diff --git a/cmd/loki-canary/main.go b/cmd/loki-canary/main.go
index e166c91357224..cb75cf19f5175 100644
--- a/cmd/loki-canary/main.go
+++ b/cmd/loki-canary/main.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"os"
 	"os/signal"
 	"strconv"
+	"sync"
 	"syscall"
 	"time"
 
@@ -19,6 +20,14 @@ import (
 	"github.com/grafana/loki/pkg/canary/writer"
 )
 
+type canary struct {
+	lock sync.Mutex
+
+	writer     *writer.Writer
+	reader     *reader.Reader
+	comparator *comparator.Comparator
+}
+
 func main() {
 
 	lName := flag.String("labelname", "name", "The label name for this instance of loki-canary to use in the log selector")
@@ -52,10 +61,28 @@ func main() {
 	sentChan := make(chan time.Time)
 	receivedChan := make(chan time.Time)
 
-	w := writer.NewWriter(os.Stdout, sentChan, *interval, *size)
-	r := reader.NewReader(os.Stderr, receivedChan, *tls, *addr, *user, *pass, *lName, *lVal)
-	c := comparator.NewComparator(os.Stderr, *wait, *pruneInterval, *buckets, sentChan, receivedChan, r, true)
+	c := &canary{}
+	startCanary := func() {
+		c.stop()
+
+		c.lock.Lock()
+		defer c.lock.Unlock()
+
+		c.writer = writer.NewWriter(os.Stdout, sentChan, *interval, *size)
+		c.reader = reader.NewReader(os.Stderr, receivedChan, *tls, *addr, *user, *pass, *lName, *lVal)
+		c.comparator = comparator.NewComparator(os.Stderr, *wait, *pruneInterval, *buckets, sentChan, receivedChan, c.reader, true)
+	}
+
+	startCanary()
 
+	http.HandleFunc("/resume", func(_ http.ResponseWriter, _ *http.Request) {
+		_, _ = fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "restarting\n")
+		startCanary()
+	})
+	http.HandleFunc("/suspend", func(_ http.ResponseWriter, _ *http.Request) {
+		_, _ = fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "suspending\n")
+		c.stop()
+	})
 	http.Handle("/metrics", promhttp.Handler())
 	go func() {
 		err := http.ListenAndServe(":"+strconv.Itoa(*port), nil)
@@ -64,25 +91,29 @@ func main() {
 		}
 	}()
 
-	interrupt := make(chan os.Signal, 1)
 	terminate := make(chan os.Signal, 1)
-	signal.Notify(interrupt, os.Interrupt)
-	signal.Notify(terminate, syscall.SIGTERM)
-
-	for {
-		select {
-		case <-interrupt:
-			_, _ = fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "suspending indefinitely\n")
-			w.Stop()
-			r.Stop()
-			c.Stop()
-		case <-terminate:
-			_, _ = fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "shutting down\n")
-			w.Stop()
-			r.Stop()
-			c.Stop()
-			return
-		}
+	signal.Notify(terminate, syscall.SIGTERM, os.Interrupt)
+
+	for range terminate {
+		_, _ = fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "shutting down\n")
+		c.stop()
+		return
 	}
+}
+
+func (c *canary) stop() {
+	c.lock.Lock()
+	defer c.lock.Unlock()
+
+	if c.writer == nil || c.reader == nil || c.comparator == nil {
+		return
+	}
+
+	c.writer.Stop()
+	c.reader.Stop()
+	c.comparator.Stop()
 
+	c.writer = nil
+	c.reader = nil
+	c.comparator = nil
 }
diff --git a/docs/operations/loki-canary.md b/docs/operations/loki-canary.md
index 1ce48a3599b75..900ec297ef575 100644
--- a/docs/operations/loki-canary.md
+++ b/docs/operations/loki-canary.md
@@ -47,6 +47,13 @@ determine if they are truly missing or only missing from the WebSocket. If
 missing entries are not found in the direct query, the `missing_entries` counter
 is incremented.
 
+### Control
+
+Loki Canary responds to two endpoints to allow dynamic suspending/resuming of the 
+canary process.  This can be useful if you'd like to quickly disable or reenable the 
+canary.  To stop or start the canary issue an HTTP GET request against the `/suspend` or
+`/resume` endpoints.
+
 ## Installation
 
 ### Binary
diff --git a/pkg/canary/comparator/comparator.go b/pkg/canary/comparator/comparator.go
index 3d118eb0c7b71..b687ce26cd60d 100644
--- a/pkg/canary/comparator/comparator.go
+++ b/pkg/canary/comparator/comparator.go
@@ -86,12 +86,14 @@ func NewComparator(writer io.Writer, maxWait time.Duration, pruneInterval time.D
 		done:          make(chan struct{}),
 	}
 
-	responseLatency = promauto.NewHistogram(prometheus.HistogramOpts{
-		Namespace: "loki_canary",
-		Name:      "response_latency",
-		Help:      "is how long it takes for log lines to be returned from Loki in seconds.",
-		Buckets:   prometheus.ExponentialBuckets(0.5, 2, buckets),
-	})
+	if responseLatency == nil {
+		responseLatency = promauto.NewHistogram(prometheus.HistogramOpts{
+			Namespace: "loki_canary",
+			Name:      "response_latency",
+			Help:      "is how long it takes for log lines to be returned from Loki in seconds.",
+			Buckets:   prometheus.ExponentialBuckets(0.5, 2, buckets),
+		})
+	}
 
 	go c.run()