diff --git a/synapse/federation/federation_client.py b/synapse/federation/federation_client.py
index ef177b79cc..6811a0e3d1 100644
--- a/synapse/federation/federation_client.py
+++ b/synapse/federation/federation_client.py
@@ -36,7 +36,15 @@ import random
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
-metrics = synapse.metrics.get_metrics_for(__name__)
+
+# synapse.federation.federation_client is a silly name
+metrics = synapse.metrics.get_metrics_for("synapse.federation.client")
+
+sent_pdus_destination_dist = metrics.register_distribution("sent_pdu_destinations")
+
+sent_edus_counter = metrics.register_counter("sent_edus")
+
+sent_queries_counter = metrics.register_counter("sent_queries", labels=["type"])
 
 
 class FederationClient(FederationBase):
@@ -53,7 +61,6 @@ class FederationClient(FederationBase):
         self._get_pdu_cache.start()
 
     @log_function
-    @metrics.counted
     def send_pdu(self, pdu, destinations):
         """Informs the replication layer about a new PDU generated within the
         home server that should be transmitted to others.
@@ -70,6 +77,8 @@ class FederationClient(FederationBase):
         order = self._order
         self._order += 1
 
+        sent_pdus_destination_dist.inc_by(len(destinations))
+
         logger.debug("[%s] transaction_layer.enqueue_pdu... ", pdu.event_id)
 
         # TODO, add errback, etc.
@@ -81,7 +90,6 @@ class FederationClient(FederationBase):
         )
 
     @log_function
-    @metrics.counted
     def send_edu(self, destination, edu_type, content):
         edu = Edu(
             origin=self.server_name,
@@ -90,18 +98,18 @@ class FederationClient(FederationBase):
             content=content,
         )
 
+        sent_edus_counter.inc()
+
         # TODO, add errback, etc.
         self._transaction_queue.enqueue_edu(edu)
         return defer.succeed(None)
 
     @log_function
-    @metrics.counted
     def send_failure(self, failure, destination):
         self._transaction_queue.enqueue_failure(failure, destination)
         return defer.succeed(None)
 
     @log_function
-    @metrics.counted
     def make_query(self, destination, query_type, args,
                    retry_on_dns_fail=True):
         """Sends a federation Query to a remote homeserver of the given type
@@ -118,6 +126,8 @@ class FederationClient(FederationBase):
             a Deferred which will eventually yield a JSON object from the
             response
         """
+        sent_queries_counter.inc(query_type)
+
         return self.transport_layer.make_query(
             destination, query_type, args, retry_on_dns_fail=retry_on_dns_fail
         )
@@ -163,7 +173,6 @@ class FederationClient(FederationBase):
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
     @log_function
-    @metrics.counted
     def get_pdu(self, destinations, event_id, outlier=False):
         """Requests the PDU with given origin and ID from the remote home
         servers.
@@ -253,7 +262,6 @@ class FederationClient(FederationBase):
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
     @log_function
-    @metrics.counted
     def get_state_for_room(self, destination, room_id, event_id):
         """Requests all of the `current` state PDUs for a given room from
         a remote home server.
@@ -294,7 +302,6 @@ class FederationClient(FederationBase):
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
     @log_function
-    @metrics.counted
     def get_event_auth(self, destination, room_id, event_id):
         res = yield self.transport_layer.get_event_auth(
             destination, room_id, event_id,
@@ -314,7 +321,6 @@ class FederationClient(FederationBase):
         defer.returnValue(signed_auth)
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
-    @metrics.counted
     def make_join(self, destinations, room_id, user_id):
         for destination in destinations:
             try:
@@ -341,7 +347,6 @@ class FederationClient(FederationBase):
         raise RuntimeError("Failed to send to any server.")
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
-    @metrics.counted
     def send_join(self, destinations, pdu):
         for destination in destinations:
             try:
@@ -391,7 +396,6 @@ class FederationClient(FederationBase):
         raise RuntimeError("Failed to send to any server.")
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
-    @metrics.counted
     def send_invite(self, destination, room_id, event_id, pdu):
         time_now = self._clock.time_msec()
         code, content = yield self.transport_layer.send_invite(
@@ -415,7 +419,6 @@ class FederationClient(FederationBase):
         defer.returnValue(pdu)
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
-    @metrics.counted
     def query_auth(self, destination, room_id, event_id, local_auth):
         """
         Params:
diff --git a/synapse/federation/federation_server.py b/synapse/federation/federation_server.py
index 3216fca95f..25c0014f97 100644
--- a/synapse/federation/federation_server.py
+++ b/synapse/federation/federation_server.py
@@ -33,7 +33,14 @@ import logging
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
-metrics = synapse.metrics.get_metrics_for(__name__)
+# synapse.federation.federation_server is a silly name
+metrics = synapse.metrics.get_metrics_for("synapse.federation.server")
+
+received_pdus_counter = metrics.register_counter("received_pdus")
+
+received_edus_counter = metrics.register_counter("received_edus")
+
+received_queries_counter = metrics.register_counter("received_queries", labels=["type"])
 
