diff --git a/service/src/main/java/org/whispersystems/textsecuregcm/websocket/WebSocketConnection.java b/service/src/main/java/org/whispersystems/textsecuregcm/websocket/WebSocketConnection.java
index 9458d4e85..19439b16b 100644
--- a/service/src/main/java/org/whispersystems/textsecuregcm/websocket/WebSocketConnection.java
+++ b/service/src/main/java/org/whispersystems/textsecuregcm/websocket/WebSocketConnection.java
@@ -44,7 +44,9 @@ import java.util.Optional;
 import java.util.UUID;
 import java.util.concurrent.CompletableFuture;
 import java.util.concurrent.Semaphore;
+import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;
 import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicBoolean;
+import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicLong;
 import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicReference;
 import java.util.concurrent.atomic.LongAdder;
 
@@ -66,6 +68,7 @@ public class WebSocketConnection implements MessageAvailabilityListener, Displac
   private static final Meter          discardedMessagesMeter         = metricRegistry.meter(name(WebSocketConnection.class, "discardedMessages"));
 
   private static final String INITIAL_QUEUE_LENGTH_DISTRIBUTION_NAME = name(WebSocketConnection.class, "initialQueueLength");
+  private static final String INITIAL_QUEUE_DRAIN_TIMER_NAME         = name(WebSocketConnection.class, "drainInitialQueue");
   private static final String DISPLACEMENT_COUNTER_NAME              = name(WebSocketConnection.class, "displacement");
   private static final String NON_SUCCESS_RESPONSE_COUNTER_NAME      = name(WebSocketConnection.class, "clientNonSuccessResponse");
   private static final String STATUS_CODE_TAG                        = "status";
@@ -89,6 +92,7 @@ public class WebSocketConnection implements MessageAvailabilityListener, Displac
   private final AtomicReference<StoredMessageState> storedMessageState             = new AtomicReference<>(StoredMessageState.PERSISTED_NEW_MESSAGES_AVAILABLE);
   private final AtomicBoolean                       sentInitialQueueEmptyMessage   = new AtomicBoolean(false);
   private final LongAdder                           sentMessageCounter             = new LongAdder();
+  private final AtomicLong                          queueDrainStartTime            = new AtomicLong();
 
   private enum StoredMessageState {
     EMPTY,
@@ -120,6 +124,7 @@ public class WebSocketConnection implements MessageAvailabilityListener, Displac
   }
 
   public void start() {
+    queueDrainStartTime.set(System.currentTimeMillis());
     processStoredMessages();
   }
 
@@ -198,6 +203,8 @@ public class WebSocketConnection implements MessageAvailabilityListener, Displac
       queueClearedFuture.whenComplete((v, cause) -> {
         if (cause == null && sentInitialQueueEmptyMessage.compareAndSet(false, true)) {
           Metrics.summary(INITIAL_QUEUE_LENGTH_DISTRIBUTION_NAME, List.of(UserAgentTagUtil.getPlatformTag(client.getUserAgent()))).record(sentMessageCounter.sum());
+          Metrics.timer(INITIAL_QUEUE_DRAIN_TIMER_NAME, List.of(UserAgentTagUtil.getPlatformTag(client.getUserAgent()))).record(System.currentTimeMillis() - queueDrainStartTime.get(), TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS);
+
           client.sendRequest("PUT", "/api/v1/queue/empty", Collections.singletonList(TimestampHeaderUtil.getTimestampHeader()), Optional.empty());
         }