diff --git a/src/aggregator/client/queue.go b/src/aggregator/client/queue.go
index b3aadeb2b3..d1dbcb88b4 100644
--- a/src/aggregator/client/queue.go
+++ b/src/aggregator/client/queue.go
@@ -34,12 +34,6 @@ import (
 	"go.uber.org/zap"
 )
 
-const (
-	// By default we use 6 buckets for the queue size histogram metrics
-	// to achieve a good balance between metric granularity and overhead.
-	defaultQueueSizeNumBuckets = 6
-)
-
 var (
 	errInstanceQueueClosed = errors.New("instance queue is closed")
 	errWriterQueueFull     = errors.New("writer queue is full")
@@ -101,6 +95,9 @@ type instanceQueue interface {
 	// Enqueue enqueues a data buffer.
 	Enqueue(buf protobuf.Buffer) error
 
+	// Size returns the number of items in the queue.
+	Size() int
+
 	// Close closes the queue, it blocks until the queue is drained.
 	Close() error
 }
@@ -154,9 +151,11 @@ func newInstanceQueue(instance placement.Instance, opts Options) instanceQueue {
 	}
 	q.writeFn = q.conn.Write
 
-	q.wg.Add(2)
-	go q.drain()
-	go q.reportQueueSize(iOpts.ReportInterval())
+	q.wg.Add(1)
+	go func() {
+		defer q.wg.Done()
+		q.drain()
+	}()
 
 	return q
 }
@@ -199,15 +198,15 @@ func (q *queue) Enqueue(buf protobuf.Buffer) error {
 func (q *queue) Close() error {
 	q.Lock()
 	if q.closed {
-		q.Unlock()
 		return errInstanceQueueClosed
 	}
 	q.closed = true
-	close(q.doneCh)
-	close(q.bufCh)
 	q.Unlock()
 
+	close(q.doneCh)
 	q.wg.Wait()
+
+	close(q.bufCh)
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -230,7 +229,6 @@ func (q *queue) writeAndReset() {
 }
 
 func (q *queue) drain() {
-	defer q.wg.Done()
 	defer q.conn.Close()
 	timer := time.NewTimer(q.batchFlushDeadline)
 	lastDrain := time.Now()
@@ -271,24 +269,11 @@ func (q *queue) drain() {
 	}
 }
 
-func (q *queue) reportQueueSize(reportInterval time.Duration) {
-	defer q.wg.Done()
-
-	ticker := time.NewTicker(reportInterval)
-	defer ticker.Stop()
-
-	for {
-		select {
-		case <-ticker.C:
-			q.metrics.queueLen.RecordValue(float64(len(q.bufCh)))
-		case <-q.doneCh:
-			return
-		}
-	}
+func (q *queue) Size() int {
+	return len(q.bufCh)
 }
 
 type queueMetrics struct {
-	queueLen              tally.Histogram
 	enqueueSuccesses      tally.Counter
 	enqueueOldestDropped  tally.Counter
 	enqueueCurrentDropped tally.Counter
@@ -298,15 +283,9 @@ type queueMetrics struct {
 }
 
 func newQueueMetrics(s tally.Scope, queueSize int) queueMetrics {
-	numBuckets := defaultQueueSizeNumBuckets
-	if queueSize < numBuckets {
-		numBuckets = queueSize
-	}
-	buckets := tally.MustMakeLinearValueBuckets(0, float64(queueSize/numBuckets), numBuckets)
 	enqueueScope := s.Tagged(map[string]string{"action": "enqueue"})
 	connWriteScope := s.Tagged(map[string]string{"action": "conn-write"})
 	return queueMetrics{
-		queueLen:         s.Histogram("queue-length", buckets),
 		enqueueSuccesses: enqueueScope.Counter("successes"),
 		enqueueOldestDropped: enqueueScope.Tagged(map[string]string{"drop-type": "oldest"}).
 			Counter("dropped"),
diff --git a/src/aggregator/client/queue_mock.go b/src/aggregator/client/queue_mock.go
index 906b90625a..b40fbeb653 100644
--- a/src/aggregator/client/queue_mock.go
+++ b/src/aggregator/client/queue_mock.go
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 // Code generated by MockGen. DO NOT EDIT.
 // Source: github.com/m3db/m3/src/aggregator/client/queue.go
 
