diff --git a/opentelemetry/src/main/java/io/grpc/opentelemetry/OpenTelemetryMetricsModule.java b/opentelemetry/src/main/java/io/grpc/opentelemetry/OpenTelemetryMetricsModule.java
index 71562c11a46..c93e5a10ad2 100644
--- a/opentelemetry/src/main/java/io/grpc/opentelemetry/OpenTelemetryMetricsModule.java
+++ b/opentelemetry/src/main/java/io/grpc/opentelemetry/OpenTelemetryMetricsModule.java
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ void recordFinishedAttempt() {
       if (module.localityEnabled) {
         String savedLocality = locality;
         if (savedLocality == null) {
-          savedLocality = "unknown";
+          savedLocality = "";
         }
         builder.put(LOCALITY_KEY, savedLocality);
       }
diff --git a/opentelemetry/src/test/java/io/grpc/opentelemetry/OpenTelemetryMetricsModuleTest.java b/opentelemetry/src/test/java/io/grpc/opentelemetry/OpenTelemetryMetricsModuleTest.java
index 91b8f43e7ad..6c04c4f0da3 100644
--- a/opentelemetry/src/test/java/io/grpc/opentelemetry/OpenTelemetryMetricsModuleTest.java
+++ b/opentelemetry/src/test/java/io/grpc/opentelemetry/OpenTelemetryMetricsModuleTest.java
@@ -974,7 +974,7 @@ public void clientLocalityMetrics_missing() {
 
     io.opentelemetry.api.common.Attributes clientAttributesWithLocality
         = clientAttributes.toBuilder()
-        .put(LOCALITY_KEY, "unknown")
+        .put(LOCALITY_KEY, "")
         .build();
 
     assertThat(openTelemetryTesting.getMetrics())