diff --git a/go/vt/vttablet/tabletserver/vstreamer/engine.go b/go/vt/vttablet/tabletserver/vstreamer/engine.go
index c4782b467c4..c7fa2ddb254 100644
--- a/go/vt/vttablet/tabletserver/vstreamer/engine.go
+++ b/go/vt/vttablet/tabletserver/vstreamer/engine.go
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ type Engine struct {
 
 	// vstreamer metrics
 	vstreamerPhaseTimings     *servenv.TimingsWrapper
+	vstreamerCount            *stats.Gauge
 	vstreamerEventsStreamed   *stats.Counter
 	vstreamerPacketSize       *stats.GaugeFunc
 	vstreamerNumPackets       *stats.Counter
@@ -115,6 +116,7 @@ func NewEngine(env tabletenv.Env, ts srvtopo.Server, se *schema.Engine, lagThrot
 		vschemaUpdates: env.Exporter().NewCounter("VSchemaUpdates", "Count of VSchema updates. Does not include errors"),
 
 		vstreamerPhaseTimings:     env.Exporter().NewTimings("VStreamerPhaseTiming", "Time taken for different phases during vstream copy", "phase-timing"),
+		vstreamerCount:            env.Exporter().NewGauge("VStreamerCount", "Current number of vstreamers"),
 		vstreamerEventsStreamed:   env.Exporter().NewCounter("VStreamerEventsStreamed", "Count of events streamed in VStream API"),
 		vstreamerPacketSize:       env.Exporter().NewGaugeFunc("VStreamPacketSize", "Max packet size for sending vstreamer events", getPacketSize),
 		vstreamerNumPackets:       env.Exporter().NewCounter("VStreamerNumPackets", "Number of packets in vstreamer"),
@@ -126,7 +128,6 @@ func NewEngine(env tabletenv.Env, ts srvtopo.Server, se *schema.Engine, lagThrot
 		vstreamersEndedWithErrors: env.Exporter().NewCounter("VStreamersEndedWithErrors", "Count of vstreamers that ended with errors"),
 		errorCounts:               env.Exporter().NewCountersWithSingleLabel("VStreamerErrors", "Tracks errors in vstreamer", "type", "Catchup", "Copy", "Send", "TablePlan"),
 	}
-	env.Exporter().NewGaugeFunc("VStreamerCount", "Current number of vstreamers", vse.getVStreamerCount)
 	env.Exporter().HandleFunc("/debug/tablet_vschema", vse.ServeHTTP)
 	return vse
 }
@@ -376,12 +377,6 @@ func (vse *Engine) setWatch() {
 	})
 }
 
-func (vse *Engine) getVStreamerCount() int64 {
-	vse.mu.Lock()
-	defer vse.mu.Unlock()
-	return int64(len(vse.streamers))
-}
-
 func getPacketSize() int64 {
 	return int64(*defaultPacketSize)
 }
diff --git a/go/vt/vttablet/tabletserver/vstreamer/vstreamer.go b/go/vt/vttablet/tabletserver/vstreamer/vstreamer.go
index c5cbb18883d..f5fc349df4b 100644
--- a/go/vt/vttablet/tabletserver/vstreamer/vstreamer.go
+++ b/go/vt/vttablet/tabletserver/vstreamer/vstreamer.go
@@ -144,7 +144,11 @@ func (vs *vstreamer) Cancel() {
 func (vs *vstreamer) Stream() error {
 	//defer vs.cancel()
 	ctx := context.Background()
-	defer ctx.Done()
+	vs.vse.vstreamerCount.Add(1)
+	defer func() {
+		ctx.Done()
+		vs.vse.vstreamerCount.Add(-1)
+	}()
 	vs.vse.vstreamersCreated.Add(1)
 	log.Infof("Starting Stream() with startPos %s", vs.startPos)
 	pos, err := mysql.DecodePosition(vs.startPos)