diff --git a/changelog.d/20241122_105538_rra_DM_47716.md b/changelog.d/20241122_105538_rra_DM_47716.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d5bb2d7e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/20241122_105538_rra_DM_47716.md
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+### Bug fixes
+
+- Move metrics reporting for hot-path authentication events to a background task so that it happens in parallel with the HTTP response.
diff --git a/src/gafaelfawr/handlers/ingress.py b/src/gafaelfawr/handlers/ingress.py
index 23d10aa9..8c25bd38 100644
--- a/src/gafaelfawr/handlers/ingress.py
+++ b/src/gafaelfawr/handlers/ingress.py
@@ -12,8 +12,15 @@
 from datetime import timedelta
 from typing import Annotated
 
-import sentry_sdk
-from fastapi import APIRouter, Depends, Header, HTTPException, Query, Response
+from fastapi import (
+    APIRouter,
+    BackgroundTasks,
+    Depends,
+    Header,
+    HTTPException,
+    Query,
+    Response,
+)
 from safir.datetime import current_datetime
 from safir.models import ErrorModel
 from safir.slack.webhook import SlackRouteErrorHandler
@@ -27,7 +34,7 @@
 from ..constants import MINIMUM_LIFETIME
 from ..dependencies.auth import AuthenticateRead
 from ..dependencies.context import RequestContext, context_dependency
-from ..events import AuthBotEvent, AuthUserEvent
+from ..events import AuthBotEvent, AuthUserEvent, FrontendEvents
 from ..exceptions import (
     ExternalUserInfoError,
     InsufficientScopeError,
@@ -305,6 +312,30 @@ async def authenticate_with_type(
     return await authenticate(context=context)
 
 
+async def publish_auth_event(
+    events: FrontendEvents, auth_config: AuthConfig, token_data: TokenData
+) -> None:
+    """Publish metrics events for a successful authentication.
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    events
+        Event manager.
+    auth_config
+        Requested authentication parameters.
+    token_data
+        Successful authentication data.
+    """
+    username = token_data.username
+    service = auth_config.service
+    if is_bot_user(token_data.username):
+        bot_event = AuthBotEvent(username=username, service=service)
+        await events.auth_bot.publish(bot_event)
+    else:
+        user_event = AuthUserEvent(username=username, service=service)
+        await events.auth_user.publish(user_event)
+
+
 @router.get(
     "/ingress/auth",
     description="Meant to be used as an NGINX auth_request handler",
@@ -322,6 +353,7 @@ async def get_auth(
     token_data: Annotated[TokenData, Depends(authenticate_with_type)],
     context: Annotated[RequestContext, Depends(context_dependency)],
     response: Response,
+    background_tasks: BackgroundTasks,
 ) -> dict[str, str]:
     check_lifetime(context, auth_config, token_data)
 
@@ -360,18 +392,9 @@ async def get_auth(
     headers = await build_success_headers(context, auth_config, token_data)
     for key, value in headers:
         response.headers.append(key, value)
-
-    with sentry_sdk.start_span(name="events.publish"):
-        if is_bot_user(token_data.username):
-            bot_event = AuthBotEvent(
-                username=token_data.username, service=auth_config.service
-            )
-            await context.events.auth_bot.publish(bot_event)
-        else:
-            user_event = AuthUserEvent(
-                username=token_data.username, service=auth_config.service
-            )
-            await context.events.auth_user.publish(user_event)
+    background_tasks.add_task(
+        publish_auth_event, context.events, auth_config, token_data
+    )
     return {"status": "ok"}