diff --git a/plugin/kotel/meter.go b/plugin/kotel/meter.go
index 7ac92abb..8c56a8c7 100644
--- a/plugin/kotel/meter.go
+++ b/plugin/kotel/meter.go
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@ type Meter struct {
 	provider    metric.MeterProvider
 	meter       metric.Meter
 	instruments instruments
+
+	mergeConnectsMeter bool
 }
 
 // MeterOpt interface used for setting optional config properties.
@@ -52,6 +54,20 @@ func MeterProvider(provider metric.MeterProvider) MeterOpt {
 	})
 }
 
+// WithMergedConnectsMeter merges the `messaging.kafka.connect_errors.count`
+// counter into the `messaging.kafka.connects.count` counter, adding an
+// attribute "outcome" with the values "success" or "failure". This option
+// shall be used when a single metric with different dimensions is preferred
+// over two separate metrics that produce data at alternating intervals.
+// For example, it becomes possible to alert on the metric no longer
+// producing data.
+func WithMergedConnectsMeter() MeterOpt {
+	return meterOptFunc(func(m *Meter) {
+		m.mergeConnectsMeter = true
+	})
+
+}
+
 func (o meterOptFunc) apply(m *Meter) {
 	o(m)
 }
@@ -105,13 +121,17 @@ func (m *Meter) newInstruments() instruments {
 		log.Printf("failed to create connects instrument, %v", err)
 	}
 
-	connectErrs, err := m.meter.Int64Counter(
-		"messaging.kafka.connect_errors.count",
-		metric.WithUnit(dimensionless),
-		metric.WithDescription("Total number of connection errors, by broker"),
-	)
-	if err != nil {
-		log.Printf("failed to create connectErrs instrument, %v", err)
+	var connectErrs metric.Int64Counter
+	if !m.mergeConnectsMeter {
+		var err error
+		connectErrs, err = m.meter.Int64Counter(
+			"messaging.kafka.connect_errors.count",
+			metric.WithUnit(dimensionless),
+			metric.WithDescription("Total number of connection errors, by broker"),
+		)
+		if err != nil {
+			log.Printf("failed to create connectErrs instrument, %v", err)
+		}
 	}
 
 	disconnects, err := m.meter.Int64Counter(
@@ -232,6 +252,30 @@ func strnode(node int32) string {
 
 func (m *Meter) OnBrokerConnect(meta kgo.BrokerMetadata, _ time.Duration, _ net.Conn, err error) {
 	node := strnode(meta.NodeID)
+
+	if m.mergeConnectsMeter {
+		if err != nil {
+			m.instruments.connects.Add(
+				context.Background(),
+				1,
+				metric.WithAttributeSet(attribute.NewSet(
+					attribute.String("node_id", node),
+					attribute.String("outcome", "failure"),
+				)),
+			)
+			return
+		}
+		m.instruments.connects.Add(
+			context.Background(),
+			1,
+			metric.WithAttributeSet(attribute.NewSet(
+				attribute.String("node_id", node),
+				attribute.String("outcome", "success"),
+			)),
+		)
+		return
+	}
+
 	attributes := attribute.NewSet(attribute.String("node_id", node))
 	if err != nil {
 		m.instruments.connectErrs.Add(
diff --git a/plugin/kotel/meter_test.go b/plugin/kotel/meter_test.go
index ed9fe6f9..35630bc3 100644
--- a/plugin/kotel/meter_test.go
+++ b/plugin/kotel/meter_test.go
@@ -1,11 +1,21 @@
 package kotel
 
 import (
+	"context"
+	"errors"
+	"net"
+	"strconv"
 	"testing"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"github.com/twmb/franz-go/pkg/kgo"
+	"go.opentelemetry.io/otel/attribute"
 	"go.opentelemetry.io/otel/metric"
 	"go.opentelemetry.io/otel/metric/noop"
+	sdkmetric "go.opentelemetry.io/otel/sdk/metric"
+	"go.opentelemetry.io/otel/sdk/metric/metricdata"
+	"go.opentelemetry.io/otel/sdk/metric/metricdata/metricdatatest"
 	semconv "go.opentelemetry.io/otel/semconv/v1.12.0"
 )
 
