diff --git a/src/index.ts b/src/index.ts
index ba89a06..0a0e7c4 100644
--- a/src/index.ts
+++ b/src/index.ts
@@ -19,9 +19,10 @@ export interface PrometheusMetricsInit {
   collectDefaultMetrics?: boolean
 
   /**
-   * prom-client options to pass to the `collectDefaultMetrics` function
+   * prom-client options to pass to the `collectDefaultMetrics` function.
+   * Set to `false` to disable `collectDefaultMetrics`.
    */
-  defaultMetrics?: DefaultMetricsCollectorConfiguration
+  defaultMetrics?: DefaultMetricsCollectorConfiguration | false
 
   /**
    * All metrics in prometheus are global so to prevent clashes in naming
@@ -40,9 +41,9 @@ class PrometheusMetrics implements Metrics {
       register.clear()
     }
 
-    if (init?.preserveExistingMetrics !== false) {
+    if (init?.preserveExistingMetrics !== false || init?.defaultMetrics === false) {
       log('Collecting default metrics')
-      collectDefaultMetrics(init?.defaultMetrics)
+      collectDefaultMetrics(init?.defaultMetrics as DefaultMetricsCollectorConfiguration)
     }
 
     // holds global and per-protocol sent/received stats