diff --git a/flusher.go b/flusher.go
index 5ae92da37..83166dd92 100644
--- a/flusher.go
+++ b/flusher.go
@@ -11,6 +11,9 @@ import (
 	"sync/atomic"
 	"time"
 
+	"github.com/stripe/veneur/internal/metricsClient"
+	"github.com/stripe/veneur/trace/metrics"
+
 	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 	"github.com/stripe/veneur/forwardrpc"
 	vhttp "github.com/stripe/veneur/http"
@@ -19,7 +22,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/stripe/veneur/sinks"
 	"github.com/stripe/veneur/ssf"
 	"github.com/stripe/veneur/trace"
-	"github.com/stripe/veneur/trace/metrics"
 	"google.golang.org/grpc/status"
 )
 
@@ -31,9 +33,12 @@ func (s *Server) Flush(ctx context.Context) {
 	mem := &runtime.MemStats{}
 	runtime.ReadMemStats(mem)
 
+	// Just an example of usage for comparison purposes. In practice, we'd inject this into server and not
+	// construct it in the hot path. Will undo before land.
+	mc := metricsClient.NewSSFDirectClient(s.TraceClient)
 	s.Statsd.Gauge("worker.span_chan.total_elements", float64(len(s.SpanChan)), nil, 1.0)
 	s.Statsd.Gauge("worker.span_chan.total_capacity", float64(cap(s.SpanChan)), nil, 1.0)
-	s.Statsd.Gauge("gc.number", float64(mem.NumGC), nil, 1.0)
+	mc.Gauge("gc.number", float32(mem.NumGC), nil)
 	s.Statsd.Gauge("gc.pause_total_ns", float64(mem.PauseTotalNs), nil, 1.0)
 	s.Statsd.Gauge("mem.heap_alloc_bytes", float64(mem.HeapAlloc), nil, 1.0)
 
@@ -457,9 +462,10 @@ func (s *Server) forwardGRPC(ctx context.Context, wms []WorkerMetrics) {
 		metrics = append(metrics, wm.ForwardableMetrics(s.TraceClient)...)
 	}
 
+	// again, just a sample integration
+	mc := metricsClient.NewSSFAddingClient(span)
+	mc.Timing("forward.duration_ns", time.Since(exportStart), map[string]string{"part": "export"})
 	span.Add(
-		ssf.Timing("forward.duration_ns", time.Since(exportStart),
-			time.Nanosecond, map[string]string{"part": "export"}),
 		ssf.Gauge("forward.metrics_total", float32(len(metrics)), nil),
 		// Maintain compatibility with metrics used in HTTP-based forwarding
 		ssf.Count("forward.post_metrics_total", float32(len(metrics)), nil),
diff --git a/internal/metricsClient/client.go b/internal/metricsClient/client.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7fe3222fc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/metricsClient/client.go
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+// package metricsClient exports a metrics client capable
+package metricsClient
+
+import (
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/stripe/veneur/trace"
+	"github.com/stripe/veneur/trace/metrics"
+
+	"github.com/stripe/veneur/ssf"
+)
+
+// NewSSFAddingClient returns a SSFAddingClient that attaches metrics to an object
+// that supports the Sampler interface.
+//
+// This exists for compatability with the existing convention of adding metrics
+// to a Trace or SSFSample object which is later submitted in batch.
+//
+// Unlike the normal metric client, SSFAddingClient assumes the client will submit
+// the sampler.
+func NewSSFAddingClient(sampler Sampler) SSFAddingClient {
+	return SSFAddingClient{sampler}
+}
+
+type SSFAddingClient struct {
+	adder Sampler
+}
+
+func (s SSFAddingClient) Count(name string, incr float32, tags map[string]string) {
+	s.adder.Add(ssf.Count(name, incr, tags))
+}
+
+func (s SSFAddingClient) Gauge(name string, value float32, tags map[string]string) {
+	s.adder.Add(ssf.Gauge(name, value, tags))
+}
+
+func (s SSFAddingClient) Timing(name string, duration time.Duration, tags map[string]string) {
+	s.adder.Add(ssf.Timing(name, duration, time.Nanosecond, tags))
+}
+
+type Sampler interface {
+	Add(...*ssf.SSFSample)
+}
+
+// NewSSFDirectClient returns a SSFDirectClient that submits metrics directly using
+// the trace client.
+func NewSSFDirectClient(tc *trace.Client) SSFDirectClient {
+	return SSFDirectClient{tc}
+}
+
+type SSFDirectClient struct {
+	tc *trace.Client
+}
+
+func (s SSFDirectClient) Count(name string, incr float32, tags map[string]string) {
+	metrics.ReportOne(s.tc, ssf.Count(name, incr, tags))
+}
+
+func (s SSFDirectClient) Gauge(name string, value float32, tags map[string]string) {
+	metrics.ReportOne(s.tc, ssf.Gauge(name, value, tags))
+}
+
+func (s SSFDirectClient) Timing(name string, duration time.Duration, tags map[string]string) {
+	metrics.ReportOne(s.tc, ssf.Timing(name, duration, time.Nanosecond, tags))
+}