diff --git a/cloud_pipelines_backend/instrumentation/metrics.py b/cloud_pipelines_backend/instrumentation/metrics.py
index 94c54be..fda694f 100644
--- a/cloud_pipelines_backend/instrumentation/metrics.py
+++ b/cloud_pipelines_backend/instrumentation/metrics.py
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ class MetricUnit(str, enum.Enum):
 
     SECONDS = "s"
     ERRORS = "{error}"
+    EXECUTIONS = "{execution}"
 
 
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -51,6 +52,13 @@ class MetricUnit(str, enum.Enum):
     unit=MetricUnit.SECONDS,
 )
 
+execution_status_count = orchestrator_meter.create_observable_gauge(
+    name="execution.status.count",
+    callbacks=[],
+    description="Number of execution nodes in each active (non-terminal) status",
+    unit=MetricUnit.EXECUTIONS,
+)
+
 
 def record_status_transition(
     from_status: str,
diff --git a/cloud_pipelines_backend/instrumentation/metrics_poller.py b/cloud_pipelines_backend/instrumentation/metrics_poller.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3f9c69f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cloud_pipelines_backend/instrumentation/metrics_poller.py
@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
+"""Metrics poller.
+
+Periodically queries the DB and updates ObservableGauges. Currently emits
+execution status counts; add new DB-backed metrics here as needed.
+
+Only fluctuating (non-terminal) statuses are emitted as status count gauges —
+terminal statuses like SUCCEEDED and FAILED only ever climb and are not useful
+as gauges.
+"""
+
+import logging
+import threading
+import time
+import typing
+
+import sqlalchemy as sql
+from opentelemetry import metrics as otel_metrics
+from sqlalchemy import orm
+
+from .. import backend_types_sql as bts
+from . import metrics as app_metrics
+
+_logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+
+# All statuses minus terminal (ended) ones — these fluctuate up and down
+_ACTIVE_STATUSES: frozenset[bts.ContainerExecutionStatus] = (
+    frozenset(bts.ContainerExecutionStatus) - bts.CONTAINER_STATUSES_ENDED
+)
+
+
+class PollingService:
+    """Polls the DB periodically and emits execution status count gauges."""
+
+    def __init__(
+        self,
+        *,
+        session_factory: typing.Callable[[], orm.Session],
+        poll_interval_seconds: float = 30.0,
+    ) -> None:
+        self._session_factory = session_factory
+        self._poll_interval_seconds = poll_interval_seconds
+        self._lock = threading.Lock()
+        # Initialize all active statuses to 0
+        self._counts: dict[str, int] = {s.value: 0 for s in _ACTIVE_STATUSES}
+        # Register our observe method as the gauge callback.
+        # The OTel SDK stores callbacks in _callbacks; we append after creation
+        # since create_observable_gauge is called at module load time in metrics.py.
+        app_metrics.execution_status_count._callbacks.append(self._observe)
+
+    def run_loop(self) -> None:
+        while True:
+            try:
+                self._poll()
+            except Exception:
+                _logger.exception("Metrics PollingService: error polling DB")
+            time.sleep(self._poll_interval_seconds)
+
+    def _poll(self) -> None:
+        with self._session_factory() as session:
+            rows = session.execute(
+                sql.select(
+                    bts.ExecutionNode.container_execution_status,
+                    sql.func.count().label("count"),
+                )
+                .where(
+                    bts.ExecutionNode.container_execution_status.in_(_ACTIVE_STATUSES)
+                )
+                .group_by(bts.ExecutionNode.container_execution_status)
+            ).all()
+        new_counts = {s.value: 0 for s in _ACTIVE_STATUSES}
+        for status, count in rows:
+            if status is not None:
+                new_counts[status.value] = count
+        with self._lock:
+            self._counts = new_counts
+        _logger.debug(f"Metrics PollingService: polled status counts: {new_counts}")
+
+    def _observe(
+        self, _options: otel_metrics.CallbackOptions
+    ) -> typing.Iterable[otel_metrics.Observation]:
+        with self._lock:
+            counts = self._counts.copy()
+        for status_value, count in counts.items():
+            yield otel_metrics.Observation(count, {"execution.status": status_value})
diff --git a/start_local.py b/start_local.py
index 4ea8921..19813da 100644
--- a/start_local.py
+++ b/start_local.py
@@ -211,6 +211,35 @@ def run_orchestrator(
 # endregion
 
 
+# region: Metrics poller initialization
+
+from cloud_pipelines_backend.instrumentation import metrics_poller
+from cloud_pipelines_backend.instrumentation.opentelemetry._internal import (
+    configuration as otel_configuration,
+)
+
+
+def run_metrics_poller(*, db_engine: sqlalchemy.Engine) -> None:
+    otel_config = otel_configuration.resolve()
+    if otel_config is None or otel_config.metrics is None:
+        logger.info(
+            f"No OTel metrics endpoint configured"
+            f" (set {otel_configuration.EnvVar.METRIC_EXPORTER_ENDPOINT})"
+            f" — metrics poller not starting"
+        )
+        return
+    session_factory = orm.sessionmaker(
+        autocommit=False, autoflush=False, bind=db_engine
+    )
+    metrics_poller.PollingService(session_factory=session_factory).run_loop()
+
+
+run_configured_metrics_poller = lambda: run_metrics_poller(
+    db_engine=db_engine,
+)
+# endregion
+
+
 # region: API Server initialization
 import contextlib
 import threading
@@ -228,10 +257,8 @@ def run_orchestrator(
 @contextlib.asynccontextmanager
 async def lifespan(app: fastapi.FastAPI):
     database_ops.initialize_and_migrate_db(db_engine=db_engine)
-    threading.Thread(
-        target=run_configured_orchestrator,
-        daemon=True,
-    ).start()
+    threading.Thread(target=run_configured_orchestrator, daemon=True).start()
+    threading.Thread(target=run_configured_metrics_poller, daemon=True).start()
     if os.environ.get("GOOGLE_CLOUD_SHELL") == "true":
         # TODO: Find a way to get fastapi/starlette/uvicorn port
         port = 8000