diff --git a/plugins/status/metrics.go b/plugins/status/metrics.go
index acfbe67cf7..aa27e1cd36 100644
--- a/plugins/status/metrics.go
+++ b/plugins/status/metrics.go
@@ -60,6 +60,21 @@ var (
 		Help:    "Histogram for the bundle loading duration by stage.",
 		Buckets: prometheus.ExponentialBuckets(1000, 2, 20),
 	}, []string{"name", "stage"})
+
+	// allCollectors is a list of all collectors maintained by the status plugin.
+	// Note: when adding a new collector, make sure to also add it to this list,
+	// or it won't survive status plugin reconfigure events.
+	allCollectors = []prometheus.Collector{
+		opaInfo,
+		pluginStatus,
+		loaded,
+		failLoad,
+		lastRequest,
+		lastSuccessfulActivation,
+		lastSuccessfulDownload,
+		lastSuccessfulRequest,
+		bundleLoadDuration,
+	}
 )
 
 func init() {
diff --git a/plugins/status/plugin.go b/plugins/status/plugin.go
index 21be29a781..a783758911 100644
--- a/plugins/status/plugin.go
+++ b/plugins/status/plugin.go
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ type Plugin struct {
 	lastPluginStatuses     map[string]*plugins.Status
 	queryCh                chan chan *UpdateRequestV1
 	stop                   chan chan struct{}
-	reconfig               chan interface{}
+	reconfig               chan reconfigure
 	metrics                metrics.Metrics
 	logger                 logging.Logger
 	trigger                chan trigger
@@ -73,6 +73,11 @@ type Config struct {
 	Trigger       *plugins.TriggerMode `json:"trigger,omitempty"` // trigger mode
 }
 
+type reconfigure struct {
+	config interface{}
+	done   chan struct{}
+}
+
 type trigger struct {
 	ctx  context.Context
 	done chan error
@@ -198,7 +203,7 @@ func New(parsedConfig *Config, manager *plugins.Manager) *Plugin {
 		discoCh:        make(chan bundle.Status),
 		decisionLogsCh: make(chan lstat.Status),
 		stop:           make(chan chan struct{}),
-		reconfig:       make(chan interface{}),
+		reconfig:       make(chan reconfigure),
 		pluginStatusCh: make(chan map[string]*plugins.Status),
 		queryCh:        make(chan chan *UpdateRequestV1),
 		logger:         manager.Logger().WithFields(map[string]interface{}{"plugin": Name}),
@@ -237,10 +242,8 @@ func (p *Plugin) Start(ctx context.Context) error {
 	// to prevent blocking threads pushing the plugin updates.
 	p.manager.RegisterPluginStatusListener(Name, p.UpdatePluginStatus)
 
-	if p.config.Prometheus && p.manager.PrometheusRegister() != nil {
-		p.register(p.manager.PrometheusRegister(), opaInfo, pluginStatus, loaded, failLoad,
-			lastRequest, lastSuccessfulActivation, lastSuccessfulDownload,
-			lastSuccessfulRequest, bundleLoadDuration)
+	if p.config.Prometheus {
+		p.registerAll()
 	}
 
 	// Set the status plugin's status to OK now that everything is registered and
@@ -258,6 +261,24 @@ func (p *Plugin) register(r prom.Registerer, cs ...prom.Collector) {
 	}
 }
 
+func (p *Plugin) registerAll() {
+	if p.manager.PrometheusRegister() != nil {
+		p.register(p.manager.PrometheusRegister(), allCollectors...)
+	}
+}
+
+func (p *Plugin) unregister(r prom.Registerer, cs ...prom.Collector) {
+	for _, c := range cs {
+		r.Unregister(c)
+	}
+}
+
+func (p *Plugin) unregisterAll() {
+	if p.manager.PrometheusRegister() != nil {
+		p.unregister(p.manager.PrometheusRegister(), allCollectors...)
+	}
+}
+
 // Stop stops the plugin.
 func (p *Plugin) Stop(ctx context.Context) {
 	p.logger.Info("Stopping status reporter.")
@@ -296,7 +317,9 @@ func (p *Plugin) UpdatePluginStatus(status map[string]*plugins.Status) {
 