-// Copyright (c) 2018 Uber Technologies, Inc.
+// Copyright (c) 2020 Uber Technologies, Inc.
 //
 // Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
 // of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
@@ -69,6 +69,20 @@ func (mr *MockinstanceQueueMockRecorder) Enqueue(buf interface{}) *gomock.Call {
 	return mr.mock.ctrl.RecordCallWithMethodType(mr.mock, "Enqueue", reflect.TypeOf((*MockinstanceQueue)(nil).Enqueue), buf)
 }
 
+// Size mocks base method
+func (m *MockinstanceQueue) Size() int {
+	m.ctrl.T.Helper()
+	ret := m.ctrl.Call(m, "Size")
+	ret0, _ := ret[0].(int)
+	return ret0
+}
+
+// Size indicates an expected call of Size
+func (mr *MockinstanceQueueMockRecorder) Size() *gomock.Call {
+	mr.mock.ctrl.T.Helper()
+	return mr.mock.ctrl.RecordCallWithMethodType(mr.mock, "Size", reflect.TypeOf((*MockinstanceQueue)(nil).Size))
+}
+
 // Close mocks base method
 func (m *MockinstanceQueue) Close() error {
 	m.ctrl.T.Helper()
diff --git a/src/aggregator/client/tcp_client_test.go b/src/aggregator/client/tcp_client_test.go
index a36a5c6020..b1e5db411d 100644
--- a/src/aggregator/client/tcp_client_test.go
+++ b/src/aggregator/client/tcp_client_test.go
@@ -845,7 +845,7 @@ func testTCPClientOptions() Options {
 	plOpts := placement.NewStagedPlacementWatcherOptions().
 		SetStagedPlacementStore(store).
 		SetStagedPlacementKey(placementKey).
-		SetInitWatchTimeout(time.Nanosecond)
+		SetInitWatchTimeout(time.Millisecond)
 	return NewOptions().
 		SetClockOptions(clock.NewOptions()).
 		SetConnectionOptions(testConnectionOptions()).
diff --git a/src/aggregator/client/writer.go b/src/aggregator/client/writer.go
index 4d94a69319..4db58ae8ea 100644
--- a/src/aggregator/client/writer.go
+++ b/src/aggregator/client/writer.go
@@ -51,6 +51,9 @@ type instanceWriter interface {
 	// Flush flushes any buffered metrics.
 	Flush() error
 
+	// QueueSize returns the size of the instance queue.
+	QueueSize() int
+
 	// Close closes the writer.
 	Close() error
 }
@@ -154,6 +157,10 @@ func (w *writer) Close() error {
 	return w.queue.Close()
 }
 
+func (w *writer) QueueSize() int {
+	return w.queue.Size()
+}
+
 func (w *writer) encodeWithLock(
 	encoder *lockedEncoder,
 	payload payloadUnion,
diff --git a/src/aggregator/client/writer_benchmark_test.go b/src/aggregator/client/writer_benchmark_test.go
index 37f5194e26..0a44d192b7 100644
--- a/src/aggregator/client/writer_benchmark_test.go
+++ b/src/aggregator/client/writer_benchmark_test.go
@@ -150,6 +150,7 @@ type testNoOpQueue struct{}
 
 func (q testNoOpQueue) Enqueue(protobuf.Buffer) error { return nil }
 func (q testNoOpQueue) Close() error                  { return nil }
+func (q testNoOpQueue) Size() int                     { return 0 }
 
 type testSerialWriter struct {
 	*writer
diff --git a/src/aggregator/client/writer_mgr.go b/src/aggregator/client/writer_mgr.go
index 7be59aeedc..249236902a 100644
--- a/src/aggregator/client/writer_mgr.go
+++ b/src/aggregator/client/writer_mgr.go
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"sync"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/m3db/m3/src/cluster/placement"
 	xerrors "github.com/m3db/m3/src/x/errors"
@@ -35,6 +36,12 @@ var (
 	errInstanceWriterManagerClosed = errors.New("instance writer manager closed")
 )
 
