diff --git a/libbeat/publisher/pipeline/batch.go b/libbeat/publisher/pipeline/batch.go
index ddb222f0b02d..8d5ffaef9d58 100644
--- a/libbeat/publisher/pipeline/batch.go
+++ b/libbeat/publisher/pipeline/batch.go
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ type Batch struct {
 }
 
 type batchContext struct {
-	observer *observer
+	observer outputObserver
 	retryer  *retryer
 }
 
diff --git a/libbeat/publisher/pipeline/controller.go b/libbeat/publisher/pipeline/controller.go
index d6e75e770e13..bc92b4da91f6 100644
--- a/libbeat/publisher/pipeline/controller.go
+++ b/libbeat/publisher/pipeline/controller.go
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ import (
 // - reload
 type outputController struct {
 	logger   *logp.Logger
-	observer *observer
+	observer outputObserver
 
 	queue queue.Queue
 
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ type outputWorker interface {
 
 func newOutputController(
 	log *logp.Logger,
-	observer *observer,
+	observer outputObserver,
 	b queue.Queue,
 ) *outputController {
 	c := &outputController{
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ func newOutputController(
 	ctx := &batchContext{}
 	c.consumer = newEventConsumer(log, b, ctx)
 	c.retryer = newRetryer(log, observer, nil, c.consumer)
-	ctx.observer = c.observer
+	ctx.observer = observer
 	ctx.retryer = c.retryer
 
 	c.consumer.sigContinue()
diff --git a/libbeat/publisher/pipeline/monitoring.go b/libbeat/publisher/pipeline/monitoring.go
index 91c2a80cd9f4..8ba2ad373494 100644
--- a/libbeat/publisher/pipeline/monitoring.go
+++ b/libbeat/publisher/pipeline/monitoring.go
@@ -2,13 +2,48 @@ package pipeline
 
 import "github.com/elastic/beats/libbeat/monitoring"
 
-// observer is used by many component in the publisher pipeline, to report
+type observer interface {
+	pipelineObserver
+	clientObserver
+	queueObserver
+	outputObserver
+
+	cleanup()
+}
+
+type pipelineObserver interface {
+	clientConnected()
+	clientClosing()
+	clientClosed()
+}
+
+type clientObserver interface {
+	newEvent()
+	filteredEvent()
+	publishedEvent()
+	failedPublishEvent()
+}
+
+type queueObserver interface {
+	queueACKed(n int)
+}
+
+type outputObserver interface {
+	updateOutputGroup()
+	eventsFailed(int)
+	eventsDropped(int)
+	eventsRetry(int)
+	outBatchSend(int)
+	outBatchACKed(int)
+}
+
+// metricsObserver is used by many component in the publisher pipeline, to report
 // internal events. The oberserver can call registered global event handlers or
 // updated shared counters/metrics for reporting.
 // All events required for reporting events/metrics on the pipeline-global level
 // are defined by observer. The components are only allowed to serve localized
 // event-handlers only (e.g. the client centric events callbacks)
-type observer struct {
+type metricsObserver struct {
 	metrics *monitoring.Registry
 
 	// clients metrics
@@ -23,14 +58,13 @@ type observer struct {
 	ackedQueue *monitoring.Uint
 }
 
-func (o *observer) init(metrics *monitoring.Registry) {
-	o.metrics = metrics
+func newMetricsObserver(metrics *monitoring.Registry) *metricsObserver {
 	reg := metrics.GetRegistry("pipeline")
 	if reg == nil {
 		reg = metrics.NewRegistry("pipeline")
 	}
 
-	*o = observer{
+	return &metricsObserver{
 		metrics: metrics,
 		clients: monitoring.NewUint(reg, "clients"),
 
@@ -47,8 +81,10 @@ func (o *observer) init(metrics *monitoring.Registry) {
 	}
 }
 
-func (o *observer) cleanup() {
-	o.metrics.Remove("pipeline") // drop all metrics from registry
+func (o *metricsObserver) cleanup() {
+	if o.metrics != nil {
+		o.metrics.Remove("pipeline") // drop all metrics from registry
+	}
 }
 
