diff --git a/simpleclient_hotspot/src/main/java/io/prometheus/client/hotspot/BufferPoolsExports.java b/simpleclient_hotspot/src/main/java/io/prometheus/client/hotspot/BufferPoolsExports.java
index d456b5e7b..808b2b3c7 100644
--- a/simpleclient_hotspot/src/main/java/io/prometheus/client/hotspot/BufferPoolsExports.java
+++ b/simpleclient_hotspot/src/main/java/io/prometheus/client/hotspot/BufferPoolsExports.java
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
  * Can be replaced with a simple access once JDK 1.7 compatibility is baseline.
  *
  */
-public class BufferPoolsExports extends Collector {
+public class BufferPoolsExports extends Collector implements HotspotCollector {
 
     private static final Logger LOGGER = Logger.getLogger(BufferPoolsExports.class.getName());
 
diff --git a/simpleclient_hotspot/src/main/java/io/prometheus/client/hotspot/ClassLoadingExports.java b/simpleclient_hotspot/src/main/java/io/prometheus/client/hotspot/ClassLoadingExports.java
index 65f86cfba..8c94a86ee 100644
--- a/simpleclient_hotspot/src/main/java/io/prometheus/client/hotspot/ClassLoadingExports.java
+++ b/simpleclient_hotspot/src/main/java/io/prometheus/client/hotspot/ClassLoadingExports.java
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
  *   jvm_classes_unloaded_total{} 500
  * </pre>
  */
-public class ClassLoadingExports extends Collector {
+public class ClassLoadingExports extends Collector implements HotspotCollector {
   private final ClassLoadingMXBean clBean;
 
   public ClassLoadingExports() {
diff --git a/simpleclient_hotspot/src/main/java/io/prometheus/client/hotspot/DeadlockExports.java b/simpleclient_hotspot/src/main/java/io/prometheus/client/hotspot/DeadlockExports.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d29bfd5e6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/simpleclient_hotspot/src/main/java/io/prometheus/client/hotspot/DeadlockExports.java
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+package io.prometheus.client.hotspot;
+
+import io.prometheus.client.Collector;
+import io.prometheus.client.GaugeMetricFamily;
+
+import java.lang.management.ManagementFactory;
+import java.lang.management.ThreadMXBean;
+import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.List;
+
+/**
+ * Exports metrics about JVM thread deadlocks.
+ *
+ * Deadlock detection might be an expensive operation.
+ * Consider to avoid these metrics for performance-critical applications.
+ *
+ * <p>
+ * Example usage:
+ * <pre>
+ * {@code
+ *   new DeadlockExports().register();
+ * }
+ * </pre>
+ * Example metrics being exported:
+ * <pre>
+ *   jvm_threads_deadlocked{} 4
+ *   jvm_threads_deadlocked_monitor{} 2
+ * </pre>
+ */
+public class DeadlockExports extends Collector implements HotspotCollector {
+  private final ThreadMXBean threadBean;
+
+  public DeadlockExports() {
+    this(ManagementFactory.getThreadMXBean());
+  }
+
+  public DeadlockExports(ThreadMXBean threadBean) {
+    this.threadBean = threadBean;
+  }
+
+  void addDeadlockMetrics(List<MetricFamilySamples> sampleFamilies) {
+    sampleFamilies.add(
+        new GaugeMetricFamily(
+        "jvm_threads_deadlocked",
+        "Cycles of JVM-threads that are in deadlock waiting to acquire object monitors or ownable synchronizers",
+        nullSafeArrayLength(threadBean.findDeadlockedThreads())));
+
+    sampleFamilies.add(
+        new GaugeMetricFamily(
+        "jvm_threads_deadlocked_monitor",
+        "Cycles of JVM-threads that are in deadlock waiting to acquire object monitors",
+        nullSafeArrayLength(threadBean.findMonitorDeadlockedThreads())));
+  }
+
+  private static double nullSafeArrayLength(long[] array) {
+    return null == array ? 0 : array.length;
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public List<MetricFamilySamples> collect() {
+    List<MetricFamilySamples> mfs = new ArrayList<MetricFamilySamples>();
+    addDeadlockMetrics(mfs);
+    return mfs;
+  }
+}
diff --git a/simpleclient_hotspot/src/main/java/io/prometheus/client/hotspot/DefaultExports.java b/simpleclient_hotspot/src/main/java/io/prometheus/client/hotspot/DefaultExports.java
index 79cd6ed5e..e10914186 100644
--- a/simpleclient_hotspot/src/main/java/io/prometheus/client/hotspot/DefaultExports.java
+++ b/simpleclient_hotspot/src/main/java/io/prometheus/client/hotspot/DefaultExports.java
@@ -2,6 +2,12 @@
 
 import io.prometheus.client.CollectorRegistry;
 