+const (
+	_queueMetricReportInterval = 10 * time.Second
+	_queueMetricBuckets        = 8
+	_queueMetricBucketStart    = 64
+)
+
 // instanceWriterManager manages instance writers.
 type instanceWriterManager interface {
 	// AddInstances adds instances.
@@ -60,9 +67,15 @@ type instanceWriterManager interface {
 type writerManagerMetrics struct {
 	instancesAdded   tally.Counter
 	instancesRemoved tally.Counter
+	queueLen         tally.Histogram
 }
 
 func newWriterManagerMetrics(scope tally.Scope) writerManagerMetrics {
+	buckets := append(
+		tally.ValueBuckets{0},
+		tally.MustMakeExponentialValueBuckets(_queueMetricBucketStart, 2, _queueMetricBuckets)...,
+	)
+
 	return writerManagerMetrics{
 		instancesAdded: scope.Tagged(map[string]string{
 			"action": "add",
@@ -70,12 +83,14 @@ func newWriterManagerMetrics(scope tally.Scope) writerManagerMetrics {
 		instancesRemoved: scope.Tagged(map[string]string{
 			"action": "remove",
 		}).Counter("instances"),
+		queueLen: scope.Histogram("queue-length", buckets),
 	}
 }
 
 type writerManager struct {
 	sync.RWMutex
-
+	wg      sync.WaitGroup
+	doneCh  chan struct{}
 	opts    Options
 	writers map[string]*refCountedWriter
 	closed  bool
@@ -83,11 +98,15 @@ type writerManager struct {
 }
 
 func newInstanceWriterManager(opts Options) instanceWriterManager {
-	return &writerManager{
+	wm := &writerManager{
 		opts:    opts,
 		writers: make(map[string]*refCountedWriter),
 		metrics: newWriterManagerMetrics(opts.InstrumentOptions().MetricsScope()),
+		doneCh:  make(chan struct{}),
 	}
+	wm.wg.Add(1)
+	go wm.reportMetricsLoop()
+	return wm
 }
 
 func (mgr *writerManager) AddInstances(instances []placement.Instance) error {
@@ -173,14 +192,45 @@ func (mgr *writerManager) Flush() error {
 
 func (mgr *writerManager) Close() error {
 	mgr.Lock()
-	defer mgr.Unlock()
 
 	if mgr.closed {
+		mgr.Unlock()
 		return errInstanceWriterManagerClosed
 	}
+
 	mgr.closed = true
 	for _, writer := range mgr.writers {
 		writer.Close()
 	}
+
+	close(mgr.doneCh)
+	mgr.Unlock()
+	mgr.wg.Wait()
+
 	return nil
 }
+
+func (mgr *writerManager) reportMetricsLoop() {
+	defer mgr.wg.Done()
+
+	ticker := time.NewTicker(_queueMetricReportInterval)
+	defer ticker.Stop()
+
+	for {
+		select {
+		case <-mgr.doneCh:
+			return
+		case <-ticker.C:
+			mgr.reportMetrics()
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func (mgr *writerManager) reportMetrics() {
+	mgr.RLock()
+	defer mgr.RUnlock()
+
+	for _, writer := range mgr.writers {
+		mgr.metrics.queueLen.RecordValue(float64(writer.QueueSize()))
+	}
+}
diff --git a/src/aggregator/client/writer_mgr_test.go b/src/aggregator/client/writer_mgr_test.go
index 8cfe5a1a88..17d962ef6d 100644
--- a/src/aggregator/client/writer_mgr_test.go
+++ b/src/aggregator/client/writer_mgr_test.go
@@ -26,11 +26,12 @@ import (
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
-	"github.com/m3db/m3/src/cluster/placement"
-	"github.com/m3db/m3/src/x/clock"
-
 	"github.com/golang/mock/gomock"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+	"go.uber.org/goleak"
+
+	"github.com/m3db/m3/src/cluster/placement"
+	"github.com/m3db/m3/src/x/clock"
 )
 