@@ -38,3 +48,166 @@ func TestWithMeter(t *testing.T) {
 		})
 	}
 }
+
+func TestHook_OnBrokerConnect(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Run("success path with mergeConnectsMeter:false", func(t *testing.T) {
+		r := sdkmetric.NewManualReader()
+		mp := sdkmetric.NewMeterProvider(sdkmetric.WithReader(r))
+		m := NewMeter(MeterProvider(mp))
+
+		meta := kgo.BrokerMetadata{NodeID: 1}
+		m.OnBrokerConnect(meta, time.Second, &net.TCPConn{}, nil)
+
+		rm := metricdata.ResourceMetrics{}
+		if err := r.Collect(context.Background(), &rm); err != nil {
+			t.Errorf("unexpected error collecting metrics: %s", err)
+		}
+
+		want := metricdata.Metrics{
+			Name:        "messaging.kafka.connects.count",
+			Description: "Total number of connections opened, by broker",
+			Unit:        "1",
+			Data: metricdata.Sum[int64]{
+				Temporality: metricdata.CumulativeTemporality,
+				IsMonotonic: true,
+				DataPoints: []metricdata.DataPoint[int64]{
+					{
+						Value: 1,
+						Attributes: attribute.NewSet(
+							attribute.String("node_id", strconv.Itoa(int(meta.NodeID))),
+						),
+					},
+				},
+			},
+		}
+
+		if len(rm.ScopeMetrics) != 1 {
+			t.Errorf("expecting only 1 metrics in meter but got %d", len(rm.ScopeMetrics))
+		}
+
+		metricdatatest.AssertEqual(t, want, rm.ScopeMetrics[0].Metrics[0],
+			metricdatatest.IgnoreTimestamp(),
+		)
+	})
+	t.Run("failure path with mergeConnectsMeter:false", func(t *testing.T) {
+		r := sdkmetric.NewManualReader()
+		mp := sdkmetric.NewMeterProvider(sdkmetric.WithReader(r))
+		m := NewMeter(MeterProvider(mp))
+
+		meta := kgo.BrokerMetadata{NodeID: 1}
+		m.OnBrokerConnect(meta, time.Second, &net.TCPConn{}, errors.New("whatever error"))
+
+		rm := metricdata.ResourceMetrics{}
+		if err := r.Collect(context.Background(), &rm); err != nil {
+			t.Errorf("unexpected error collecting metrics: %s", err)
+		}
+
+		want := metricdata.Metrics{
+			Name:        "messaging.kafka.connect_errors.count",
+			Description: "Total number of connection errors, by broker",
+			Unit:        "1",
+			Data: metricdata.Sum[int64]{
+				Temporality: metricdata.CumulativeTemporality,
+				IsMonotonic: true,
+				DataPoints: []metricdata.DataPoint[int64]{
+					{
+						Value: 1,
+						Attributes: attribute.NewSet(
+							attribute.String("node_id", strconv.Itoa(int(meta.NodeID))),
+						),
+					},
+				},
+			},
+		}
+
+		if len(rm.ScopeMetrics) != 1 {
+			t.Errorf("expecting only 1 metrics in meter but got %d", len(rm.ScopeMetrics))
+		}
+
+		metricdatatest.AssertEqual(t, want, rm.ScopeMetrics[0].Metrics[0],
+			metricdatatest.IgnoreTimestamp(),
+		)
+	})
+
+	t.Run("success path with mergeConnectsMeter:true", func(t *testing.T) {
+		r := sdkmetric.NewManualReader()
+		mp := sdkmetric.NewMeterProvider(sdkmetric.WithReader(r))
+		m := NewMeter(MeterProvider(mp), WithMergedConnectsMeter())
+
+		meta := kgo.BrokerMetadata{NodeID: 1}
+		m.OnBrokerConnect(meta, time.Second, &net.TCPConn{}, nil)
+
+		rm := metricdata.ResourceMetrics{}
+		if err := r.Collect(context.Background(), &rm); err != nil {
+			t.Errorf("unexpected error collecting metrics: %s", err)
+		}
+
+		want := metricdata.Metrics{
+			Name:        "messaging.kafka.connects.count",
+			Description: "Total number of connections opened, by broker",
+			Unit:        "1",
+			Data: metricdata.Sum[int64]{
+				Temporality: metricdata.CumulativeTemporality,
+				IsMonotonic: true,
+				DataPoints: []metricdata.DataPoint[int64]{
+					{
+						Value: 1,
+						Attributes: attribute.NewSet(
+							attribute.String("node_id", strconv.Itoa(int(meta.NodeID))),
+							attribute.String("outcome", "success"),
+						),
+					},
+				},
+			},
+		}
+
+		if len(rm.ScopeMetrics) != 1 {
+			t.Errorf("expecting only 1 metrics in meter but got %d", len(rm.ScopeMetrics))
+		}
+
+		metricdatatest.AssertEqual(t, want, rm.ScopeMetrics[0].Metrics[0],
+			metricdatatest.IgnoreTimestamp(),
+		)
+	})
+	t.Run("failure path with mergeConnectsMeter:true", func(t *testing.T) {
+		r := sdkmetric.NewManualReader()
+		mp := sdkmetric.NewMeterProvider(sdkmetric.WithReader(r))
+		m := NewMeter(MeterProvider(mp), WithMergedConnectsMeter())
+
+		meta := kgo.BrokerMetadata{NodeID: 1}
+		m.OnBrokerConnect(meta, time.Second, &net.TCPConn{}, errors.New("whatever error"))
+
+		rm := metricdata.ResourceMetrics{}
+		if err := r.Collect(context.Background(), &rm); err != nil {
+			t.Errorf("unexpected error collecting metrics: %s", err)
+		}
+
+		want := metricdata.Metrics{
+			Name:        "messaging.kafka.connects.count",
+			Description: "Total number of connections opened, by broker",
+			Unit:        "1",
+			Data: metricdata.Sum[int64]{
+				Temporality: metricdata.CumulativeTemporality,
+				IsMonotonic: true,
+				DataPoints: []metricdata.DataPoint[int64]{
+					{
+						Value: 1,
+						Attributes: attribute.NewSet(
+							attribute.String("node_id", strconv.Itoa(int(meta.NodeID))),
+							attribute.String("outcome", "failure"),
+						),
+					},
+				},
+			},
+		}
+
+		if len(rm.ScopeMetrics) != 1 {
+			t.Errorf("expecting only 1 metrics in meter but got %d", len(rm.ScopeMetrics))
+		}
+
+		metricdatatest.AssertEqual(t, want, rm.ScopeMetrics[0].Metrics[0],
+			metricdatatest.IgnoreTimestamp(),
+		)
+	})
+
+}