diff --git a/go/vt/vttablet/heartbeat/heartbeat.go b/go/vt/vttablet/heartbeat/heartbeat.go
index 5bdabf0c40a..3f2d0738780 100644
--- a/go/vt/vttablet/heartbeat/heartbeat.go
+++ b/go/vt/vttablet/heartbeat/heartbeat.go
@@ -43,5 +43,7 @@ var (
 	readErrors = stats.NewInt("HeartbeatReadErrors")
 	// HeartbeatCumulativeLagNs is incremented by the current lag at each heartbeat read interval. Plotting this
 	// over time allows calculating of a rolling average lag.
-	lagNs = stats.NewInt("HeartbeatCumulativeLagNs")
+	cumulativeLagNs = stats.NewInt("HeartbeatCumulativeLagNs")
+	// HeartbeatCurrentLagNs is a point-in-time calculation of the lag, updated at each heartbeat read interval.
+	currentLagNs = stats.NewInt("HeartbeatCurrentLagNs")
 )
diff --git a/go/vt/vttablet/heartbeat/reader.go b/go/vt/vttablet/heartbeat/reader.go
index afaf4ede255..a1243e9d59d 100644
--- a/go/vt/vttablet/heartbeat/reader.go
+++ b/go/vt/vttablet/heartbeat/reader.go
@@ -164,7 +164,8 @@ func (r *Reader) readHeartbeat() {
 	}
 
 	lag := r.now().Sub(time.Unix(0, ts))
-	lagNs.Add(lag.Nanoseconds())
+	cumulativeLagNs.Add(lag.Nanoseconds())
+	currentLagNs.Set(lag.Nanoseconds())
 	reads.Add(1)
 
 	r.lagMu.Lock()
diff --git a/go/vt/vttablet/heartbeat/reader_test.go b/go/vt/vttablet/heartbeat/reader_test.go
index 92e0389babe..179ee9901d5 100644
--- a/go/vt/vttablet/heartbeat/reader_test.go
+++ b/go/vt/vttablet/heartbeat/reader_test.go
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ func TestReaderReadHeartbeat(t *testing.T) {
 		}},
 	})
 
-	lagNs.Set(0)
+	cumulativeLagNs.Set(0)
 	readErrors.Set(0)
 	reads.Set(0)
 
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ func TestReaderReadHeartbeat(t *testing.T) {
 	if got, want := lag, 10*time.Second; got != want {
 		t.Fatalf("wrong latest lag: got = %v, want = %v", tr.lastKnownLag, want)
 	}
-	if got, want := lagNs.Get(), 10*time.Second.Nanoseconds(); got != want {
+	if got, want := cumulativeLagNs.Get(), 10*time.Second.Nanoseconds(); got != want {
 		t.Fatalf("wrong cumulative lag: got = %v, want = %v", got, want)
 	}
 	if got, want := reads.Get(), int64(1); got != want {
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ func TestReaderReadHeartbeatError(t *testing.T) {
 	tr := newReader(db, mockNowFunc)
 	defer tr.Close()
 
-	lagNs.Set(0)
+	cumulativeLagNs.Set(0)
 	readErrors.Set(0)
 
 	tr.readHeartbeat()
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ func TestReaderReadHeartbeatError(t *testing.T) {
 	if got, want := lag, 0*time.Second; got != want {
 		t.Fatalf("wrong lastKnownLag: got = %v, want = %v", got, want)
 	}
-	if got, want := lagNs.Get(), int64(0); got != want {
+	if got, want := cumulativeLagNs.Get(), int64(0); got != want {
 		t.Fatalf("wrong cumulative lag: got = %v, want = %v", got, want)
 	}
 	if got, want := readErrors.Get(), int64(1); got != want {