diff --git a/.changesets/fix_bnjjj_fix_subscription_metrics.md b/.changesets/fix_bnjjj_fix_subscription_metrics.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d1c78311a9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changesets/fix_bnjjj_fix_subscription_metrics.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+### `apollo_router_opened_subscriptions` counter was inaccurate ([PR #5363](https://github.com/apollographql/router/pull/5363))
+
+The counter `apollo_router_opened_subscriptions` was only incrementing and never decrementing. Now it's handled properly.
+
+By [@bnjjj](https://github.com/bnjjj) in https://github.com/apollographql/router/pull/5363
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/apollo-router/src/notification.rs b/apollo-router/src/notification.rs
index e836b72d30..3dc3c01d48 100644
--- a/apollo-router/src/notification.rs
+++ b/apollo-router/src/notification.rs
@@ -132,6 +132,27 @@ enum Notification<K, V> {
     },
 }
 
+impl<K, V> Debug for Notification<K, V> {
+    fn fmt(&self, f: &mut std::fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> std::fmt::Result {
+        match self {
+            Self::CreateOrSubscribe { .. } => f.debug_struct("CreateOrSubscribe").finish(),
+            Self::Subscribe { .. } => f.debug_struct("Subscribe").finish(),
+            Self::SubscribeIfExist { .. } => f.debug_struct("SubscribeIfExist").finish(),
+            Self::Unsubscribe { .. } => f.debug_struct("Unsubscribe").finish(),
+            Self::ForceDelete { .. } => f.debug_struct("ForceDelete").finish(),
+            Self::Exist { .. } => f.debug_struct("Exist").finish(),
+            Self::InvalidIds { .. } => f.debug_struct("InvalidIds").finish(),
+            Self::UpdateHeartbeat { .. } => f.debug_struct("UpdateHeartbeat").finish(),
+            #[cfg(test)]
+            Self::TryDelete { .. } => f.debug_struct("TryDelete").finish(),
+            #[cfg(test)]
+            Self::Broadcast { .. } => f.debug_struct("Broadcast").finish(),
+            #[cfg(test)]
+            Self::Debug { .. } => f.debug_struct("Debug").finish(),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 /// In memory pub/sub implementation
 #[derive(Clone)]
 pub struct Notify<K, V> {
@@ -154,7 +175,7 @@ where
         queue_size: Option<usize>,
     ) -> Notify<K, V> {
         let (sender, receiver) = mpsc::channel(NOTIFY_CHANNEL_SIZE);
-        let receiver_stream = ReceiverStream::new(receiver);
+        let receiver_stream: ReceiverStream<Notification<K, V>> = ReceiverStream::new(receiver);
         tokio::task::spawn(task(receiver_stream, ttl, heartbeat_error_message));
         Notify {
             sender,
@@ -606,11 +627,6 @@ async fn task<K, V>(
             _ = ttl_fut.next() => {
                 let heartbeat_error_message = heartbeat_error_message.clone();
                 pubsub.kill_dead_topics(heartbeat_error_message).await;
-                u64_counter!(
-                    "apollo_router_opened_subscriptions",
-                    "Number of opened subscriptions",
-                    pubsub.subscriptions.len() as u64
-                );
             }
             message = receiver.next() => {
                 match message {
@@ -753,8 +769,18 @@ where
         sender: broadcast::Sender<Option<V>>,
         heartbeat_enabled: bool,
     ) {
-        self.subscriptions
-            .insert(topic, Subscription::new(sender, heartbeat_enabled));
+        let existed = self
+            .subscriptions
+            .insert(topic, Subscription::new(sender, heartbeat_enabled))
+            .is_some();
+        if !existed {
+            // TODO: deprecated name, should use our new convention apollo.router. for router next
+            i64_up_down_counter!(
+                "apollo_router_opened_subscriptions",
+                "Number of opened subscriptions",
+                1
+            );
+        }
     }
 
     fn subscribe(&mut self, topic: K, sender: ResponseSender<V>) {
@@ -802,8 +828,15 @@ where
             }
             None => tracing::trace!("Cannot find the subscription to unsubscribe"),
         }
+        #[allow(clippy::collapsible_if)]
         if topic_to_delete {
-            self.subscriptions.remove(&topic);
+            if self.subscriptions.remove(&topic).is_some() {
+                i64_up_down_counter!(
+                    "apollo_router_opened_subscriptions",
+                    "Number of opened subscriptions",
+                    -1
+                );
+            }
         };
     }
 
@@ -870,6 +903,11 @@ where
 
             // Send error message to all killed connections
             for (_subscriber_id, subscription) in closed_subs {
+                i64_up_down_counter!(
+                    "apollo_router_opened_subscriptions",
+                    "Number of opened subscriptions",
+                    -1
+                );
                 if let Some(heartbeat_error_message) = &heartbeat_error_message {
                     let _ = subscription
                         .msg_sender
@@ -895,6 +933,11 @@ where
         tracing::trace!("deleting subscription");
         let sub = self.subscriptions.remove(&topic);
         if let Some(sub) = sub {
+            i64_up_down_counter!(
+                "apollo_router_opened_subscriptions",
+                "Number of opened subscriptions",
+                -1
+            );
             let _ = sub.msg_sender.send(None);
         }
     }