diff --git a/plugin/metrics/prometheus/factory.go b/plugin/metrics/prometheus/factory.go
index aaa47c7d86f..8aaa0d2e1af 100644
--- a/plugin/metrics/prometheus/factory.go
+++ b/plugin/metrics/prometheus/factory.go
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ func (f *Factory) Initialize(telset telemetry.Settings) error {
 func (f *Factory) CreateMetricsReader() (metricsstore.Reader, error) {
 	mr, err := prometheusstore.NewMetricsReader(f.options.Configuration, f.telset.Logger, f.telset.TracerProvider)
 	if err != nil {
-		return mr, err
+		return nil, err
 	}
 	return metricstoremetrics.NewReaderDecorator(mr, f.telset.Metrics), nil
 }
diff --git a/plugin/metrics/prometheus/factory_test.go b/plugin/metrics/prometheus/factory_test.go
index b74c8354d80..c14778928d5 100644
--- a/plugin/metrics/prometheus/factory_test.go
+++ b/plugin/metrics/prometheus/factory_test.go
@@ -38,6 +38,15 @@ func TestPrometheusFactory(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.NotNil(t, reader)
 }
 
+func TestCreateMetricsReaderError(t *testing.T) {
+	f := NewFactory()
+	f.options.TLS.CAFile = "/does/not/exist"
+	require.NoError(t, f.Initialize(telemetry.NoopSettings()))
+	reader, err := f.CreateMetricsReader()
+	require.Error(t, err)
+	require.Nil(t, reader)
+}
+
 func TestWithDefaultConfiguration(t *testing.T) {
 	f := NewFactory()
 	assert.Equal(t, "http://localhost:9090", f.options.ServerURL)