diff --git a/bridge_test.go b/bridge_test.go
index 7425bee..ecff423 100644
--- a/bridge_test.go
+++ b/bridge_test.go
@@ -83,60 +83,60 @@ func TestHandlePacket(t *testing.T) {
 			name: "simple timer",
 			in:   "foo:200|ms",
 			out: event.Events{
-				&event.TimerEvent{
-					TMetricName: "foo",
-					TValue:      0.2,
-					TLabels:     map[string]string{},
+				&event.ObserverEvent{
+					OMetricName: "foo",
+					OValue:      0.2,
+					OLabels:     map[string]string{},
 				},
 			},
 		}, {
 			name: "simple histogram",
 			in:   "foo:200|h",
 			out: event.Events{
-				&event.TimerEvent{
-					TMetricName: "foo",
-					TValue:      200,
-					TLabels:     map[string]string{},
+				&event.ObserverEvent{
+					OMetricName: "foo",
+					OValue:      200,
+					OLabels:     map[string]string{},
 				},
 			},
 		}, {
 			name: "simple distribution",
 			in:   "foo:200|d",
 			out: event.Events{
-				&event.TimerEvent{
-					TMetricName: "foo",
-					TValue:      200,
-					TLabels:     map[string]string{},
+				&event.ObserverEvent{
+					OMetricName: "foo",
+					OValue:      200,
+					OLabels:     map[string]string{},
 				},
 			},
 		}, {
 			name: "distribution with sampling",
 			in:   "foo:0.01|d|@0.2|#tag1:bar,#tag2:baz",
 			out: event.Events{
-				&event.TimerEvent{
-					TMetricName: "foo",
-					TValue:      0.01,
-					TLabels:     map[string]string{"tag1": "bar", "tag2": "baz"},
+				&event.ObserverEvent{
+					OMetricName: "foo",
+					OValue:      0.01,
+					OLabels:     map[string]string{"tag1": "bar", "tag2": "baz"},
 				},
-				&event.TimerEvent{
-					TMetricName: "foo",
-					TValue:      0.01,
-					TLabels:     map[string]string{"tag1": "bar", "tag2": "baz"},
+				&event.ObserverEvent{
+					OMetricName: "foo",
+					OValue:      0.01,
+					OLabels:     map[string]string{"tag1": "bar", "tag2": "baz"},
 				},
-				&event.TimerEvent{
-					TMetricName: "foo",
-					TValue:      0.01,
-					TLabels:     map[string]string{"tag1": "bar", "tag2": "baz"},
+				&event.ObserverEvent{
+					OMetricName: "foo",
+					OValue:      0.01,
+					OLabels:     map[string]string{"tag1": "bar", "tag2": "baz"},
 				},
-				&event.TimerEvent{
-					TMetricName: "foo",
-					TValue:      0.01,
-					TLabels:     map[string]string{"tag1": "bar", "tag2": "baz"},
+				&event.ObserverEvent{
+					OMetricName: "foo",
+					OValue:      0.01,
+					OLabels:     map[string]string{"tag1": "bar", "tag2": "baz"},
 				},
-				&event.TimerEvent{
-					TMetricName: "foo",
-					TValue:      0.01,
-					TLabels:     map[string]string{"tag1": "bar", "tag2": "baz"},
+				&event.ObserverEvent{
+					OMetricName: "foo",
+					OValue:      0.01,
+					OLabels:     map[string]string{"tag1": "bar", "tag2": "baz"},
 				},
 			},
 		}, {
@@ -265,30 +265,30 @@ func TestHandlePacket(t *testing.T) {
 			name: "histogram with sampling",
 			in:   "foo:0.01|h|@0.2|#tag1:bar,#tag2:baz",
 			out: event.Events{
-				&event.TimerEvent{
-					TMetricName: "foo",
-					TValue:      0.01,
-					TLabels:     map[string]string{"tag1": "bar", "tag2": "baz"},
+				&event.ObserverEvent{
+					OMetricName: "foo",
+					OValue:      0.01,
+					OLabels:     map[string]string{"tag1": "bar", "tag2": "baz"},
 				},
-				&event.TimerEvent{
-					TMetricName: "foo",
-					TValue:      0.01,
-					TLabels:     map[string]string{"tag1": "bar", "tag2": "baz"},
