diff --git a/jupyterhub/handlers/base.py b/jupyterhub/handlers/base.py
index c9eb5274..f9c8485b 100644
--- a/jupyterhub/handlers/base.py
+++ b/jupyterhub/handlers/base.py
@@ -759,6 +759,7 @@ class BaseHandler(RequestHandler):
             active_counts['spawn_pending'] + active_counts['proxy_pending']
         )
         active_count = active_counts['active']
+        RUNNING_SERVERS.set(active_count)
 
         concurrent_spawn_limit = self.concurrent_spawn_limit
         active_server_limit = self.active_server_limit
@@ -842,7 +843,6 @@ class BaseHandler(RequestHandler):
                 "User %s took %.3f seconds to start", user_server_name, toc - tic
             )
             self.statsd.timing('spawner.success', (toc - tic) * 1000)
-            RUNNING_SERVERS.inc()
             SERVER_SPAWN_DURATION_SECONDS.labels(
                 status=ServerSpawnStatus.success
             ).observe(time.perf_counter() - spawn_start_time)
@@ -854,6 +854,7 @@ class BaseHandler(RequestHandler):
                 PROXY_ADD_DURATION_SECONDS.labels(status='success').observe(
                     time.perf_counter() - proxy_add_start_time
                 )
+                RUNNING_SERVERS.inc()
             except Exception:
                 self.log.exception("Failed to add %s to proxy!", user_server_name)
                 self.log.error(
@@ -1022,7 +1023,6 @@ class BaseHandler(RequestHandler):
                     "User %s server took %.3f seconds to stop", user.name, toc - tic
                 )
                 self.statsd.timing('spawner.stop', (toc - tic) * 1000)
-                RUNNING_SERVERS.dec()
                 SERVER_STOP_DURATION_SECONDS.labels(
                     status=ServerStopStatus.success
                 ).observe(toc - tic)
diff --git a/jupyterhub/metrics.py b/jupyterhub/metrics.py
index 558167ff..27de7be6 100644
--- a/jupyterhub/metrics.py
+++ b/jupyterhub/metrics.py
@@ -39,9 +39,7 @@ RUNNING_SERVERS = Gauge(
     'running_servers', 'the number of user servers currently running'
 )
 
-RUNNING_SERVERS.set(0)
-
-TOTAL_USERS = Gauge('total_users', 'toal number of users')
+TOTAL_USERS = Gauge('total_users', 'total number of users')
 
 TOTAL_USERS.set(0)
 
diff --git a/jupyterhub/user.py b/jupyterhub/user.py
index 42dbcdf5..333175bb 100644
--- a/jupyterhub/user.py
+++ b/jupyterhub/user.py
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ from .crypto import decrypt
 from .crypto import encrypt
 from .crypto import EncryptionUnavailable
 from .crypto import InvalidToken
+from .metrics import RUNNING_SERVERS
 from .metrics import TOTAL_USERS
 from .objects import Server
 from .spawner import LocalProcessSpawner
@@ -753,6 +754,7 @@ class User:
                     self.db.delete(oauth_client)
             self.db.commit()
             self.log.debug("Finished stopping %s", spawner._log_name)
+            RUNNING_SERVERS.dec()
         finally:
             spawner.orm_spawner.started = None
             self.db.commit()