diff --git a/src/metrics/server.rs b/src/metrics/server.rs
index bd992360a..0c19641e9 100644
--- a/src/metrics/server.rs
+++ b/src/metrics/server.rs
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ impl Server {
 
 async fn handle_metrics(
     reg: Arc<Mutex<Registry>>,
-    _req: Request<Incoming>,
+    req: Request<Incoming>,
 ) -> Response<Full<Bytes>> {
     let mut buf = String::new();
     let reg = reg.lock().expect("mutex");
@@ -73,12 +73,82 @@ async fn handle_metrics(
             .expect("builder with known status code should not fail");
     }
 
+    let response_content_type = content_type(&req);
+
     Response::builder()
         .status(hyper::StatusCode::OK)
-        .header(
-            hyper::header::CONTENT_TYPE,
-            "application/openmetrics-text;charset=utf-8;version=1.0.0",
-        )
+        .header(hyper::header::CONTENT_TYPE, response_content_type)
         .body(buf.into())
         .expect("builder with known status code should not fail")
 }
+
+#[derive(Default)]
+enum ContentType {
+    #[default]
+    PlainText,
+    OpenMetrics,
+}
+
+impl From<ContentType> for &str {
+    fn from(c: ContentType) -> Self {
+        match c {
+            ContentType::PlainText => "text/plain; charset=utf-8",
+            ContentType::OpenMetrics => "application/openmetrics-text;charset=utf-8;version=1.0.0",
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+#[inline(always)]
+fn content_type<T>(req: &Request<T>) -> &str {
+    req.headers()
+        .get_all(http::header::ACCEPT)
+        .iter()
+        .find_map(|v| {
+            match v
+                .to_str()
+                .unwrap_or_default()
+                .to_lowercase()
+                .split(";")
+                .collect::<Vec<_>>()
+                .first()
+            {
+                Some(&"application/openmetrics-text") => Some(ContentType::OpenMetrics),
+                _ => None,
+            }
+        })
+        .unwrap_or_default()
+        .into()
+}
+
+mod test {
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_content_type() {
+        let plain_text_req = http::Request::new("I want some plain text");
+        assert_eq!(
+            super::content_type(&plain_text_req),
+            "text/plain; charset=utf-8"
+        );
+
+        let openmetrics_req = http::Request::builder()
+            .header("X-Custom-Beep", "boop")
+            .header("Accept", "application/json")
+            .header("Accept", "application/openmetrics-text; other stuff")
+            .body("I would like openmetrics")
+            .unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(
+            super::content_type(&openmetrics_req),
+            "application/openmetrics-text;charset=utf-8;version=1.0.0"
+        );
+
+        let unsupported_req_accept = http::Request::builder()
+            .header("Accept", "application/json")
+            .body("I would like some json")
+            .unwrap();
+        // asking for something we don't support, fall back to plaintext
+        assert_eq!(
+            super::content_type(&unsupported_req_accept),
+            "text/plain; charset=utf-8"
+        )
+    }
+}