 //
@@ -56,37 +92,37 @@ func (o *observer) cleanup() {
 //
 
 // (pipeline) pipeline did finish creating a new client instance
-func (o *observer) clientConnected() { o.clients.Inc() }
+func (o *metricsObserver) clientConnected() { o.clients.Inc() }
 
 // (client) close being called on client
-func (o *observer) clientClosing() {}
+func (o *metricsObserver) clientClosing() {}
 
 // (client) client finished processing close
-func (o *observer) clientClosed() { o.clients.Dec() }
+func (o *metricsObserver) clientClosed() { o.clients.Dec() }
 
 //
 // client publish events
 //
 
 // (client) client is trying to publish a new event
-func (o *observer) newEvent() {
+func (o *metricsObserver) newEvent() {
 	o.events.Inc()
 	o.activeEvents.Inc()
 }
 
 // (client) event is filtered out (on purpose or failed)
-func (o *observer) filteredEvent() {
+func (o *metricsObserver) filteredEvent() {
 	o.filtered.Inc()
 	o.activeEvents.Dec()
 }
 
 // (client) managed to push an event into the publisher pipeline
-func (o *observer) publishedEvent() {
+func (o *metricsObserver) publishedEvent() {
 	o.published.Inc()
 }
 
 // (client) client closing down or DropIfFull is set
-func (o *observer) failedPublishEvent() {
+func (o *metricsObserver) failedPublishEvent() {
 	o.failed.Inc()
 	o.activeEvents.Dec()
 }
@@ -96,7 +132,7 @@ func (o *observer) failedPublishEvent() {
 //
 
 // (queue) number of events ACKed by the queue/broker in use
-func (o *observer) queueACKed(n int) {
+func (o *metricsObserver) queueACKed(n int) {
 	o.ackedQueue.Add(uint64(n))
 	o.activeEvents.Sub(uint64(n))
 }
@@ -106,23 +142,43 @@ func (o *observer) queueACKed(n int) {
 //
 
 // (controller) new output group is about to be loaded
-func (o *observer) updateOutputGroup() {}
+func (o *metricsObserver) updateOutputGroup() {}
 
 // (retryer) new failed batch has been received
-func (o *observer) eventsFailed(int) {}
+func (o *metricsObserver) eventsFailed(int) {}
 
 // (retryer) number of events dropped by retryer
-func (o *observer) eventsDropped(n int) {
+func (o *metricsObserver) eventsDropped(n int) {
 	o.dropped.Add(uint64(n))
 }
 
 // (retryer) number of events pushed to the output worker queue
-func (o *observer) eventsRetry(n int) {
+func (o *metricsObserver) eventsRetry(n int) {
 	o.retry.Add(uint64(n))
 }
 
 // (output) number of events to be forwarded to the output client
-func (o *observer) outBatchSend(int) {}
+func (o *metricsObserver) outBatchSend(int) {}
 
 // (output) number of events acked by the output batch
-func (o *observer) outBatchACKed(int) {}
+func (o *metricsObserver) outBatchACKed(int) {}
+
+type emptyObserver struct{}
+
+var nilObserver observer = (*emptyObserver)(nil)
+
+func (*emptyObserver) cleanup()            {}
+func (*emptyObserver) clientConnected()    {}
+func (*emptyObserver) clientClosing()      {}
+func (*emptyObserver) clientClosed()       {}
+func (*emptyObserver) newEvent()           {}
+func (*emptyObserver) filteredEvent()      {}
+func (*emptyObserver) publishedEvent()     {}
+func (*emptyObserver) failedPublishEvent() {}
+func (*emptyObserver) queueACKed(n int)    {}
+func (*emptyObserver) updateOutputGroup()  {}
+func (*emptyObserver) eventsFailed(int)    {}
+func (*emptyObserver) eventsDropped(int)   {}
+func (*emptyObserver) eventsRetry(int)     {}
+func (*emptyObserver) outBatchSend(int)    {}
+func (*emptyObserver) outBatchACKed(int)   {}
diff --git a/libbeat/publisher/pipeline/output.go b/libbeat/publisher/pipeline/output.go
index 11f8e39990bb..7995f8dbfef8 100644
--- a/libbeat/publisher/pipeline/output.go
+++ b/libbeat/publisher/pipeline/output.go
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import (
 