+				&event.ObserverEvent{
+					OMetricName: "foo",
+					OValue:      0.01,
+					OLabels:     map[string]string{"tag1": "bar", "tag2": "baz"},
 				},
-				&event.TimerEvent{
-					TMetricName: "foo",
-					TValue:      0.01,
-					TLabels:     map[string]string{"tag1": "bar", "tag2": "baz"},
+				&event.ObserverEvent{
+					OMetricName: "foo",
+					OValue:      0.01,
+					OLabels:     map[string]string{"tag1": "bar", "tag2": "baz"},
 				},
-				&event.TimerEvent{
-					TMetricName: "foo",
-					TValue:      0.01,
-					TLabels:     map[string]string{"tag1": "bar", "tag2": "baz"},
+				&event.ObserverEvent{
+					OMetricName: "foo",
+					OValue:      0.01,
+					OLabels:     map[string]string{"tag1": "bar", "tag2": "baz"},
 				},
-				&event.TimerEvent{
-					TMetricName: "foo",
-					TValue:      0.01,
-					TLabels:     map[string]string{"tag1": "bar", "tag2": "baz"},
+				&event.ObserverEvent{
+					OMetricName: "foo",
+					OValue:      0.01,
+					OLabels:     map[string]string{"tag1": "bar", "tag2": "baz"},
 				},
 			},
 		}, {
@@ -321,15 +321,15 @@ func TestHandlePacket(t *testing.T) {
 			name: "combined multiline metrics",
 			in:   "foo:200|ms:300|ms:5|c|@0.1:6|g\nbar:1|c:5|ms",
 			out: event.Events{
-				&event.TimerEvent{
-					TMetricName: "foo",
-					TValue:      .200,
-					TLabels:     map[string]string{},
+				&event.ObserverEvent{
+					OMetricName: "foo",
+					OValue:      .200,
+					OLabels:     map[string]string{},
 				},
-				&event.TimerEvent{
-					TMetricName: "foo",
-					TValue:      .300,
-					TLabels:     map[string]string{},
+				&event.ObserverEvent{
+					OMetricName: "foo",
+					OValue:      .300,
+					OLabels:     map[string]string{},
 				},
 				&event.CounterEvent{
 					CMetricName: "foo",
@@ -346,26 +346,26 @@ func TestHandlePacket(t *testing.T) {
 					CValue:      1,
 					CLabels:     map[string]string{},
 				},
-				&event.TimerEvent{
-					TMetricName: "bar",
-					TValue:      .005,
-					TLabels:     map[string]string{},
+				&event.ObserverEvent{
+					OMetricName: "bar",
+					OValue:      .005,
+					OLabels:     map[string]string{},
 				},
 			},
 		}, {
 			name: "timings with sampling factor",
 			in:   "foo.timing:0.5|ms|@0.1",
 			out: event.Events{
-				&event.TimerEvent{TMetricName: "foo.timing", TValue: 0.0005, TLabels: map[string]string{}},
-				&event.TimerEvent{TMetricName: "foo.timing", TValue: 0.0005, TLabels: map[string]string{}},
-				&event.TimerEvent{TMetricName: "foo.timing", TValue: 0.0005, TLabels: map[string]string{}},
-				&event.TimerEvent{TMetricName: "foo.timing", TValue: 0.0005, TLabels: map[string]string{}},
-				&event.TimerEvent{TMetricName: "foo.timing", TValue: 0.0005, TLabels: map[string]string{}},
-				&event.TimerEvent{TMetricName: "foo.timing", TValue: 0.0005, TLabels: map[string]string{}},
-				&event.TimerEvent{TMetricName: "foo.timing", TValue: 0.0005, TLabels: map[string]string{}},
-				&event.TimerEvent{TMetricName: "foo.timing", TValue: 0.0005, TLabels: map[string]string{}},
-				&event.TimerEvent{TMetricName: "foo.timing", TValue: 0.0005, TLabels: map[string]string{}},
-				&event.TimerEvent{TMetricName: "foo.timing", TValue: 0.0005, TLabels: map[string]string{}},
+				&event.ObserverEvent{OMetricName: "foo.timing", OValue: 0.0005, OLabels: map[string]string{}},
