diff --git a/core/src/main/java/com/spotify/metrics/jvm/FileDescriptorGaugeSet.java b/core/src/main/java/com/spotify/metrics/jvm/FileDescriptorGaugeSet.java
index c6497c8..d709dd2 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/com/spotify/metrics/jvm/FileDescriptorGaugeSet.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/com/spotify/metrics/jvm/FileDescriptorGaugeSet.java
@@ -51,7 +51,13 @@ public Map<MetricId, Metric> getMetrics() {
         gauges.put(metricId, new Gauge<Object>() {
             @Override
             public Object getValue() {
-                return fileDescriptorRatioGauge.getValue();
+                    // Java 9 will throw java.lang.reflect.InaccessibleObjectException
+                    // which does not exist in Java 8, therefore return 0.
+                    try {
+                        return fileDescriptorRatioGauge.getValue();
+                    } catch (final Exception e) {
+                        return 0;
+                    }
             }
         });
         return Collections.unmodifiableMap(gauges);