diff --git a/controller/metrics/amqpSink.go b/controller/metrics/amqpSink.go
index 520e86b7..c53f3174 100644
--- a/controller/metrics/amqpSink.go
+++ b/controller/metrics/amqpSink.go
@@ -31,28 +31,23 @@ func loadAmqpSinkConfig(v interface{}, _ *cf.Options) (interface{}, error) {
 }
 
 type amqpSink struct {
+	cfg   *AmqpSinkConfig
 	conn  *amqp.Connection
 	ch    *amqp.Channel
 	queue amqp.Queue
+	join  chan struct{}
 }
 
 func newAmqpSink(cfg *AmqpSinkConfig) (*amqpSink, error) {
-	conn, err := amqp.Dial(cfg.Url)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "error dialing amqp broker")
-	}
+	return &amqpSink{
+		cfg:  cfg,
+		join: make(chan struct{}),
+	}, nil
+}
 
-	ch, err := conn.Channel()
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "error getting amqp channel")
-	}
-
-	queue, err := ch.QueueDeclare(cfg.QueueName, true, false, false, false, nil)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "error declaring queue")
-	}
-
-	return &amqpSink{conn, ch, queue}, nil
+func (s *amqpSink) Start() (join chan struct{}, err error) {
+	logrus.Info("started")
+	return s.join, nil
 }
 
 func (s *amqpSink) Handle(event ZitiEventJson) error {
@@ -64,3 +59,29 @@ func (s *amqpSink) Handle(event ZitiEventJson) error {
 		Body:        []byte(event),
 	})
 }
+
+func (s *amqpSink) Stop() {
+	close(s.join)
+	logrus.Info("stopped")
+}
+
+func (s *amqpSink) connect() (err error) {
+	s.conn, err = amqp.Dial(s.cfg.Url)
+	if err != nil {
+		return errors.Wrap(err, "error dialing amqp broker")
+	}
+
+	s.ch, err = s.conn.Channel()
+	if err != nil {
+		return errors.Wrap(err, "error getting amqp channel")
+	}
+
+	s.queue, err = s.ch.QueueDeclare(s.cfg.QueueName, true, false, false, false, nil)
+	if err != nil {
+		return errors.Wrap(err, "error declaring queue")
+	}
+
+	logrus.Infof("connected to amqp broker at '%v'", s.cfg.Url)
+
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/controller/metrics/bridge.go b/controller/metrics/bridge.go
index 0348a8ef..047cba45 100644
--- a/controller/metrics/bridge.go
+++ b/controller/metrics/bridge.go
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ type Bridge struct {
 	src     ZitiEventJsonSource
 	srcJoin chan struct{}
 	snk     ZitiEventJsonSink
+	snkJoin chan struct{}
 	events  chan ZitiEventMsg
 	close   chan struct{}
 	join    chan struct{}
@@ -39,6 +40,9 @@ func NewBridge(cfg *BridgeConfig) (*Bridge, error) {
 }
 
 func (b *Bridge) Start() (join chan struct{}, err error) {
+	if b.snkJoin, err = b.snk.Start(); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
 	if b.srcJoin, err = b.src.Start(b.events); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -72,7 +76,9 @@ func (b *Bridge) Start() (join chan struct{}, err error) {
 
 func (b *Bridge) Stop() {
 	b.src.Stop()
+	b.snk.Stop()
 	close(b.close)
 	<-b.srcJoin
+	<-b.snkJoin
 	<-b.join
 }
diff --git a/controller/metrics/model.go b/controller/metrics/model.go
index 4e62776a..3113d621 100644
--- a/controller/metrics/model.go
+++ b/controller/metrics/model.go
@@ -79,5 +79,7 @@ type ZitiEventJsonSource interface {
 }
 
 type ZitiEventJsonSink interface {
+	Start() (join chan struct{}, err error)
 	Handle(event ZitiEventJson) error
+	Stop()
 }