diff --git a/pkg/metric/metric_test.go b/pkg/metric/metric_test.go
index 57e24601e..c02a0647f 100644
--- a/pkg/metric/metric_test.go
+++ b/pkg/metric/metric_test.go
@@ -1142,6 +1142,9 @@ func TestMetricProfiling(t *testing.T) {
 			numDatapoints := 0
 			for lines.Scan() {
 				line := strings.TrimPrefix(lines.Text(), metricsPrefix)
+				if strings.HasPrefix(line, "ADLER32\t") {
+					continue
+				}
 				numDatapoints++
 				items := strings.Split(line, "\t")
 				if len(items) != (numMetrics + 1) {
diff --git a/pkg/metric/profiling_metric.go b/pkg/metric/profiling_metric.go
index 1964b709c..815ad4c80 100644
--- a/pkg/metric/profiling_metric.go
+++ b/pkg/metric/profiling_metric.go
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ import (
 	"bufio"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
+	"hash"
+	"hash/adler32"
 	"os"
 	"strings"
 	"time"
@@ -205,12 +207,45 @@ func collectProfilingMetrics(s *snapshots, values []func(fieldValues ...*FieldVa
 	}
 }
 
+// hashWriter is a wrapper around a bufio.Writer that also updates a hasher.
+// The goal here is speed, and correctness is enforced by the reader of this
+// data checking the hash at the end.
+type hashWriter struct {
+	realWriter *bufio.Writer
+	hasher     hash.Hash32
+}
+
+// Write writes to the realWriter and also updates the hasher.
+func (w *hashWriter) Write(p []byte) (int, error) {
+	w.hasher.Write(p)
+	// We ignore the effects of partial writes on the hash computation here.
+	// This is OK because the goal of this writer is speed over correctness,
+	// and correctness is enforced by the reader of this data checking the
+	// hash at the end.
+	return w.realWriter.Write(p)
+}
+
+// WriteString writes a string to the realWriter and also updates the hasher.
+func (w *hashWriter) WriteString(s string) (int, error) {
+	w.hasher.Write([]byte(s))
+	return w.realWriter.WriteString(s)
+}
+
+// WriteRune writes a rune to the realWriter and also updates the hasher.
+func (w *hashWriter) WriteRune(r rune) {
+	w.hasher.Write([]byte(string(r)))
+	w.realWriter.WriteRune(r)
+}
+
 // writeProfilingMetrics will write to the ProfilingMetricsWriter on every
 // request via writeReqs, until writeReqs is closed.
 func writeProfilingMetrics(s *snapshots, header string, writeReqs <-chan writeReq) {
 	numEntries := s.numMetrics + 1
 
-	out := bufio.NewWriter(ProfilingMetricWriter)
+	out := hashWriter{
+		realWriter: bufio.NewWriter(ProfilingMetricWriter),
+		hasher:     adler32.New(),
+	}
 	out.WriteString(header)
 
 	for req := range writeReqs {
@@ -220,17 +255,19 @@ func writeProfilingMetrics(s *snapshots, header string, writeReqs <-chan writeRe
 			out.WriteString(metricsPrefix)
 			base := i * numEntries
 			// Write the time
-			prometheus.WriteInteger(out, int64(s.ringbuffer[req.ringbufferIdx][base]))
+			prometheus.WriteInteger(&out, int64(s.ringbuffer[req.ringbufferIdx][base]))
 			// Then everything else
 			for j := 1; j < numEntries; j++ {
 				out.WriteRune('\t')
-				prometheus.WriteInteger(out, int64(s.ringbuffer[req.ringbufferIdx][base+j]))
+				prometheus.WriteInteger(&out, int64(s.ringbuffer[req.ringbufferIdx][base+j]))
 			}
 			out.WriteRune('\n')
 		}
 	}
 
-	out.Flush()
+	out.realWriter.WriteString(metricsPrefix)
+	out.realWriter.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf("ADLER32\t0x%x\n", out.hasher.Sum32()))
+	out.realWriter.Flush()
 	ProfilingMetricWriter.Close()
 	doneProfilingMetrics <- true
 	close(doneProfilingMetrics)