diff --git a/src/builder.rs b/src/builder.rs
index d001915..a6a860d 100644
--- a/src/builder.rs
+++ b/src/builder.rs
@@ -261,10 +261,6 @@ impl StatsdBuilder {
     ///
     /// Refer to the documentation for [`MetricKindMask`](metrics_util::MetricKindMask) for more
     /// information on defining a metric kind mask.
-    ///
-    /// When a metric is rendered its value is replaced with a "zero-value" for that `MetricKind`
-    /// however any metric with a state "zero-value" will not be rendered and will be cleaned up
-    /// when its corresponding idle timeout expires.
     #[must_use]
     pub fn idle_timeout(mut self, mask: MetricKindMask, timeout: Option<Duration>) -> Self {
         self.idle_timeout = timeout;
@@ -614,7 +610,12 @@ mod tests {
         gauge1.set(-3.44);
         let rendered = handle.render();
         // each render call will reset the value of the counter
-        let expected_gauge = "basic.gauge:-3.44|g|#wutang:forever\n\n";
+        let expected_gauge = concat!(
+            "basic.counter:0|c\n",
+            "\n",
+            "basic.gauge:-3.44|g|#wutang:forever\n",
+            "\n",
+        );
         assert_eq!(rendered, expected_gauge);
 
         let key = Key::from_name("basic.histogram");
@@ -623,6 +624,8 @@ mod tests {
         let rendered = handle.render();
 
         let histogram_data = concat!(
+            "basic.counter:0|c\n\n",
+            "basic.gauge:-3.44|g|#wutang:forever\n\n",
             "basic.histogram.min:12|g\n",
             "basic.histogram.max:12|g\n",
             "basic.histogram.avg:12|g\n",
diff --git a/src/recorder.rs b/src/recorder.rs
index f26fdce..bee6205 100644
--- a/src/recorder.rs
+++ b/src/recorder.rs
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ impl Inner {
             }
 
             let (name, labels) = key_to_parts(&key, Some(&self.global_tags));
-            let value = f64::from_bits(gauge.get_inner().swap(0, Ordering::Acquire));
+            let value = f64::from_bits(gauge.get_inner().load(Ordering::Acquire));
             let entry = gauges
                 .entry(name)
                 .or_insert_with(HashMap::new)
@@ -103,9 +103,6 @@ impl Inner {
         for (name, mut by_labels) in counters.drain() {
             let mut wrote = false;
             for (labels, value) in by_labels.drain() {
-                if value == 0 {
-                    continue;
-                }
                 wrote = true;
                 write_metric_line::<&str, u64>(
                     &mut output,
@@ -128,9 +125,6 @@ impl Inner {
         for (name, mut by_labels) in gauges.drain() {
             let mut wrote = false;
             for (labels, value) in by_labels.drain() {
-                if value == 0.0 {
-                    continue;
-                }
                 wrote = true;
                 write_metric_line::<&str, f64>(
                     &mut output,
@@ -156,9 +150,6 @@ impl Inner {
                 let (sum, count) = match distribution {
                     Distribution::Summary(summary, quantiles, sum) => {
                         let count = summary.count();
-                        if count == 0 {
-                            continue;
-                        }
                         wrote = true;
                         let snapshot = summary.snapshot(Instant::now());
                         for quantile in quantiles.iter() {
@@ -192,9 +183,6 @@ impl Inner {
                     }
                     Distribution::Histogram(histogram) => {
                         let count = histogram.count();
-                        if count == 0 {
-                            continue;
-                        }
                         wrote = true;
                         for (le, count) in histogram.buckets() {
                             write_metric_line(