 // clientWorker manages output client of type outputs.Client, not supporting reconnect.
 type clientWorker struct {
-	observer *observer
+	observer outputObserver
 	qu       workQueue
 	client   outputs.Client
 	closed   atomic.Bool
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ type clientWorker struct {
 
 // netClientWorker manages reconnectable output clients of type outputs.NetworkClient.
 type netClientWorker struct {
-	observer *observer
+	observer outputObserver
 	qu       workQueue
 	client   outputs.NetworkClient
 	closed   atomic.Bool
@@ -25,13 +25,13 @@ type netClientWorker struct {
 	batchSizer func() int
 }
 
-func makeClientWorker(observer *observer, qu workQueue, client outputs.Client) outputWorker {
+func makeClientWorker(observer outputObserver, qu workQueue, client outputs.Client) outputWorker {
 	if nc, ok := client.(outputs.NetworkClient); ok {
 		c := &netClientWorker{observer: observer, qu: qu, client: nc}
 		go c.run()
 		return c
 	}
-	c := &clientWorker{qu: qu, client: client}
+	c := &clientWorker{observer: observer, qu: qu, client: client}
 	go c.run()
 	return c
 }
diff --git a/libbeat/publisher/pipeline/pipeline.go b/libbeat/publisher/pipeline/pipeline.go
index fee988641e36..e3ac209580cf 100644
--- a/libbeat/publisher/pipeline/pipeline.go
+++ b/libbeat/publisher/pipeline/pipeline.go
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ type pipelineEventer struct {
 	mutex      sync.Mutex
 	modifyable bool
 
-	observer  *observer
+	observer  queueObserver
 	waitClose *waitCloser
 	cb        *pipelineEventCB
 }
@@ -157,6 +157,7 @@ func New(
 	log := defaultLogger
 	p := &Pipeline{
 		logger:           log,
+		observer:         nilObserver,
 		waitCloseMode:    settings.WaitCloseMode,
 		waitCloseTimeout: settings.WaitClose,
 		processors: pipelineProcessors{
@@ -169,7 +170,10 @@ func New(
 	p.ackBuilder = &pipelineEmptyACK{p}
 	p.ackActive = atomic.MakeBool(true)
 
-	p.eventer.observer = &p.observer
+	if metrics != nil {
+		p.observer = newMetricsObserver(metrics)
+	}
+	p.eventer.observer = p.observer
 	p.eventer.modifyable = true
 
 	if settings.WaitCloseMode == WaitOnPipelineClose && settings.WaitClose > 0 {
@@ -185,9 +189,7 @@ func New(
 	}
 	p.eventSema = newSema(p.queue.BufferConfig().Events)
 
-	p.observer.init(metrics)
-
-	p.output = newOutputController(log, &p.observer, p.queue)
+	p.output = newOutputController(log, p.observer, p.queue)
 	p.output.Set(out)
 
 	return p, nil
diff --git a/libbeat/publisher/pipeline/retry.go b/libbeat/publisher/pipeline/retry.go
index c9fab386f9ae..b15905bb07f5 100644
--- a/libbeat/publisher/pipeline/retry.go
+++ b/libbeat/publisher/pipeline/retry.go
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ import (
 // outputs.
 type retryer struct {
 	logger   *logp.Logger
-	observer *observer
+	observer outputObserver
 
 	done chan struct{}
 
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ const (
 
 func newRetryer(
 	log *logp.Logger,
-	observer *observer,
+	observer outputObserver,
 	out workQueue,
 	c *eventConsumer,
 ) *retryer {