diff --git a/cmd/mdatagen/internal/samplereceiver/factory.go b/cmd/mdatagen/internal/samplereceiver/factory.go
index 7a3c9bb170d..e7445f9cb29 100644
--- a/cmd/mdatagen/internal/samplereceiver/factory.go
+++ b/cmd/mdatagen/internal/samplereceiver/factory.go
@@ -48,5 +48,5 @@ type nopReceiver struct {
 }
 
 func (r nopReceiver) initOptionalMetric() {
-	_ = r.telemetryBuilder.InitQueueLength(func() int64 { return 1 })
+	_, _ = r.telemetryBuilder.InitQueueLength(func() int64 { return 1 })
 }
diff --git a/cmd/mdatagen/internal/samplereceiver/internal/metadata/generated_telemetry.go b/cmd/mdatagen/internal/samplereceiver/internal/metadata/generated_telemetry.go
index 71d4e1e78d6..99c7017b575 100644
--- a/cmd/mdatagen/internal/samplereceiver/internal/metadata/generated_telemetry.go
+++ b/cmd/mdatagen/internal/samplereceiver/internal/metadata/generated_telemetry.go
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ func WithProcessRuntimeTotalAllocBytesCallback(cb func() int64, opts ...metric.O
 }
 
 // InitQueueLength configures the QueueLength metric.
-func (builder *TelemetryBuilder) InitQueueLength(cb func() int64, opts ...metric.ObserveOption) error {
+func (builder *TelemetryBuilder) InitQueueLength(cb func() int64, opts ...metric.ObserveOption) (metric.Registration, error) {
 	var err error
 	builder.QueueLength, err = builder.meter.Int64ObservableGauge(
 		"otelcol_queue_length",
@@ -63,13 +63,13 @@ func (builder *TelemetryBuilder) InitQueueLength(cb func() int64, opts ...metric
 		metric.WithUnit("{items}"),
 	)
 	if err != nil {
-		return err
+		return nil, err
 	}
-	_, err = builder.meter.RegisterCallback(func(_ context.Context, o metric.Observer) error {
+	reg, err := builder.meter.RegisterCallback(func(_ context.Context, o metric.Observer) error {
 		o.ObserveInt64(builder.QueueLength, cb(), opts...)
 		return nil
 	}, builder.QueueLength)
-	return err
+	return reg, err
 }
 
 // NewTelemetryBuilder provides a struct with methods to update all internal telemetry
diff --git a/cmd/mdatagen/internal/templates/telemetry.go.tmpl b/cmd/mdatagen/internal/templates/telemetry.go.tmpl
index 8b6c6e7d1dc..3f365e45167 100644
--- a/cmd/mdatagen/internal/templates/telemetry.go.tmpl
+++ b/cmd/mdatagen/internal/templates/telemetry.go.tmpl
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ func (tbof telemetryBuilderOptionFunc) apply(mb *TelemetryBuilder) {
 {{- range $name, $metric := .Telemetry.Metrics }}
 {{- if $metric.Optional }}
 // Init{{ $name.Render }} configures the {{ $name.Render }} metric.
-func (builder *TelemetryBuilder) Init{{ $name.Render }}({{ if $metric.Data.Async -}}cb func() {{ $metric.Data.BasicType }}{{- end }}, opts ...metric.ObserveOption) error {
+func (builder *TelemetryBuilder) Init{{ $name.Render }}({{ if $metric.Data.Async -}}cb func() {{ $metric.Data.BasicType }}{{- end }}, opts ...metric.ObserveOption) (metric.Registration, error) {
     var err error
     builder.{{ $name.Render }}, err = builder.meter.{{ $metric.Data.Instrument }}(
         "otelcol_{{ $name }}",
@@ -68,14 +68,14 @@ func (builder *TelemetryBuilder) Init{{ $name.Render }}({{ if $metric.Data.Async
     )
     {{- if $metric.Data.Async }}
     if err != nil {
-        return err
+        return nil, err
     }
-    _, err = builder.meter.RegisterCallback(func(_ context.Context, o metric.Observer) error {
+    reg, err := builder.meter.RegisterCallback(func(_ context.Context, o metric.Observer) error {
         o.Observe{{ casesTitle $metric.Data.BasicType }}(builder.{{ $name.Render }}, cb(), opts...)
         return nil
     }, builder.{{ $name.Render }})
     {{- end }}
-    return err
+    return reg, err
 }
 
     {{- else }}