+				&event.ObserverEvent{OMetricName: "foo.timing", OValue: 0.0005, OLabels: map[string]string{}},
+				&event.ObserverEvent{OMetricName: "foo.timing", OValue: 0.0005, OLabels: map[string]string{}},
+				&event.ObserverEvent{OMetricName: "foo.timing", OValue: 0.0005, OLabels: map[string]string{}},
+				&event.ObserverEvent{OMetricName: "foo.timing", OValue: 0.0005, OLabels: map[string]string{}},
+				&event.ObserverEvent{OMetricName: "foo.timing", OValue: 0.0005, OLabels: map[string]string{}},
+				&event.ObserverEvent{OMetricName: "foo.timing", OValue: 0.0005, OLabels: map[string]string{}},
+				&event.ObserverEvent{OMetricName: "foo.timing", OValue: 0.0005, OLabels: map[string]string{}},
+				&event.ObserverEvent{OMetricName: "foo.timing", OValue: 0.0005, OLabels: map[string]string{}},
+				&event.ObserverEvent{OMetricName: "foo.timing", OValue: 0.0005, OLabels: map[string]string{}},
 			},
 		}, {
 			name: "bad line",
@@ -426,30 +426,30 @@ func TestHandlePacket(t *testing.T) {
 			name: "ms timer with conversion to seconds",
 			in:   "foo:200|ms",
 			out: event.Events{
-				&event.TimerEvent{
-					TMetricName: "foo",
-					TValue:      0.2,
-					TLabels:     map[string]string{},
+				&event.ObserverEvent{
+					OMetricName: "foo",
+					OValue:      0.2,
+					OLabels:     map[string]string{},
 				},
 			},
 		}, {
 			name: "histogram with no unit conversion",
 			in:   "foo:200|h",
 			out: event.Events{
-				&event.TimerEvent{
-					TMetricName: "foo",
-					TValue:      200,
-					TLabels:     map[string]string{},
+				&event.ObserverEvent{
+					OMetricName: "foo",
+					OValue:      200,
+					OLabels:     map[string]string{},
 				},
 			},
 		}, {
 			name: "distribution with no unit conversion",
 			in:   "foo:200|d",
 			out: event.Events{
-				&event.TimerEvent{
-					TMetricName: "foo",
-					TValue:      200,
-					TLabels:     map[string]string{},
+				&event.ObserverEvent{
+					OMetricName: "foo",
+					OValue:      200,
+					OLabels:     map[string]string{},
 				},
 			},
 		},
@@ -584,9 +584,9 @@ mappings:
 			GValue:      200,
 		},
 		// event with ttl = 2s from a mapping
-		&event.TimerEvent{
-			TMetricName: "bazqux.main",
-			TValue:      42,
+		&event.ObserverEvent{
+			OMetricName: "bazqux.main",
+			OValue:      42,
 		},
 	}
 
diff --git a/exporter_benchmark_test.go b/exporter_benchmark_test.go
index 480930b..5d263ad 100644
--- a/exporter_benchmark_test.go
+++ b/exporter_benchmark_test.go
@@ -86,13 +86,13 @@ func BenchmarkExporterListener(b *testing.B) {
 			GMetricName: "gauge",
 			GValue:      10,
 		},
-		&event.TimerEvent{ // simple timer
-			TMetricName: "timer",
-			TValue:      200,
+		&event.ObserverEvent{ // simple timer
+			OMetricName: "timer",
+			OValue:      200,
 		},
-		&event.TimerEvent{ // simple histogram
-			TMetricName: "histogram.test",
-			TValue:      200,
+		&event.ObserverEvent{ // simple histogram
+			OMetricName: "histogram.test",
+			OValue:      200,
 		},
 		&event.CounterEvent{ // simple_tags
 			CMetricName: "simple_tags",
diff --git a/pkg/event/event.go b/pkg/event/event.go
index 108d1fb..bfe0de3 100644
--- a/pkg/event/event.go
+++ b/pkg/event/event.go
@@ -52,17 +52,16 @@ func (g *GaugeEvent) Value() float64                { return g.GValue }
 func (c *GaugeEvent) Labels() map[string]string     { return c.GLabels }
 func (c *GaugeEvent) MetricType() mapper.MetricType { return mapper.MetricTypeGauge }
 
