diff --git a/controller/DB.cpp b/controller/DB.cpp
index dcce5ea11..9e0cef6e2 100644
--- a/controller/DB.cpp
+++ b/controller/DB.cpp
@@ -101,7 +101,14 @@ void DB::cleanMember(nlohmann::json &member)
 	member.erase("authenticationClientID"); // computed
 }
 
-DB::DB() {}
+DB::DB()
+	: _network_count{"controller_network_count", "number of networks the controller is serving"}
+	, _member_count{"controller_member_count", "number of network members the controller is serving"}
+	, _network_changes{"controller_network_change_count", "number of times a network configuration is changed"}
+	, _member_changes{"controller_member_change_count", "number of times a network member configuration is changed"}
+	, _member_auths{"controller_member_auth_count", "number of network member auths"}
+	, _member_deauths{"controller_member_deauth_count", "number of network member deauths"}
+{}
 DB::~DB() {}
 
 bool DB::get(const uint64_t networkId,nlohmann::json &network)
diff --git a/controller/DB.hpp b/controller/DB.hpp
index 2dd808f1c..2f4319c8b 100644
--- a/controller/DB.hpp
+++ b/controller/DB.hpp
@@ -191,12 +191,12 @@ protected:
 	mutable std::mutex _changeListeners_l;
 	mutable std::mutex _networks_l;
 
-	prometheus::simpleapi::gauge_metric_t _network_count { "controller_network_count", "number of networks the controller is serving" };
-	prometheus::simpleapi::gauge_metric_t _member_count { "controller_member_count", "number of network members the controller is serving" };
-	prometheus::simpleapi::counter_metric_t _network_changes { "controller_network_change_count", "number of times a network configuration is changed" };
-	prometheus::simpleapi::counter_metric_t _member_changes { "controller_member_change_count", "number of times a network member configuration is changed" };
-	prometheus::simpleapi::counter_metric_t _member_auths { "controller_member_auth_count", "number of network member auths" };
-	prometheus::simpleapi::counter_metric_t _member_deauths { "controller_member_deauth_count", "number of network member deauths" };
+	prometheus::simpleapi::gauge_metric_t _network_count;
+	prometheus::simpleapi::gauge_metric_t _member_count;
+	prometheus::simpleapi::counter_metric_t _network_changes;
+	prometheus::simpleapi::counter_metric_t _member_changes;
+	prometheus::simpleapi::counter_metric_t _member_auths;
+	prometheus::simpleapi::counter_metric_t _member_deauths;
 };
 
 } // namespace ZeroTier
diff --git a/controller/PostgreSQL.cpp b/controller/PostgreSQL.cpp
index cca4980d8..29250ab78 100644
--- a/controller/PostgreSQL.cpp
+++ b/controller/PostgreSQL.cpp
@@ -112,6 +112,7 @@ using namespace ZeroTier;
 MemberNotificationReceiver::MemberNotificationReceiver(PostgreSQL *p, pqxx::connection &c, const std::string &channel)
 	: pqxx::notification_receiver(c, channel)
 	, _psql(p)
+	, _mem_notifications{"controller_pgsql_member_notifications_received", "number of member change notifications received via pgsql NOTIFY"}
 {
 	fprintf(stderr, "initialize MemberNotificationReceiver\n");
 }
@@ -136,6 +137,7 @@ void MemberNotificationReceiver::operator() (const std::string &payload, int pac
 NetworkNotificationReceiver::NetworkNotificationReceiver(PostgreSQL *p, pqxx::connection &c, const std::string &channel)
 	: pqxx::notification_receiver(c, channel)
 	, _psql(p)
+	, _net_notifications{"controller_pgsql_network_notifications_received", "number of network change notifications received via pgsql NOTIFY"}
 {
 	fprintf(stderr, "initialize NetworkNotificationReceiver\n");
 }
@@ -173,6 +175,8 @@ PostgreSQL::PostgreSQL(const Identity &myId, const char *path, int listenPort, R
 	, _redis(NULL)
 	, _cluster(NULL)
 	, _redisMemberStatus(false)
+	, _redis_mem_notif{"controller_redis_member_notifications_received", "number of member change notifications received via redis"}
+	, _redis_net_notif{"controller_redis_network_notifications_received", "number of network change notifications received via redis"}
 {
 	char myAddress[64];
 	_myAddressStr = myId.address().toString(myAddress);
diff --git a/controller/PostgreSQL.hpp b/controller/PostgreSQL.hpp
index 5b929dcfb..3ff2857dd 100644
--- a/controller/PostgreSQL.hpp
+++ b/controller/PostgreSQL.hpp
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ class PostgresConnFactory : public ConnectionFactory {
 public:
 	PostgresConnFactory(std::string &connString) 
 		: m_connString(connString)
+		, _conn_counter{ "controller_pgsql_connections_created", "number of pgsql connections created"}
 	{
 	}
 
@@ -62,7 +63,7 @@ public:
 	}
 private:
 	std::string m_connString;
-	prometheus::simpleapi::counter_metric_t _conn_counter { "controller_pgsql_connections_created", "number of pgsql connections created" };
+	prometheus::simpleapi::counter_metric_t _conn_counter;
 };
 
 class PostgreSQL;
@@ -77,7 +78,7 @@ public:
 	virtual void operator() (const std::string &payload, int backendPid);
 private:
 	PostgreSQL *_psql;
-	prometheus::simpleapi::counter_metric_t _mem_notifications { "controller_pgsql_member_notifications_received", "number of member change notifications received via pgsql NOTIFY" };
+	prometheus::simpleapi::counter_metric_t _mem_notifications;
 };
 
 class NetworkNotificationReceiver : public pqxx::notification_receiver {
@@ -90,7 +91,7 @@ public:
 	virtual void operator() (const std::string &payload, int packend_pid);
 private:
 	PostgreSQL *_psql;
-	prometheus::simpleapi::counter_metric_t _net_notifications { "controller_pgsql_network_notifications_received", "number of network change notifications received via pgsql NOTIFY" };
+	prometheus::simpleapi::counter_metric_t _net_notifications;
 };
 
 /**
@@ -182,9 +183,8 @@ private:
 	std::shared_ptr<sw::redis::RedisCluster> _cluster;
     bool _redisMemberStatus;
 
-	prometheus::simpleapi::counter_metric_t _redis_mem_notif { "controller_redis_member_notifications_received", "number of member change notifications received via redis" };
-	prometheus::simpleapi::counter_metric_t _redis_net_notif { "controller_redis_network_notifications_received", "number of network change notifications received via redis" };
-
+	prometheus::simpleapi::counter_metric_t _redis_mem_notif;
+	prometheus::simpleapi::counter_metric_t _redis_net_notif;
 };
 
 } // namespace ZeroTier