diff --git a/docs/source/_static/rest-api.yml b/docs/source/_static/rest-api.yml
index 995a71a3..9ccc365d 100644
--- a/docs/source/_static/rest-api.yml
+++ b/docs/source/_static/rest-api.yml
@@ -1419,3 +1419,4 @@ components:
               Read information about the proxy’s routing table, sync the Hub
               with the proxy and notify the Hub about a new proxy.
             shutdown: Shutdown the hub.
+            read:metrics: Read prometheus metrics.
diff --git a/jupyterhub/handlers/metrics.py b/jupyterhub/handlers/metrics.py
index d2f0b03b..844a203f 100644
--- a/jupyterhub/handlers/metrics.py
+++ b/jupyterhub/handlers/metrics.py
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@ class MetricsHandler(BaseHandler):
     Handler to serve Prometheus metrics
     """
 
+    _accept_token_auth = True
+
     @metrics_authentication
     async def get(self):
         self.set_header('Content-Type', CONTENT_TYPE_LATEST)
diff --git a/jupyterhub/scopes.py b/jupyterhub/scopes.py
index e8f8ff4f..5f441fbe 100644
--- a/jupyterhub/scopes.py
+++ b/jupyterhub/scopes.py
@@ -131,6 +131,9 @@ scope_definitions = {
         'description': 'Read information about the proxy’s routing table, sync the Hub with the proxy and notify the Hub about a new proxy.'
     },
     'shutdown': {'description': 'Shutdown the hub.'},
+    'read:metrics': {
+        'description': "Read prometheus metrics.",
+    },
 }
 
 
diff --git a/jupyterhub/tests/test_metrics.py b/jupyterhub/tests/test_metrics.py
index 29c22122..795ca89d 100644
--- a/jupyterhub/tests/test_metrics.py
+++ b/jupyterhub/tests/test_metrics.py
@@ -1,9 +1,13 @@
 import json
+from unittest import mock
+
+import pytest
 
-from .utils import add_user
 from .utils import api_request
+from .utils import get_page
 from jupyterhub import metrics
 from jupyterhub import orm
+from jupyterhub import roles
 
 
 async def test_total_users(app):
@@ -32,3 +36,42 @@ async def test_total_users(app):
 
     sample = metrics.TOTAL_USERS.collect()[0].samples[0]
     assert sample.value == num_users
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "authenticate_prometheus, authenticated, authorized, success",
+    [
+        (True, True, True, True),
+        (True, True, False, False),
+        (True, False, False, False),
+        (False, True, True, True),
+        (False, False, False, True),
+    ],
+)
+async def test_metrics_auth(
+    app,
+    authenticate_prometheus,
+    authenticated,
+    authorized,
+    success,
+    create_temp_role,
+    user,
+):
+    if authorized:
+        role = create_temp_role(["read:metrics"])
+        roles.grant_role(app.db, user, role)
+
+    headers = {}
+    if authenticated:
+        token = user.new_api_token()
+        headers["Authorization"] = f"token {token}"
+
+    with mock.patch.dict(
+        app.tornado_settings, {"authenticate_prometheus": authenticate_prometheus}
+    ):
+        r = await get_page("metrics", app, headers=headers)
+    if success:
+        assert r.status_code == 200
+    else:
+        assert r.status_code == 403
+        assert 'read:metrics' in r.text
diff --git a/jupyterhub/tests/test_pages.py b/jupyterhub/tests/test_pages.py
index 019c805a..6cd5246f 100644
--- a/jupyterhub/tests/test_pages.py
+++ b/jupyterhub/tests/test_pages.py
@@ -1110,19 +1110,6 @@ async def test_server_not_running_api_request_legacy_status(app):
     assert r.status_code == 503
 
 
-async def test_metrics_no_auth(app):
-    r = await get_page("metrics", app)
-    assert r.status_code == 403
-
-
-async def test_metrics_auth(app):
-    cookies = await app.login_user('river')
-    metrics_url = ujoin(public_host(app), app.hub.base_url, 'metrics')
-    r = await get_page("metrics", app, cookies=cookies)
-    assert r.status_code == 200
-    assert r.url == metrics_url
-
-
 async def test_health_check_request(app):
     r = await get_page('health', app)
     assert r.status_code == 200
diff --git a/jupyterhub/utils.py b/jupyterhub/utils.py
index 1fc4aa89..aa3fa7f7 100644
--- a/jupyterhub/utils.py
+++ b/jupyterhub/utils.py
@@ -320,9 +320,11 @@ def admin_only(f):
 @auth_decorator
 def metrics_authentication(self):
     """Decorator for restricting access to metrics"""
-    user = self.current_user
-    if user is None and self.authenticate_prometheus:
-        raise web.HTTPError(403)
+    if not self.authenticate_prometheus:
+        return
+    scope = 'read:metrics'
+    if scope not in self.parsed_scopes:
+        raise web.HTTPError(403, f"Access to metrics requires scope '{scope}'")
 
 
 # Token utilities