 var (
@@ -145,6 +146,7 @@ func TestWriterManagerWriteUntimedNoInstances(t *testing.T) {
 	mgr.closed = false
 	err := mgr.Write(testPlacementInstance, 0, payload)
 	require.Error(t, err)
+	require.NoError(t, mgr.Close())
 }
 
 func TestWriterManagerWriteUntimedSuccess(t *testing.T) {
@@ -162,6 +164,7 @@ func TestWriterManagerWriteUntimedSuccess(t *testing.T) {
 		payloadRes payloadUnion
 	)
 	writer := NewMockinstanceWriter(ctrl)
+	writer.EXPECT().QueueSize().AnyTimes()
 	writer.EXPECT().
 		Write(gomock.Any(), gomock.Any()).
 		DoAndReturn(func(
@@ -214,6 +217,7 @@ func TestWriterManagerFlushPartialError(t *testing.T) {
 	)
 
 	writer1 := NewMockinstanceWriter(ctrl)
+	writer1.EXPECT().QueueSize().AnyTimes()
 	writer1.EXPECT().
 		Flush().
 		DoAndReturn(func() error {
@@ -222,6 +226,7 @@ func TestWriterManagerFlushPartialError(t *testing.T) {
 		})
 	errTestFlush := errors.New("test flush error")
 	writer2 := NewMockinstanceWriter(ctrl)
+	writer2.EXPECT().QueueSize().AnyTimes()
 	writer2.EXPECT().
 		Flush().
 		DoAndReturn(func() error {
@@ -249,6 +254,9 @@ func TestWriterManagerCloseAlreadyClosed(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestWriterManagerCloseSuccess(t *testing.T) {
+	opts := goleak.IgnoreCurrent() // TODO: other tests don't clean up properly
+	defer goleak.VerifyNone(t, opts)
+
 	mgr := newInstanceWriterManager(testOptions()).(*writerManager)
 
 	// Add instance list and close.
@@ -259,8 +267,10 @@ func TestWriterManagerCloseSuccess(t *testing.T) {
 		for _, w := range mgr.writers {
 			wr := w.instanceWriter.(*writer)
 			wr.Lock()
-			defer wr.Unlock()
-			if !wr.closed {
+			closed := wr.closed
+			wr.Unlock()
+
+			if !closed {
 				return false
 			}
 		}
diff --git a/src/aggregator/client/writer_mock.go b/src/aggregator/client/writer_mock.go
index 23fd8363d8..7165e24778 100644
--- a/src/aggregator/client/writer_mock.go
+++ b/src/aggregator/client/writer_mock.go
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 // Code generated by MockGen. DO NOT EDIT.
 // Source: github.com/m3db/m3/src/aggregator/client/writer.go
 
-// Copyright (c) 2018 Uber Technologies, Inc.
+// Copyright (c) 2020 Uber Technologies, Inc.
 //
 // Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
 // of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
@@ -81,6 +81,20 @@ func (mr *MockinstanceWriterMockRecorder) Flush() *gomock.Call {
 	return mr.mock.ctrl.RecordCallWithMethodType(mr.mock, "Flush", reflect.TypeOf((*MockinstanceWriter)(nil).Flush))
 }
 
+// QueueSize mocks base method
+func (m *MockinstanceWriter) QueueSize() int {
+	m.ctrl.T.Helper()
+	ret := m.ctrl.Call(m, "QueueSize")
+	ret0, _ := ret[0].(int)
+	return ret0
+}
+
+// QueueSize indicates an expected call of QueueSize
+func (mr *MockinstanceWriterMockRecorder) QueueSize() *gomock.Call {
+	mr.mock.ctrl.T.Helper()
+	return mr.mock.ctrl.RecordCallWithMethodType(mr.mock, "QueueSize", reflect.TypeOf((*MockinstanceWriter)(nil).QueueSize))
+}
+
 // Close mocks base method
 func (m *MockinstanceWriter) Close() error {
 	m.ctrl.T.Helper()