+import java.util.Arrays;
+import java.util.Collections;
+import java.util.HashSet;
+import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Set;
+
 /**
  * Registers the default Hotspot collectors.
  * <p>
@@ -14,6 +20,14 @@
  *   DefaultExports.initialize();
  * }
  * </pre>
+ * If some collector is undesirable for any reason
+ * (e.g. {@link DeadlockExports} for potential performance penalty)
+ * it may be explicitly excluded by using alternative registration approach:
+ * <pre>
+ * {@code
+ *   DefaultExports.build().exclude(DeadlockExports.class).register();
+ * }
+ * </pre>
  */
 public class DefaultExports {
   private static boolean initialized = false;
@@ -34,14 +48,63 @@ public static synchronized void initialize() {
    * Register the default Hotspot collectors with the given registry.
    */
   public static void register(CollectorRegistry registry) {
-    new StandardExports().register(registry);
-    new MemoryPoolsExports().register(registry);
-    new MemoryAllocationExports().register(registry);
-    new BufferPoolsExports().register(registry);
-    new GarbageCollectorExports().register(registry);
-    new ThreadExports().register(registry);
-    new ClassLoadingExports().register(registry);
-    new VersionInfoExports().register(registry);
+    register(registry, Collections.<Class<? extends HotspotCollector>>emptySet());
+  }
+
+  private static void register(CollectorRegistry registry, Set<Class<? extends HotspotCollector>> exclusions) {
+    List<? extends HotspotCollector> collectors = Arrays.asList(
+            new StandardExports(),
+            new MemoryPoolsExports(),
+            new MemoryAllocationExports(),
+            new BufferPoolsExports(),
+            new GarbageCollectorExports(),
+            new ThreadExports(),
+            new DeadlockExports(),
+            new ClassLoadingExports(),
+            new VersionInfoExports());
+
+    for (HotspotCollector collector : collectors) {
+      if (!exclusions.contains(collector.getClass())) {
+        collector.register(registry);
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+  /**
+   *  Return a Builder to allow configuration of a DefaultExports.
+   */
+  public static Builder build() {
+    return new Builder();
+  }
+
+  public static class Builder {
+
+    private final Set<Class<? extends HotspotCollector>> exclusions = new HashSet<Class<? extends HotspotCollector>>();
+
+    private Builder() {
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Exclude provided Hotspot collector from registration.
+     */
+    public Builder exclude(Class<? extends HotspotCollector> exclusion) {
+      exclusions.add(exclusion);
+      return this;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Register the default Hotspot collectors (except provided exclusions) with the default registry.
+     */
+    public void register() {
+      register(CollectorRegistry.defaultRegistry);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Register the default Hotspot collectors (except provided exclusions) with the given registry.
+     */
+    public void register(CollectorRegistry registry) {
+      DefaultExports.register(registry, exclusions);
+    }
   }
 
 }
diff --git a/simpleclient_hotspot/src/main/java/io/prometheus/client/hotspot/GarbageCollectorExports.java b/simpleclient_hotspot/src/main/java/io/prometheus/client/hotspot/GarbageCollectorExports.java
index ad0b1f029..7232f9eb5 100644
--- a/simpleclient_hotspot/src/main/java/io/prometheus/client/hotspot/GarbageCollectorExports.java
+++ b/simpleclient_hotspot/src/main/java/io/prometheus/client/hotspot/GarbageCollectorExports.java
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
  *   jvm_gc_collection_seconds_sum{gc="PS1"} 6.7
  * </pre>
  */
-public class GarbageCollectorExports extends Collector {
+public class GarbageCollectorExports extends Collector implements HotspotCollector {
   private final List<GarbageCollectorMXBean> garbageCollectors;
 
