diff --git a/crates/http/src/layers/otel/service.rs b/crates/http/src/layers/otel/service.rs
index ff7ab24c..84102c40 100644
--- a/crates/http/src/layers/otel/service.rs
+++ b/crates/http/src/layers/otel/service.rs
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ use futures_util::{future::BoxFuture, FutureExt as _};
 use opentelemetry::{
     metrics::{Counter, Histogram, UpDownCounter},
     trace::{FutureExt as _, TraceContextExt},
+    Context, KeyValue,
 };
 use tower::Service;
 
@@ -74,6 +75,29 @@ impl<ExtractContext, InjectContext, MakeSpanBuilder, OnResponse, OnError, S>
     }
 }
 
+struct InFlightGuard {
+    context: Context,
+    meter: UpDownCounter<i64>,
+    attributes: Vec<KeyValue>,
+}
+
+impl InFlightGuard {
+    fn increment(context: &Context, meter: &UpDownCounter<i64>, attributes: &[KeyValue]) -> Self {
+        meter.add(context, 1, attributes);
+        Self {
+            context: context.clone(),
+            meter: meter.clone(),
+            attributes: attributes.to_vec(),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl Drop for InFlightGuard {
+    fn drop(&mut self) {
+        self.meter.add(&self.context, -1, &self.attributes);
+    }
+}
+
 impl<Req, S, ExtractContextT, InjectContextT, MakeSpanBuilderT, OnResponseT, OnErrorT> Service<Req>
     for Trace<ExtractContextT, InjectContextT, MakeSpanBuilderT, OnResponseT, OnErrorT, S>
 where
@@ -94,7 +118,6 @@ where
     }
 
     fn call(&mut self, request: Req) -> Self::Future {
-        let inflight_requests = self.inflight_requests.clone();
         let request_counter = self.request_counter.clone();
         let request_histogram = self.request_histogram.clone();
         let start_time = SystemTime::now();
@@ -106,7 +129,7 @@ where
         let cx = cx.with_span(span);
         let request = self.inject_context.inject_context(&cx, request);
 
-        inflight_requests.add(&cx, 1, &metrics_labels);
+        let guard = InFlightGuard::increment(&cx, &self.inflight_requests, &metrics_labels);
 
         let on_response = self.on_response.clone();
         let on_error = self.on_error.clone();
@@ -116,7 +139,9 @@ where
             .call(request)
             .with_context(cx.clone())
             .inspect(move |r| {
-                inflight_requests.add(&cx, -1, &metrics_labels);
+                // This ensures the guard gets moved to the future. In case the future panics,
+                // it will be dropped anyway, ensuring the in-flight counter stays accurate
+                let _guard = guard;
 
                 let span = cx.span();
                 let extra_labels = match r {