diff --git a/src/metrics/encoding/protobuf/unaggregated_iterator.go b/src/metrics/encoding/protobuf/unaggregated_iterator.go
index d5f8a567f5..a23760b83d 100644
--- a/src/metrics/encoding/protobuf/unaggregated_iterator.go
+++ b/src/metrics/encoding/protobuf/unaggregated_iterator.go
@@ -31,21 +31,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 // UnaggregatedIterator decodes unaggregated metrics.
-type UnaggregatedIterator interface {
-	// Next returns true if there are more items to decode.
-	Next() bool
-
-	// Current returns the current decoded value.
-	Current() encoding.UnaggregatedMessageUnion
-
-	// Err returns the error encountered during decoding, if any.
-	Err() error
-
-	// Close closes the iterator.
-	Close()
-}
-
-type unaggregatedIterator struct {
+type UnaggregatedIterator struct {
 	reader         encoding.ByteReadScanner
 	bytesPool      pool.BytesPool
 	maxMessageSize int
@@ -61,9 +47,9 @@ type unaggregatedIterator struct {
 func NewUnaggregatedIterator(
 	reader encoding.ByteReadScanner,
 	opts UnaggregatedOptions,
-) UnaggregatedIterator {
+) *UnaggregatedIterator {
 	bytesPool := opts.BytesPool()
-	return &unaggregatedIterator{
+	return &UnaggregatedIterator{
 		reader:         reader,
 		bytesPool:      bytesPool,
 		maxMessageSize: opts.MaxMessageSize(),
@@ -71,7 +57,8 @@ func NewUnaggregatedIterator(
 	}
 }
 
-func (it *unaggregatedIterator) Close() {
+// Close closes the iterator.
+func (it *UnaggregatedIterator) Close() {
 	if it.closed {
 		return
 	}
@@ -87,10 +74,14 @@ func (it *unaggregatedIterator) Close() {
 	it.err = nil
 }
 
-func (it *unaggregatedIterator) Err() error                                 { return it.err }
-func (it *unaggregatedIterator) Current() encoding.UnaggregatedMessageUnion { return it.msg }
+// Err returns the error encountered during decoding, if any
+func (it *UnaggregatedIterator) Err() error { return it.err }
+
+// Current returns the current decoded value
+func (it *UnaggregatedIterator) Current() *encoding.UnaggregatedMessageUnion { return &it.msg }
 
-func (it *unaggregatedIterator) Next() bool {
+// Next returns true if there are more items to decode.
+func (it *UnaggregatedIterator) Next() bool {
 	if it.err != nil || it.closed {
 		return false
 	}
@@ -113,7 +104,7 @@ func (it *unaggregatedIterator) Next() bool {
 	return true
 }
 
-func (it *unaggregatedIterator) decodeSize() (int, error) {
+func (it *UnaggregatedIterator) decodeSize() (int, error) {
 	n, err := binary.ReadVarint(it.reader)
 	if err != nil {
 		it.err = err
@@ -122,11 +113,12 @@ func (it *unaggregatedIterator) decodeSize() (int, error) {
 	return int(n), nil
 }
 
-func (it *unaggregatedIterator) ensureBufferSize(targetSize int) {
+func (it *UnaggregatedIterator) ensureBufferSize(targetSize int) {
 	it.buf = ensureBufferSize(it.buf, it.bytesPool, targetSize, dontCopyData)
 }
 
-func (it *unaggregatedIterator) decodeMessage(size int) error {
+//nolint:gocyclo
+func (it *UnaggregatedIterator) decodeMessage(size int) error {
 	_, err := io.ReadFull(it.reader, it.buf[:size])
 	if err != nil {
 		it.err = err
diff --git a/src/metrics/encoding/protobuf/unaggregated_iterator_test.go b/src/metrics/encoding/protobuf/unaggregated_iterator_test.go
index 4aa96d7785..4b4bf9f673 100644
--- a/src/metrics/encoding/protobuf/unaggregated_iterator_test.go
+++ b/src/metrics/encoding/protobuf/unaggregated_iterator_test.go
@@ -538,18 +538,17 @@ func TestUnaggregatedIteratorNextOnClose(t *testing.T) {
 
 	stream := bytes.NewReader(dataBuf.Bytes())
 	it := NewUnaggregatedIterator(stream, NewUnaggregatedOptions())
-	iterator := it.(*unaggregatedIterator)
-	require.False(t, iterator.closed)
-	require.NotNil(t, iterator.buf)
+	require.False(t, it.closed)
+	require.NotNil(t, it.buf)
 	require.Nil(t, it.Err())
 
 	// Verify that closing the iterator cleans up the state.
 	it.Close()
 	require.False(t, it.Next())
 	require.False(t, it.Next())
-	require.True(t, iterator.closed)
-	require.Nil(t, iterator.bytesPool)
-	require.Nil(t, iterator.buf)
+	require.True(t, it.closed)
+	require.Nil(t, it.bytesPool)
+	require.Nil(t, it.buf)
 	require.Nil(t, it.Err())
 
 	// Verify that closing a second time is a no op.