   public GarbageCollectorExports() {
diff --git a/simpleclient_hotspot/src/main/java/io/prometheus/client/hotspot/HotspotCollector.java b/simpleclient_hotspot/src/main/java/io/prometheus/client/hotspot/HotspotCollector.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ccb4d02a0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/simpleclient_hotspot/src/main/java/io/prometheus/client/hotspot/HotspotCollector.java
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+package io.prometheus.client.hotspot;
+
+import io.prometheus.client.Collector;
+import io.prometheus.client.CollectorRegistry;
+
+/**
+ * Intended mostly for exclusion of undesired collectors from {@link DefaultExports}
+ * (see {@link DefaultExports.Builder#exclude(Class)})
+ */
+public interface HotspotCollector {
+
+    <T extends Collector> T register(CollectorRegistry registry);
+}
diff --git a/simpleclient_hotspot/src/main/java/io/prometheus/client/hotspot/MemoryAllocationExports.java b/simpleclient_hotspot/src/main/java/io/prometheus/client/hotspot/MemoryAllocationExports.java
index b5a2754d7..7e502d7d1 100644
--- a/simpleclient_hotspot/src/main/java/io/prometheus/client/hotspot/MemoryAllocationExports.java
+++ b/simpleclient_hotspot/src/main/java/io/prometheus/client/hotspot/MemoryAllocationExports.java
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 
-public class MemoryAllocationExports extends Collector {
+public class MemoryAllocationExports extends Collector implements HotspotCollector {
   private final Counter allocatedCounter = Counter.build()
           .name("jvm_memory_pool_allocated_bytes_total")
           .help("Total bytes allocated in a given JVM memory pool. Only updated after GC, not continuously.")
diff --git a/simpleclient_hotspot/src/main/java/io/prometheus/client/hotspot/MemoryPoolsExports.java b/simpleclient_hotspot/src/main/java/io/prometheus/client/hotspot/MemoryPoolsExports.java
index 0b37e72ba..c0035377b 100644
--- a/simpleclient_hotspot/src/main/java/io/prometheus/client/hotspot/MemoryPoolsExports.java
+++ b/simpleclient_hotspot/src/main/java/io/prometheus/client/hotspot/MemoryPoolsExports.java
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
  *   jvm_memory_pool_bytes_used{pool="PS Eden Space"} 2000
  * </pre>
  */
-public class MemoryPoolsExports extends Collector {
+public class MemoryPoolsExports extends Collector implements HotspotCollector {
   private final MemoryMXBean memoryBean;
   private final List<MemoryPoolMXBean> poolBeans;
 
diff --git a/simpleclient_hotspot/src/main/java/io/prometheus/client/hotspot/StandardExports.java b/simpleclient_hotspot/src/main/java/io/prometheus/client/hotspot/StandardExports.java
index 2013bc142..ced0cdb69 100644
--- a/simpleclient_hotspot/src/main/java/io/prometheus/client/hotspot/StandardExports.java
+++ b/simpleclient_hotspot/src/main/java/io/prometheus/client/hotspot/StandardExports.java
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@
  * }
  * </pre>
  */
-public class StandardExports extends Collector {
+public class StandardExports extends Collector implements HotspotCollector {
   private static final Logger LOGGER = Logger.getLogger(StandardExports.class.getName());
 
   private final StatusReader statusReader;
diff --git a/simpleclient_hotspot/src/main/java/io/prometheus/client/hotspot/ThreadExports.java b/simpleclient_hotspot/src/main/java/io/prometheus/client/hotspot/ThreadExports.java
index 55c90a654..a5a7edd82 100644
--- a/simpleclient_hotspot/src/main/java/io/prometheus/client/hotspot/ThreadExports.java
+++ b/simpleclient_hotspot/src/main/java/io/prometheus/client/hotspot/ThreadExports.java
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@
  *   jvm_threads_started_total{} 1200
  * </pre>
  */
-public class ThreadExports extends Collector {
+public class ThreadExports extends Collector implements HotspotCollector {
   private final ThreadMXBean threadBean;
 
   public ThreadExports() {
@@ -66,18 +66,6 @@ void addThreadMetrics(List<MetricFamilySamples> sampleFamilies) {
           "Started thread count of a JVM",
           threadBean.getTotalStartedThreadCount()));
 
-    sampleFamilies.add(
-        new GaugeMetricFamily(
-        "jvm_threads_deadlocked",
-        "Cycles of JVM-threads that are in deadlock waiting to acquire object monitors or ownable synchronizers",
-        nullSafeArrayLength(threadBean.findDeadlockedThreads())));
-
-    sampleFamilies.add(
-        new GaugeMetricFamily(
-        "jvm_threads_deadlocked_monitor",
-        "Cycles of JVM-threads that are in deadlock waiting to acquire object monitors",
-        nullSafeArrayLength(threadBean.findMonitorDeadlockedThreads())));
-
     GaugeMetricFamily threadStateFamily = new GaugeMetricFamily(
       "jvm_threads_state",
       "Current count of threads by state",
@@ -114,10 +102,7 @@ private Map<Thread.State, Integer> getThreadStateCountMap() {
     return threadCounts;
   }
 