 // Reconfigure notifies the plugin with a new configuration.
 func (p *Plugin) Reconfigure(_ context.Context, config interface{}) {
-	p.reconfig <- config
+	done := make(chan struct{})
+	p.reconfig <- reconfigure{config: config, done: done}
+	<-done
 }
 
 // Snapshot returns the current status.
@@ -378,8 +401,9 @@ func (p *Plugin) loop() {
 					p.logger.Info("Status update sent successfully in response to discovery update.")
 				}
 			}
-		case newConfig := <-p.reconfig:
-			p.reconfigure(newConfig)
+		case update := <-p.reconfig:
+			p.reconfigure(update.config)
+			update.done <- struct{}{}
 		case respCh := <-p.queryCh:
 			respCh <- p.snapshot()
 		case update := <-p.trigger:
@@ -451,6 +475,13 @@ func (p *Plugin) reconfigure(config interface{}) {
 	}
 
 	p.logger.Info("Status reporter configuration changed.")
+
+	if newConfig.Prometheus && !p.config.Prometheus {
+		p.registerAll()
+	} else if !newConfig.Prometheus && p.config.Prometheus {
+		p.unregisterAll()
+	}
+
 	p.config = *newConfig
 }
 
diff --git a/plugins/status/plugin_go1.17_test.go b/plugins/status/plugin_go1.17_test.go
index b4008c2efa..961b27225f 100644
--- a/plugins/status/plugin_go1.17_test.go
+++ b/plugins/status/plugin_go1.17_test.go
@@ -110,6 +110,38 @@ func TestPluginPrometheus(t *testing.T) {
 	if pluginsStatus != 1 {
 		t.Fatalf("Unexpected number of plugins (%v), got %v", 1, pluginsStatus)
 	}
+
+	// Assert that metrics are purged when prometheus is disabled
+	prometheusDisabledConfig := newConfig(fixture.manager, func(c *Config) {
+		c.Prometheus = false
+	})
+	fixture.plugin.Reconfigure(ctx, prometheusDisabledConfig)
+	eventually(t, func() bool { return fixture.plugin.config.Prometheus == false })
+
+	if len(registerMock.Collectors) != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("Number of collectors expected (%v), got %v", 0, len(registerMock.Collectors))
+	}
+
+	// Assert that metrics are re-registered when prometheus is re-enabled
+	prometheusReenabledConfig := newConfig(fixture.manager, func(c *Config) {
+		c.Prometheus = true
+	})
+	fixture.plugin.Reconfigure(ctx, prometheusReenabledConfig)
+	eventually(t, func() bool { return fixture.plugin.config.Prometheus == true })
+
+	if len(registerMock.Collectors) != 9 {
+		t.Fatalf("Number of collectors expected (%v), got %v", 9, len(registerMock.Collectors))
+	}
+}
+
+func eventually(t *testing.T, predicate func() bool) {
+	for i := 0; i < 100; i++ {
+		if predicate() {
+			return
+		}
+		time.Sleep(time.Millisecond * 10)
+	}
+	t.Fatal("check took too long")
 }
 
 func assertOpInformationGauge(t *testing.T, registerMock *prometheusRegisterMock) {
diff --git a/plugins/status/plugin_test.go b/plugins/status/plugin_test.go
index 06344d8480..4344c74d2d 100644
--- a/plugins/status/plugin_test.go
+++ b/plugins/status/plugin_test.go
@@ -779,14 +779,7 @@ func newTestFixture(t *testing.T, m metrics.Metrics, options ...testPluginCustom
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
-	pluginConfig := []byte(`{
-			"service": "example",
-		}`)
-
-	config, _ := ParseConfig(pluginConfig, manager.Services(), nil)
-	for _, option := range options {
-		option(config)
-	}
+	config := newConfig(manager, options...)
 
 	p := New(config, manager).WithMetrics(m)
 
@@ -798,6 +791,19 @@ func newTestFixture(t *testing.T, m metrics.Metrics, options ...testPluginCustom
 
 }
 
+func newConfig(manager *plugins.Manager, options ...testPluginCustomizer) *Config {
+	pluginConfig := []byte(`{
+			"service": "example",
+		}`)
+
+	config, _ := ParseConfig(pluginConfig, manager.Services(), nil)
+	for _, option := range options {
+		option(config)
+	}
+
+	return config
+}
+
 type testServer struct {
 	t       *testing.T
 	expCode int