diff --git a/observability/observe.ts b/observability/observe.ts
index a4c1518ac..298f2685d 100644
--- a/observability/observe.ts
+++ b/observability/observe.ts
@@ -2,36 +2,44 @@ import { isWrappedError } from "../blocks/loader.ts";
 import { ValueType } from "../deps.ts";
 import { meter, OTEL_ENABLE_EXTRA_METRICS } from "./otel/metrics.ts";
 
-const operationDuration = meter.createHistogram("block_op_duration", {
-  description: "operation duration",
-  unit: "ms",
-  valueType: ValueType.DOUBLE,
-});
+const observeWithMetrics = (() => {
+  const operationDuration = meter.createHistogram("block_op_duration", {
+    description: "operation duration",
+    unit: "ms",
+    valueType: ValueType.DOUBLE,
+  });
 
-/**
- * Observe function durations based on the provided labels
- */
-export const observe = async <T>(
-  op: string,
-  f: () => Promise<T>,
-): Promise<T> => {
-  const start = performance.now();
-  let isError = "false";
-  try {
-    const result = await f();
-    if (isWrappedError(result)) {
+  return async <T>(
+    op: string,
+    f: () => Promise<T>,
+  ): Promise<T> => {
+    const start = performance.now();
+    let isError = "false";
+    try {
+      const result = await f();
+      if (isWrappedError(result)) {
+        isError = "true";
+      }
+      return result;
+    } catch (error) {
       isError = "true";
-    }
-    return result;
-  } catch (error) {
-    isError = "true";
-    throw error;
-  } finally {
-    if (OTEL_ENABLE_EXTRA_METRICS) {
+      throw error;
+    } finally {
       operationDuration.record(performance.now() - start, {
         "operation.name": op,
         "operation.is_error": isError,
       });
     }
-  }
-};
+  };
+})();
+
+/**
+ * When metrics are disabled, pass through directly to avoid async wrapper
+ * overhead (performance.now, try/catch, isWrappedError check).
+ */
+export const observe: <T>(
+  op: string,
+  f: () => Promise<T>,
+) => Promise<T> = OTEL_ENABLE_EXTRA_METRICS
+  ? observeWithMetrics
+  : (_op, f) => f();