diff --git a/src/legacy/ui/public/vislib/visualizations/gauges/meter.js b/src/legacy/ui/public/vislib/visualizations/gauges/meter.js
index d77f72342b0f..5642c6e76c4d 100644
--- a/src/legacy/ui/public/vislib/visualizations/gauges/meter.js
+++ b/src/legacy/ui/public/vislib/visualizations/gauges/meter.js
@@ -189,6 +189,22 @@ export function MeterGaugeProvider() {
       const totalWidth = Math.abs(radius(0) - radius(1));
       const bgPadding = totalWidth * (1 - this.gaugeConfig.style.bgWidth) / 2;
       const gaugePadding = totalWidth * (1 - this.gaugeConfig.style.width) / 2;
+
+      /**
+       * Function to calculate the free space in the center of the gauge. This takes into account
+       * whether ticks are enabled or not.
+       *
+       * This is calculated using the inner diameter (radius(1) * 2) of the gauge.
+       * If ticks/scale are enabled we need to still subtract the tick length * 2 to make space for a tick
+       * on every side. If ticks/scale are disabled, the radius(1) function actually leaves space for the scale,
+       * so we add that free space (which is expressed via the paddings, we just use the larger of those) to the diameter.
+       */
+      const getInnerFreeSpace = () => (radius(1) * 2) -
+        (this.gaugeConfig.scale.show
+          ? this.gaugeConfig.scale.tickLength * 2
+          : -Math.max(bgPadding, gaugePadding) * 2
+        );
+
       const arc = d3.svg.arc()
         .startAngle(minAngle)
         .endAngle(function (d) {
@@ -201,7 +217,6 @@ export function MeterGaugeProvider() {
           return Math.max(0, radius(j) - gaugePadding);
         });
 
-
       const bgArc = d3.svg.arc()
         .startAngle(minAngle)
         .endAngle(maxAngle)
@@ -241,6 +256,35 @@ export function MeterGaugeProvider() {
       const smallContainer = svg.node().getBBox().height < 70;
       let hiddenLabels = smallContainer;
 
+      // If the value label is hidden we later want to hide also all other labels
+      // since they don't make sense as long as the actual value is hidden.
+      let valueLabelHidden = false;
+
+      gauges
+        .append('text')
+        .attr('class', 'chart-label')
+        .attr('y', -5)
+        .text(d => {
+          if (this.gaugeConfig.percentageMode) {
+            const percentage = Math.round(100 * (d.y - min) / (max - min));
+            return `${percentage}%`;
+          }
+          return data.yAxisFormatter(d.y);
+        })
+        .attr('style', 'dominant-baseline: central;')
+        .style('text-anchor', 'middle')
+        .style('font-size', '2em')
+        .style('display', function () {
+          const textLength = this.getBBox().width;
+          // The text is too long if it's larger than the inner free space minus a couple of random pixels for padding.
+          const textTooLong = textLength >= getInnerFreeSpace() - 6;
+          if (textTooLong) {
+            hiddenLabels = true;
+            valueLabelHidden = true;
+          }
+          return textTooLong ? 'none' : 'initial';
+        });
+
       if (this.gaugeConfig.labels.show) {
         svg
           .append('text')
@@ -269,33 +313,10 @@ export function MeterGaugeProvider() {
             if (textTooLong) {
               hiddenLabels = true;
             }
-            return smallContainer || textTooLong ? 'none' : 'initial';
+            return valueLabelHidden || smallContainer || textTooLong ? 'none' : 'initial';
           });
       }
 
-      gauges
-        .append('text')
-        .attr('class', 'chart-label')
-        .attr('y', -5)
-        .text(d => {
-          if (this.gaugeConfig.percentageMode) {
-            const percentage = Math.round(100 * (d.y - min) / (max - min));
-            return `${percentage}%`;
-          }
-          return data.yAxisFormatter(d.y);
-        })
-        .attr('style', 'dominant-baseline: central;')
-        .style('text-anchor', 'middle')
-        .style('font-size', '2em')
-        .style('display', function () {
-          const textLength = this.getBBox().width;
-          const textTooLong = textLength > maxRadius;
-          if (textTooLong) {
-            hiddenLabels = true;
-          }
-          return textTooLong ? 'none' : 'initial';
-        });
-
       if (this.gaugeConfig.scale.show) {
         this.drawScale(svg, radius(1), angle);
       }
diff --git a/test/functional/apps/visualize/_gauge_chart.js b/test/functional/apps/visualize/_gauge_chart.js
index d58a2cab872b..55f0d4eaac61 100644
--- a/test/functional/apps/visualize/_gauge_chart.js
+++ b/test/functional/apps/visualize/_gauge_chart.js
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ export default function ({ getService, getPageObjects }) {
       // initial metric of "Count" is selected by default
       return retry.try(async function tryingForTime() {
         const metricValue = await PageObjects.visualize.getGaugeValue();
-        expect(expectedCount).to.eql(metricValue[0].split('\n'));
+        expect(expectedCount).to.eql(metricValue);
       });
     });
 
@@ -67,16 +67,16 @@ export default function ({ getService, getPageObjects }) {
 
       await retry.try(async () => {
         expect(await PageObjects.visualize.getGaugeValue()).to.eql([
-          'win 8',
-          'win xp',
-          'win 7',
-          'ios'
+          '2,904', 'win 8',
+          '2,858', 'win xp',
+          '2,814', 'win 7',
+          '2,784', 'ios',
         ]);
       });
     });
 
     it('should show correct values for fields with fieldFormatters', async function () {
-      const expectedTexts = [ '2,904\nwin 8: Count', '0B\nwin 8: Min bytes' ];
+      const expectedTexts = [ '2,904', 'win 8: Count', '0B', 'win 8: Min bytes' ];
 
       await PageObjects.visualize.clickMetricEditor();
       await PageObjects.visualize.selectAggregation('Terms');
diff --git a/test/functional/page_objects/visualize_page.js b/test/functional/page_objects/visualize_page.js
index 94f951bd793c..8e7f0bf9bc6d 100644
--- a/test/functional/page_objects/visualize_page.js
+++ b/test/functional/page_objects/visualize_page.js
@@ -386,7 +386,12 @@ export function VisualizePageProvider({ getService, getPageObjects, updateBaseli
 
     async getGaugeValue() {
       const elements = await find.allByCssSelector('[data-test-subj="visualizationLoader"] .chart svg');
-      return await Promise.all(elements.map(async element => await element.getVisibleText()));
+      const values = await Promise.all(elements.map(async element => {
+        const text = await element.getVisibleText();
+        return text.split('\n');
+      }));
+      // .flat() replacement
+      return values.reduce((acc, val) => [...acc, ...val], []);
     }
 
     async clickMetricEditor() {