diff --git a/handler/middleware/trace.go b/handler/middleware/trace.go
index 16b5a8294..9596a7c63 100644
--- a/handler/middleware/trace.go
+++ b/handler/middleware/trace.go
@@ -64,11 +64,11 @@ func (th *TraceHandler) ServeHTTP(rw http.ResponseWriter, req *http.Request) {
 
 	meter := provider.Meter("couper/server")
 
-	counter, _ := meter.AsyncInt64().
+	counter, _ := meter.SyncInt64().
 		Counter(instrumentation.ClientRequest, instrument.WithDescription(string(unit.Dimensionless)))
 	duration, _ := meter.SyncFloat64().
 		Histogram(instrumentation.ClientRequestDuration, instrument.WithDescription(string(unit.Dimensionless)))
 
-	counter.Observe(req.Context(), 1)
+	counter.Add(req.Context(), 1)
 	duration.Record(req.Context(), end.Seconds())
 }
diff --git a/handler/transport/backend.go b/handler/transport/backend.go
index 746bc4d07..316a3fe1e 100644
--- a/handler/transport/backend.go
+++ b/handler/transport/backend.go
@@ -291,7 +291,7 @@ func (b *Backend) innerRoundTrip(req *http.Request, tc *Config, deadlineErr <-ch
 	}
 
 	meter := provider.Meter(instrumentation.BackendInstrumentationName)
-	counter, _ := meter.AsyncInt64().Counter(
+	counter, _ := meter.SyncInt64().Counter(
 		instrumentation.BackendRequest,
 		instrument.WithDescription(string(unit.Dimensionless)),
 	)
@@ -317,7 +317,8 @@ func (b *Backend) innerRoundTrip(req *http.Request, tc *Config, deadlineErr <-ch
 	if beresp != nil {
 		attrs = append(attrs, statusKey.Int(beresp.StatusCode))
 	}
-	defer counter.Observe(req.Context(), 1, attrs...)
+
+	defer counter.Add(req.Context(), 1, attrs...)
 	defer duration.Record(req.Context(), endSeconds, attrs...)
 
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/handler/transport/connection.go b/handler/transport/connection.go
index 31bd2583f..638d33b02 100644
--- a/handler/transport/connection.go
+++ b/handler/transport/connection.go
@@ -10,8 +10,8 @@ import (
 	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 	"go.opentelemetry.io/otel/attribute"
 	"go.opentelemetry.io/otel/metric/instrument"
-	"go.opentelemetry.io/otel/metric/instrument/asyncint64"
 	"go.opentelemetry.io/otel/metric/instrument/syncfloat64"
+	"go.opentelemetry.io/otel/metric/instrument/syncint64"
 	"go.opentelemetry.io/otel/metric/unit"
 
 	"github.com/avenga/couper/config/request"
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ func NewOriginConn(ctx context.Context, conn net.Conn, conf *Config, entry *logr
 
 	counter, gauge := newMeterCounter()
 
-	counter.Observe(ctx, 1, o.labels...)
+	counter.Add(ctx, 1, o.labels...)
 	gauge.Add(ctx, 1, o.labels...)
 
 	return o
@@ -119,10 +119,10 @@ func (o *OriginConn) Close() error {
 	return o.Conn.Close()
 }
 
-func newMeterCounter() (asyncint64.Counter, syncfloat64.UpDownCounter) {
+func newMeterCounter() (syncint64.Counter, syncfloat64.UpDownCounter) {
 	meter := provider.Meter("couper/connection")
 
-	counter, _ := meter.AsyncInt64().
+	counter, _ := meter.SyncInt64().
 		Counter(instrumentation.BackendConnectionsTotal, instrument.WithDescription(string(unit.Dimensionless)))
 	gauge, _ := meter.SyncFloat64().UpDownCounter(
 		instrumentation.BackendConnections,
diff --git a/logging/hooks/error.go b/logging/hooks/error.go
index 0e1f3b660..b0484204d 100644
--- a/logging/hooks/error.go
+++ b/logging/hooks/error.go
@@ -44,13 +44,13 @@ func (l *Error) Fire(entry *logrus.Entry) error {
 
 	meter := provider.Meter("couper/errors")
 
-	counter, _ := meter.AsyncInt64().
+	counter, _ := meter.SyncInt64().
 		Counter(
-			instrumentation.Prefix+"client_request_error_types_total",
+			instrumentation.Prefix+"client_request_error_types",
 			instrument.WithDescription(string(unit.Dimensionless)),
 		)
 
-	counter.Observe(entry.Context, 1, attribute.String("error", kind))
+	counter.Add(entry.Context, 1, attribute.String("error", kind))
 
 	entry.Message = errors.AppendMsg(entry.Message, gerr.LogError())
 	return nil
diff --git a/server/http.go b/server/http.go
index d9b3ee41e..52da0bf01 100644
--- a/server/http.go
+++ b/server/http.go
@@ -314,7 +314,7 @@ func (s *HTTPServer) cleanHostAppendPort(host string) string {
 
 func (s *HTTPServer) onConnState(_ net.Conn, state http.ConnState) {
 	meter := provider.Meter("couper/server")
-	counter, _ := meter.AsyncInt64().
+	counter, _ := meter.SyncInt64().
 		Counter(instrumentation.ClientConnectionsTotal, instrument.WithDescription(string(unit.Dimensionless)))
 	gauge, _ := meter.SyncFloat64().UpDownCounter(
 		instrumentation.ClientConnections,
@@ -322,7 +322,7 @@ func (s *HTTPServer) onConnState(_ net.Conn, state http.ConnState) {
 	)
 
 	if state == http.StateNew {
-		counter.Observe(context.Background(), 1)
+		counter.Add(context.Background(), 1)
 		gauge.Add(context.Background(), 1)
 		// we have no callback for closing a hijacked one, so count them down too.
 		// TODO: if required we COULD override given conn ptr value with own obj.