-// TimerEvent now defaults to seconds units
-type TimerEvent struct {
-	TMetricName string
-	TValue      float64
-	TLabels     map[string]string
+type ObserverEvent struct {
+	OMetricName string
+	OValue      float64
+	OLabels     map[string]string
 }
 
-func (t *TimerEvent) MetricName() string            { return t.TMetricName }
-func (t *TimerEvent) Value() float64                { return t.TValue }
-func (c *TimerEvent) Labels() map[string]string     { return c.TLabels }
-func (c *TimerEvent) MetricType() mapper.MetricType { return mapper.MetricTypeTimer }
+func (t *ObserverEvent) MetricName() string            { return t.OMetricName }
+func (t *ObserverEvent) Value() float64                { return t.OValue }
+func (c *ObserverEvent) Labels() map[string]string     { return c.OLabels }
+func (c *ObserverEvent) MetricType() mapper.MetricType { return mapper.MetricTypeTimer }
 
 type Events []Event
 
diff --git a/pkg/exporter/exporter.go b/pkg/exporter/exporter.go
index 558949e..199cc7e 100644
--- a/pkg/exporter/exporter.go
+++ b/pkg/exporter/exporter.go
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ func (b *Exporter) handleEvent(thisEvent event.Event) {
 			b.ConflictingEventStats.WithLabelValues("gauge").Inc()
 		}
 
-	case *event.TimerEvent:
+	case *event.ObserverEvent:
 		t := mapper.TimerTypeDefault
 		if mapping != nil {
 			t = mapping.TimerType
diff --git a/pkg/exporter/exporter_test.go b/pkg/exporter/exporter_test.go
index ec4ae01..a58b735 100644
--- a/pkg/exporter/exporter_test.go
+++ b/pkg/exporter/exporter_test.go
@@ -228,25 +228,25 @@ func TestInconsistentLabelSets(t *testing.T) {
 				GValue:      1,
 				GLabels:     secondLabelSet,
 			},
-			&event.TimerEvent{
-				TMetricName: "histogram.test",
-				TValue:      1,
-				TLabels:     firstLabelSet,
+			&event.ObserverEvent{
+				OMetricName: "histogram.test",
+				OValue:      1,
+				OLabels:     firstLabelSet,
 			},
-			&event.TimerEvent{
-				TMetricName: "histogram.test",
-				TValue:      1,
-				TLabels:     secondLabelSet,
+			&event.ObserverEvent{
+				OMetricName: "histogram.test",
+				OValue:      1,
+				OLabels:     secondLabelSet,
 			},
-			&event.TimerEvent{
-				TMetricName: "summary_test",
-				TValue:      1,
-				TLabels:     firstLabelSet,
+			&event.ObserverEvent{
+				OMetricName: "summary_test",
+				OValue:      1,
+				OLabels:     firstLabelSet,
 			},
-			&event.TimerEvent{
-				TMetricName: "summary_test",
-				TValue:      1,
-				TLabels:     secondLabelSet,
+			&event.ObserverEvent{
+				OMetricName: "summary_test",
+				OValue:      1,
+				OLabels:     secondLabelSet,
 			},
 		}
 		events <- c
@@ -427,9 +427,9 @@ func TestConflictingMetrics(t *testing.T) {
 					CMetricName: "histogram_test1",
 					CValue:      1,
 				},
-				&event.TimerEvent{
-					TMetricName: "histogram.test1",
-					TValue:      2,
+				&event.ObserverEvent{
+					OMetricName: "histogram.test1",
+					OValue:      2,
 				},
 			},
 		},
@@ -441,9 +441,9 @@ func TestConflictingMetrics(t *testing.T) {
 					CMetricName: "histogram_test1_sum",
 					CValue:      1,
 				},
-				&event.TimerEvent{
-					TMetricName: "histogram.test1",
-					TValue:      2,
+				&event.ObserverEvent{
+					OMetricName: "histogram.test1",
+					OValue:      2,
 				},
 			},
 		},
@@ -455,9 +455,9 @@ func TestConflictingMetrics(t *testing.T) {
