diff --git a/src/quicr_client_raw_session.cpp b/src/quicr_client_raw_session.cpp
index 9a2c4284..07e014a6 100644
--- a/src/quicr_client_raw_session.cpp
+++ b/src/quicr_client_raw_session.cpp
@@ -244,6 +244,8 @@ ClientRawSession::connecting() const
 void
 ClientRawSession::runPublishMeasurements()
 {
+  if (!metrics_namespace) return;
+
   LOGGER_INFO(logger, "Starting metrics thread");
   _metrics_thread = std::thread([this]{
     while (!stopping)
@@ -338,6 +340,8 @@ ClientRawSession::runPublishMeasurements()
 void
 ClientRawSession::publishMeasurement(const Measurement& measurement)
 {
+  if (!metrics_namespace) return;
+
   const json measurement_json = measurement;
   const std::string measurement_str = measurement_json.dump();
   quicr::bytes measurement_bytes(measurement_str.begin(), measurement_str.end());
@@ -347,7 +351,7 @@ ClientRawSession::publishMeasurement(const Measurement& measurement)
   trace.reserve(10);
   trace.push_back({"libquicr:publishMetrics:begin", start_time});
 
-  publishNamedObject(metrics_namespace, 31, 500, std::move(measurement_bytes), std::move(trace));
+  publishNamedObject(*metrics_namespace, 31, 500, std::move(measurement_bytes), std::move(trace));
 }
 
 /*===========================================================================*/
@@ -1013,7 +1017,15 @@ ClientRawSession::handle(std::optional<uint64_t> stream_id,
                    << " relay_id: " << response.relay_id
                    << std::flush;
 
-      publishIntent(std::make_shared<MetricsPublishDelegate>(*this), metrics_namespace, "", "", {}, TransportMode::ReliablePerTrack, 31);
+      if (metrics_namespace) {
+        publishIntent(std::make_shared<MetricsPublishDelegate>(*this),
+                      *metrics_namespace,
+                      "",
+                      "",
+                      {},
+                      TransportMode::ReliablePerTrack,
+                      31);
+      }
       break;
     }
     case messages::MessageType::SubscribeResponse: {
diff --git a/src/quicr_client_raw_session.h b/src/quicr_client_raw_session.h
index f1bb25d5..6417d1c5 100644
--- a/src/quicr_client_raw_session.h
+++ b/src/quicr_client_raw_session.h
@@ -375,7 +375,7 @@ class ClientRawSession
   friend MetricsPublishDelegate;
 
   std::thread _metrics_thread;
-  quicr::Namespace metrics_namespace;
+  std::optional<quicr::Namespace> metrics_namespace;
   Measurement connection_measurement;
   std::map<qtransport::DataContextId, Measurement> data_measurements;
 
diff --git a/src/quicr_server_raw_session.cpp b/src/quicr_server_raw_session.cpp
index b30cc489..74e31034 100644
--- a/src/quicr_server_raw_session.cpp
+++ b/src/quicr_server_raw_session.cpp
@@ -111,7 +111,10 @@ ServerRawSession::run()
     std::this_thread::sleep_for(std::chrono::milliseconds(100));
   }
 
-  runPublishMeasurements();
+  if (metrics_namespace)
+  {
+    runPublishMeasurements();
+  }
 
   return transport->status() == qtransport::TransportStatus::Ready;
 }
@@ -801,7 +804,7 @@ ServerRawSession::publishMeasurement(const Measurement& measurement)
   quicr::bytes measurement_bytes(measurement_str.begin(), measurement_str.end());
 
   messages::PublishDatagram datagram;
-  datagram.header.name = metrics_namespace;
+  datagram.header.name = *metrics_namespace;
   datagram.header.media_id = 0;
   datagram.header.group_id = 0;
   datagram.header.object_id = 0;
diff --git a/src/quicr_server_raw_session.h b/src/quicr_server_raw_session.h
index e34cea4e..8d598db9 100644
--- a/src/quicr_server_raw_session.h
+++ b/src/quicr_server_raw_session.h
@@ -293,7 +293,7 @@ class ServerRawSession : public ServerSession
   uint64_t _subscriber_id{ 0 };
 
   std::thread _metrics_thread;
-  quicr::Namespace metrics_namespace = std::string_view("0xA11CEB0B000000000000000000000000/80");
+  std::optional<quicr::Namespace> metrics_namespace;
   std::map<qtransport::TransportConnId, Measurement> conn_measurements;
   std::map<qtransport::TransportConnId, std::map<qtransport::DataContextId, Measurement>> data_measurements;