 
 class FederationServer(FederationBase):
@@ -75,7 +82,6 @@ class FederationServer(FederationBase):
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
     @log_function
-    @metrics.counted
     def on_backfill_request(self, origin, room_id, versions, limit):
         pdus = yield self.handler.on_backfill_request(
             origin, room_id, versions, limit
@@ -85,10 +91,11 @@ class FederationServer(FederationBase):
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
     @log_function
-    @metrics.counted
     def on_incoming_transaction(self, transaction_data):
         transaction = Transaction(**transaction_data)
 
+        received_pdus_counter.inc_by(len(transaction.pdus))
+
         for p in transaction.pdus:
             if "unsigned" in p:
                 unsigned = p["unsigned"]
@@ -158,6 +165,8 @@ class FederationServer(FederationBase):
         defer.returnValue((200, response))
 
     def received_edu(self, origin, edu_type, content):
+        received_edus_counter.inc()
+
         if edu_type in self.edu_handlers:
             self.edu_handlers[edu_type](origin, content)
         else:
@@ -165,7 +174,6 @@ class FederationServer(FederationBase):
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
     @log_function
-    @metrics.counted
     def on_context_state_request(self, origin, room_id, event_id):
         if event_id:
             pdus = yield self.handler.get_state_for_pdu(
@@ -193,7 +201,6 @@ class FederationServer(FederationBase):
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
     @log_function
-    @metrics.counted
     def on_pdu_request(self, origin, event_id):
         pdu = yield self._get_persisted_pdu(origin, event_id)
 
@@ -206,13 +213,13 @@ class FederationServer(FederationBase):
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
     @log_function
-    @metrics.counted
     def on_pull_request(self, origin, versions):
         raise NotImplementedError("Pull transactions not implemented")
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
-    @metrics.counted
     def on_query_request(self, query_type, args):
+        received_queries_counter.inc(query_type)
+
         if query_type in self.query_handlers:
             response = yield self.query_handlers[query_type](args)
             defer.returnValue((200, response))
@@ -222,14 +229,12 @@ class FederationServer(FederationBase):
             )
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
-    @metrics.counted
     def on_make_join_request(self, room_id, user_id):
         pdu = yield self.handler.on_make_join_request(room_id, user_id)
         time_now = self._clock.time_msec()
         defer.returnValue({"event": pdu.get_pdu_json(time_now)})
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
-    @metrics.counted
     def on_invite_request(self, origin, content):
         pdu = self.event_from_pdu_json(content)
         ret_pdu = yield self.handler.on_invite_request(origin, pdu)
@@ -237,7 +242,6 @@ class FederationServer(FederationBase):
         defer.returnValue((200, {"event": ret_pdu.get_pdu_json(time_now)}))
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
-    @metrics.counted
     def on_send_join_request(self, origin, content):
         logger.debug("on_send_join_request: content: %s", content)
         pdu = self.event_from_pdu_json(content)
@@ -252,7 +256,6 @@ class FederationServer(FederationBase):
         }))
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
-    @metrics.counted
     def on_event_auth(self, origin, room_id, event_id):
         time_now = self._clock.time_msec()
         auth_pdus = yield self.handler.on_event_auth(event_id)
@@ -261,7 +264,6 @@ class FederationServer(FederationBase):
         }))
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
-    @metrics.counted
     def on_query_auth_request(self, origin, content, event_id):
         """
         Content is a dict with keys::
diff --git a/synapse/metrics/__init__.py b/synapse/metrics/__init__.py
index f85c6418e5..94164974fc 100644
--- a/synapse/metrics/__init__.py
+++ b/synapse/metrics/__init__.py
@@ -62,23 +62,6 @@ class Metrics(object):
     def register_cache(self, *args, **kwargs):
         return self._register(CacheMetric, *args, **kwargs)
 
-    def counted(self, func):
-        """ A method decorator that registers a counter, to count invocations
-        of this method. """
-        if not hasattr(self, "method_counter"):
-            self.method_counter = self.register_counter(
-                "calls",
-                labels=["method"]
-            )
-
-        counter = self.method_counter
-        name = func.__name__
-
-        def wrapped(*args, **kwargs):
-            counter.inc(name)
-            return func(*args, **kwargs)
-        return wrapped
-
 
 def get_metrics_for(pkg_name):
     """ Returns a Metrics instance for conveniently creating metrics