 					CMetricName: "histogram_test2_count",
 					CValue:      1,
 				},
-				&event.TimerEvent{
-					TMetricName: "histogram.test2",
-					TValue:      2,
+				&event.ObserverEvent{
+					OMetricName: "histogram.test2",
+					OValue:      2,
 				},
 			},
 		},
@@ -469,9 +469,9 @@ func TestConflictingMetrics(t *testing.T) {
 					CMetricName: "histogram_test3_bucket",
 					CValue:      1,
 				},
-				&event.TimerEvent{
-					TMetricName: "histogram.test3",
-					TValue:      2,
+				&event.ObserverEvent{
+					OMetricName: "histogram.test3",
+					OValue:      2,
 				},
 			},
 		},
@@ -483,9 +483,9 @@ func TestConflictingMetrics(t *testing.T) {
 					CMetricName: "cvsq_test",
 					CValue:      1,
 				},
-				&event.TimerEvent{
-					TMetricName: "cvsq_test",
-					TValue:      2,
+				&event.ObserverEvent{
+					OMetricName: "cvsq_test",
+					OValue:      2,
 				},
 			},
 		},
@@ -497,9 +497,9 @@ func TestConflictingMetrics(t *testing.T) {
 					CMetricName: "cvsc_count",
 					CValue:      1,
 				},
-				&event.TimerEvent{
-					TMetricName: "cvsc",
-					TValue:      2,
+				&event.ObserverEvent{
+					OMetricName: "cvsc",
+					OValue:      2,
 				},
 			},
 		},
@@ -511,9 +511,9 @@ func TestConflictingMetrics(t *testing.T) {
 					CMetricName: "cvss_sum",
 					CValue:      1,
 				},
-				&event.TimerEvent{
-					TMetricName: "cvss",
-					TValue:      2,
+				&event.ObserverEvent{
+					OMetricName: "cvss",
+					OValue:      2,
 				},
 			},
 		},
@@ -672,9 +672,9 @@ func TestSummaryWithQuantilesEmptyMapping(t *testing.T) {
 
 	name := "default_foo"
 	c := event.Events{
-		&event.TimerEvent{
-			TMetricName: name,
-			TValue:      300,
+		&event.ObserverEvent{
+			OMetricName: name,
+			OValue:      300,
 		},
 	}
 	events <- c
@@ -719,9 +719,9 @@ func TestHistogramUnits(t *testing.T) {
 	// Then close events channel to stop a listener.
 	name := "foo"
 	c := event.Events{
-		&event.TimerEvent{
-			TMetricName: name,
-			TValue:      .300,
+		&event.ObserverEvent{
+			OMetricName: name,
+			OValue:      .300,
 		},
 	}
 	events <- c
@@ -867,9 +867,9 @@ mappings:
 			GValue:      200,
 		},
 		// event with ttl = 2s from a mapping
-		&event.TimerEvent{
-			TMetricName: "bazqux.main",
-			TValue:      42,
+		&event.ObserverEvent{
+			OMetricName: "bazqux.main",
+			OValue:      42,
 		},
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/line/line.go b/pkg/line/line.go
index 50dd7aa..c1e4ab3 100644
--- a/pkg/line/line.go
+++ b/pkg/line/line.go
@@ -43,16 +43,16 @@ func buildEvent(statType, metric string, value float64, relative bool, labels ma
 			GLabels:     labels,
 		}, nil
 	case "ms":
-		return &event.TimerEvent{
-			TMetricName: metric,
-			TValue:      float64(value) / 1000, // prometheus presumes seconds, statsd millisecond
-			TLabels:     labels,
+		return &event.ObserverEvent{
+			OMetricName: metric,
+			OValue:      float64(value) / 1000, // prometheus presumes seconds, statsd millisecond
+			OLabels:     labels,
 		}, nil
 	case "h", "d":
-		return &event.TimerEvent{
-			TMetricName: metric,
-			TValue:      float64(value),
-			TLabels:     labels,
+		return &event.ObserverEvent{
+			OMetricName: metric,
+			OValue:      float64(value),
+			OLabels:     labels,
 		}, nil
 	case "s":
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("no support for StatsD sets")