
     int event_type;
     int contain_options = FLB_FALSE;
     size_t index = 0;
-    size_t off = 0;
     size_t chunk_id = -1;
     size_t metadata_id = -1;
     const char *stag;
@@ -476,8 +517,6 @@ int fw_prot_process(struct flb_input_instance *ins, struct fw_conn *conn)
     msgpack_unpacker *unp;
     size_t all_used = 0;
     struct flb_in_fw_config *ctx = conn->ctx;
-    struct cmt *cmt;
-    struct ctrace *ctr;
 
     /*
      * [tag, time, record]
@@ -752,13 +791,6 @@ int fw_prot_process(struct flb_input_instance *ins, struct fw_conn *conn)
                             return -1;
                         }
 
-                        /* Append uncompressed data */
-                        flb_input_log_append(conn->in,
-                                             out_tag, flb_sds_len(out_tag),
-                                             gz_data, gz_size);
-                        flb_free(gz_data);
-                    }
-                    else {
                         event_type = FLB_EVENT_TYPE_LOGS;
                         if (contain_options) {
                             ret = get_chunk_event_type(ins, root.via.array.ptr[2]);
@@ -766,42 +798,45 @@ int fw_prot_process(struct flb_input_instance *ins, struct fw_conn *conn)
                                 msgpack_unpacked_destroy(&result);
                                 msgpack_unpacker_free(unp);
                                 flb_sds_destroy(out_tag);
+                                flb_free(gz_data);
                                 return -1;
                             }
                             event_type = ret;
                         }
 
-                        if (event_type == FLB_EVENT_TYPE_LOGS) {
-                            flb_input_log_append(conn->in,
-                                                 out_tag, flb_sds_len(out_tag),
-                                                 data, len);
-                        }
-                        else if (event_type == FLB_EVENT_TYPE_METRICS) {
-                            ret = cmt_decode_msgpack_create(&cmt, (char *) data, len, &off);
-                            if (ret != CMT_DECODE_MSGPACK_SUCCESS) {
-                                flb_error("cmt_decode_msgpack_create failed. ret=%d", ret);
-                                msgpack_unpacked_destroy(&result);
-                                msgpack_unpacker_free(unp);
-                                flb_sds_destroy(out_tag);
-                                return -1;
-                            }
-                            flb_input_metrics_append(conn->in,
-                                                     out_tag, flb_sds_len(out_tag),
-                                                     cmt);
+                        ret = append_log(ins, conn,
+                                         event_type,
+                                         out_tag, gz_data, gz_size);
+                        if (ret == -1) {
+                            msgpack_unpacked_destroy(&result);
+                            msgpack_unpacker_free(unp);
+                            flb_sds_destroy(out_tag);
+                            flb_free(gz_data);
+                            return -1;
                         }
-                        else if (event_type == FLB_EVENT_TYPE_TRACES) {
-                            off = 0;
-                            ret = ctr_decode_msgpack_create(&ctr, (char *) data, len, &off);
+                        flb_free(gz_data);
+                    }
+                    else {
+                        event_type = FLB_EVENT_TYPE_LOGS;
+                        if (contain_options) {
+                            ret = get_chunk_event_type(ins, root.via.array.ptr[2]);
                             if (ret == -1) {
                                 msgpack_unpacked_destroy(&result);
                                 msgpack_unpacker_free(unp);
                                 flb_sds_destroy(out_tag);
                                 return -1;
                             }
+                            event_type = ret;
+                        }
 
-                            flb_input_trace_append(ins,
-                                                   out_tag, flb_sds_len(out_tag),
-                                                   ctr);
+                        ret = append_log(ins, conn,
+                                         event_type,
+                                         out_tag, data, len);
+                        if (ret == -1) {
+                            msgpack_unpacked_destroy(&result);
+                            msgpack_unpacker_free(unp);
+                            flb_sds_destroy(out_tag);
+                            return -1;
                         }
                     }
 
diff --git a/plugins/out_forward/forward_format.c b/plugins/out_forward/forward_format.c
index 48dedd862d6..00aff93d208 100644
--- a/plugins/out_forward/forward_format.c
+++ b/plugins/out_forward/forward_format.c
@@ -149,6 +149,17 @@ static int append_options(struct flb_forward *ctx,
         msgpack_pack_str(mp_pck, 4);
         msgpack_pack_str_body(mp_pck, "gzip", 4);
     }
+    else if (fc->compress == COMPRESS_GZIP &&
+             /* for metrics or traces, we're also able to send as
+              * gzipped payloads */
+             (event_type == FLB_EVENT_TYPE_METRICS ||
+              event_type == FLB_EVENT_TYPE_TRACES)) {
+        flb_mp_map_header_append(&mh);
+        msgpack_pack_str(mp_pck, 10);
+        msgpack_pack_str_body(mp_pck, "compressed", 10);
+        msgpack_pack_str(mp_pck, 4);
+        msgpack_pack_str_body(mp_pck, "gzip", 4);
+    }
 
     /* event type (FLB_EVENT_TYPE_LOGS, FLB_EVENT_TYPE_METRICS, FLB_EVENT_TYPE_TRACES) */
     flb_mp_map_header_append(&mh);