diff --git a/plugins/inputs/nsq/nsq.go b/plugins/inputs/nsq/nsq.go
index 11399ffaa221c..e53c0ca04d078 100644
--- a/plugins/inputs/nsq/nsq.go
+++ b/plugins/inputs/nsq/nsq.go
@@ -68,13 +68,17 @@ const (
 
 func init() {
 	inputs.Add("nsq", func() telegraf.Input {
-		return &NSQ{
-			httpClientOnce: &sync.Once{},
-			tlsConfigOnce:  &sync.Once{},
-		}
+		return New()
 	})
 }
 
+func New() *NSQ {
+	return &NSQ{
+		httpClientOnce: &sync.Once{},
+		tlsConfigOnce:  &sync.Once{},
+	}
+}
+
 func (n *NSQ) SampleConfig() string {
 	return sampleConfig
 }
diff --git a/plugins/inputs/nsq/nsq_test.go b/plugins/inputs/nsq/nsq_test.go
index f3e9ce8689a64..1d3b541e5f1ce 100644
--- a/plugins/inputs/nsq/nsq_test.go
+++ b/plugins/inputs/nsq/nsq_test.go
@@ -19,9 +19,8 @@ func TestNSQStatsV1(t *testing.T) {
 	}))
 	defer ts.Close()
 
-	n := &NSQ{
-		Endpoints: []string{ts.URL},
-	}
+	n := New()
+	n.Endpoints = []string{ts.URL}
 
 	var acc testutil.Accumulator
 	err := acc.GatherError(n.Gather)
@@ -276,9 +275,8 @@ func TestNSQStatsPreV1(t *testing.T) {
 	}))
 	defer ts.Close()
 
-	n := &NSQ{
-		Endpoints: []string{ts.URL},
-	}
+	n := New()
+	n.Endpoints = []string{ts.URL}
 
 	var acc testutil.Accumulator
 	err := acc.GatherError(n.Gather)