diff --git a/lib/exabgp/application/healthcheck.py b/lib/exabgp/application/healthcheck.py
index 7736cf40..1fda98d1 100644
--- a/lib/exabgp/application/healthcheck.py
+++ b/lib/exabgp/application/healthcheck.py
@@ -168,6 +168,7 @@ def parse():
     g.add_argument(
         "--start-ip", metavar='N', type=int, default=0, help="index of the first IP in the list of IP addresses"
     )
+    g.add_argument("--no-metric", action="store_true", default=False, help="don't send metrics when updating announcements")
     g.add_argument(
         "--up-metric", metavar='M', type=int, default=100, help="first IP get the metric M when the service is up"
     )
@@ -494,7 +495,8 @@ def loop(options):
             announce = "route {0} next-hop {1}".format(str(ip), options.next_hop or "self")
 
             if command == "neighbor * announce":
-                announce = "{0} med {1}".format(announce, metric)
+                if not options.no_metric:
+                    announce = "{0} med {1}".format(announce, metric)
                 if options.local_preference >= 0:
                     announce = "{0} local-preference {1}".format(announce, options.local_preference)
                 if options.community or options.disabled_community: