diff --git a/src/metric.cpp b/src/metric.cpp
index a5eb903..1bd815b 100644
--- a/src/metric.cpp
+++ b/src/metric.cpp
@@ -217,6 +217,9 @@ struct Metric {
   static Counter create_counter_instance(
       Family<Counter> *family,
       const std::vector<std::pair<std::string, std::string>> &labels) {
+    // Force thread_local initialization
+    (void)thread_init;
+
     std::unique_lock<std::mutex> _{mutex};
     LabelsKey key{labels};
 
@@ -262,6 +265,9 @@ struct Metric {
   static Histogram create_histogram_instance(
       Family<Histogram> *family,
       const std::vector<std::pair<std::string, std::string>> &labels) {
+    // Force thread_local initialization
+    (void)thread_init;
+
     std::unique_lock<std::mutex> _{mutex};
     LabelsKey key{labels};
     auto &ptr =
diff --git a/tests/test_metric.cpp b/tests/test_metric.cpp
index 6513761..3074a49 100644
--- a/tests/test_metric.cpp
+++ b/tests/test_metric.cpp
@@ -483,6 +483,113 @@ TEST_CASE("thread safety") {
   }
 }
 
+TEST_CASE("thread counter cleanup bug") {
+  SUBCASE(
+      "counter and histogram values should persist after thread destruction") {
+    auto counter_family = metric::create_counter(
+        "thread_cleanup_counter", "Counter for thread cleanup test");
+    auto histogram_family = metric::create_histogram(
+        "thread_cleanup_histogram", "Histogram for thread cleanup test",
+        metric::linear_buckets(0.0, 1.0, 5)); // buckets: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4
+
+    // Variables to collect actual values from worker thread
+    double counter_value_in_thread = 0;
+    double histogram_sum_in_thread = 0;
+
+    // Create thread that increments metrics and then exits
+    std::thread worker([&]() {
+      auto counter = counter_family.create({{"worker", "cleanup_test"}});
+      auto histogram = histogram_family.create({{"worker", "cleanup_test"}});
+
+      counter.inc(1.0);
+      histogram.observe(1.5); // Should contribute to sum
+
+      // Measure actual values from within the thread (before ThreadInit
+      // destructor runs)
+      ArenaAllocator thread_arena;
+      auto thread_output = metric::render(thread_arena);
+
+      for (const auto &line : thread_output) {
+        if (line.find("thread_cleanup_counter{worker=\"cleanup_test\"}") !=
+            std::string_view::npos) {
+          auto space_pos = line.rfind(' ');
+          if (space_pos != std::string_view::npos) {
+            auto value_str = line.substr(space_pos + 1);
+            if (value_str.back() == '\n') {
+              value_str.remove_suffix(1);
+            }
+            counter_value_in_thread = std::stod(std::string(value_str));
+          }
+        }
+        if (line.find(
+                "thread_cleanup_histogram_sum{worker=\"cleanup_test\"}") !=
+            std::string_view::npos) {
+          auto space_pos = line.rfind(' ');
+          if (space_pos != std::string_view::npos) {
+            auto value_str = line.substr(space_pos + 1);
+            if (value_str.back() == '\n') {
+              value_str.remove_suffix(1);
+            }
+            histogram_sum_in_thread = std::stod(std::string(value_str));
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    });
+
+    // Wait for thread to complete and destroy (triggering ThreadInit
+    // destructor)
+    worker.join();
+
+    // Measure values after thread cleanup
+    ArenaAllocator arena;
+    auto output = metric::render(arena);
+
+    double counter_value_after = 0;
+    double histogram_sum_after = 0;
+
+    for (const auto &line : output) {
+      if (line.find("thread_cleanup_counter{worker=\"cleanup_test\"}") !=
+          std::string_view::npos) {
+        auto space_pos = line.rfind(' ');
+        if (space_pos != std::string_view::npos) {
+          auto value_str = line.substr(space_pos + 1);
+          if (value_str.back() == '\n') {
+            value_str.remove_suffix(1);
+          }
+          counter_value_after = std::stod(std::string(value_str));
+        }
+      }
+      if (line.find("thread_cleanup_histogram_sum{worker=\"cleanup_test\"}") !=
+          std::string_view::npos) {
+        auto space_pos = line.rfind(' ');
+        if (space_pos != std::string_view::npos) {
+          auto value_str = line.substr(space_pos + 1);
+          if (value_str.back() == '\n') {
+            value_str.remove_suffix(1);
+          }
+          histogram_sum_after = std::stod(std::string(value_str));
+        }
+      }
+    }
+
+    // Values should have been captured correctly within the thread
+    CHECK(counter_value_in_thread == 1.0);
+    CHECK(histogram_sum_in_thread == 1.5);
+
+    // The bug: These values should persist after thread cleanup but will be
+    // lost because ThreadInit destructor erases per-thread state without
+    // accumulating values
+    CHECK(counter_value_after == 1.0);
+    CHECK(histogram_sum_after == 1.5);
+
+    // The bug: After thread destruction, the counter and histogram values are
+    // lost because ThreadInit::~ThreadInit() calls
+    // family->perThreadState.erase(thread_id) without accumulating the values
+    // into global storage first. This causes counter values to "go backwards"
+    // when threads are destroyed, violating the monotonic property of counters.
+  }
+}
+
 TEST_CASE("error conditions") {
   SUBCASE("counter negative increment") {
     auto counter_family = metric::create_counter("error_counter", "Error test");