diff --git a/Documentation/dev-plugins.txt b/Documentation/dev-plugins.txt
index b6b7d677ab..d085731d00 100644
--- a/Documentation/dev-plugins.txt
+++ b/Documentation/dev-plugins.txt
@@ -2217,6 +2217,9 @@ Metric recording time spent on an operation.
 +
 Metric recording statistical distribution (rate) of values.
 
+Note that metrics cannot be recorded from plugin init steps that
+are run during site initialization.
+
 Plugin metrics are recorded under `plugins/${plugin-name}/${metric-name}`.
 
 See the replication metrics in the
diff --git a/gerrit-pgm/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/pgm/init/BaseInit.java b/gerrit-pgm/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/pgm/init/BaseInit.java
index 8ccdebce4a..f625f7548e 100644
--- a/gerrit-pgm/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/pgm/init/BaseInit.java
+++ b/gerrit-pgm/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/pgm/init/BaseInit.java
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@ import com.google.common.base.MoreObjects;
 import com.google.common.base.Strings;
 import com.google.gerrit.common.Die;
 import com.google.gerrit.common.IoUtil;
+import com.google.gerrit.metrics.DisabledMetricMaker;
+import com.google.gerrit.metrics.MetricMaker;
 import com.google.gerrit.pgm.init.api.ConsoleUI;
 import com.google.gerrit.pgm.init.api.InitFlags;
 import com.google.gerrit.pgm.init.api.InstallAllPlugins;
@@ -274,6 +276,8 @@ public class BaseInit extends SiteProgram {
             LibraryDownload.class).toInstance(getSkippedDownloads());
         bind(Boolean.class).annotatedWith(
             LibraryDownload.class).toInstance(skipAllDownloads());
+
+        bind(MetricMaker.class).to(DisabledMetricMaker.class);
       }
     });