-  private static double nullSafeArrayLength(long[] array) {
-    return null == array ? 0 : array.length;
-  }
-
+ @Override
   public List<MetricFamilySamples> collect() {
     List<MetricFamilySamples> mfs = new ArrayList<MetricFamilySamples>();
     addThreadMetrics(mfs);
diff --git a/simpleclient_hotspot/src/main/java/io/prometheus/client/hotspot/VersionInfoExports.java b/simpleclient_hotspot/src/main/java/io/prometheus/client/hotspot/VersionInfoExports.java
index 8dd711080..5c59e4277 100644
--- a/simpleclient_hotspot/src/main/java/io/prometheus/client/hotspot/VersionInfoExports.java
+++ b/simpleclient_hotspot/src/main/java/io/prometheus/client/hotspot/VersionInfoExports.java
@@ -3,8 +3,6 @@
 import io.prometheus.client.Collector;
 import io.prometheus.client.Info;
 
-import java.util.ArrayList;
-import java.util.Arrays;
 import java.util.List;
 
 /**
@@ -22,7 +20,7 @@
  * </pre>
  */
 
-public class VersionInfoExports extends Collector {
+public class VersionInfoExports extends Collector implements HotspotCollector {
 
 
     public List<MetricFamilySamples> collect() {
diff --git a/simpleclient_hotspot/src/test/java/io/prometheus/client/hotspot/DeadlockExportsTest.java b/simpleclient_hotspot/src/test/java/io/prometheus/client/hotspot/DeadlockExportsTest.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..803701dfc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/simpleclient_hotspot/src/test/java/io/prometheus/client/hotspot/DeadlockExportsTest.java
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+package io.prometheus.client.hotspot;
+
+import io.prometheus.client.CollectorRegistry;
+import org.junit.Before;
+import org.junit.Test;
+import org.mockito.Mockito;
+
+import java.lang.management.ThreadMXBean;
+
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertNull;
+import static org.mockito.Mockito.when;
+
+public class DeadlockExportsTest {
+
+  private ThreadMXBean mockThreadsBean = Mockito.mock(ThreadMXBean.class);
+  private CollectorRegistry registry = new CollectorRegistry();
+  private DeadlockExports collectorUnderTest;
+
+  private static final String[] EMPTY_LABEL = new String[0];
+
+  @Before
+  public void setUp() {
+    when(mockThreadsBean.findDeadlockedThreads()).thenReturn(new long[]{1L,2L,3L});
+    when(mockThreadsBean.findMonitorDeadlockedThreads()).thenReturn(new long[]{2L,3L,4L});
+    collectorUnderTest = new DeadlockExports(mockThreadsBean).register(registry);
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void testDeadlockExports() {
+    assertNull(
+            registry.getSampleValue(
+                    "jvm_threads_current", EMPTY_LABEL, EMPTY_LABEL));
+    assertNull(
+            registry.getSampleValue(
+                    "jvm_threads_daemon", EMPTY_LABEL, EMPTY_LABEL));
+    assertNull(
+            registry.getSampleValue(
+                    "jvm_threads_peak", EMPTY_LABEL, EMPTY_LABEL));
+    assertNull(
+            registry.getSampleValue(
+                    "jvm_threads_started_total", EMPTY_LABEL, EMPTY_LABEL));
+    assertEquals(
+            3L,
+            registry.getSampleValue(
+                    "jvm_threads_deadlocked", EMPTY_LABEL, EMPTY_LABEL),
+            .0000001);
+    assertEquals(
+            3L,
+            registry.getSampleValue(
+                    "jvm_threads_deadlocked_monitor", EMPTY_LABEL, EMPTY_LABEL),
+            .0000001);
+  }
+}
diff --git a/simpleclient_hotspot/src/test/java/io/prometheus/client/hotspot/ExampleExporter.java b/simpleclient_hotspot/src/test/java/io/prometheus/client/hotspot/ExampleExporter.java
index 7c7212c8b..59886306b 100644
--- a/simpleclient_hotspot/src/test/java/io/prometheus/client/hotspot/ExampleExporter.java
+++ b/simpleclient_hotspot/src/test/java/io/prometheus/client/hotspot/ExampleExporter.java
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package io.prometheus.client.hotspot;
 
 import io.prometheus.client.exporter.MetricsServlet;
-import io.prometheus.client.hotspot.StandardExports;
 import org.eclipse.jetty.server.Server;
 import org.eclipse.jetty.servlet.ServletContextHandler;
 import org.eclipse.jetty.servlet.ServletHolder;
diff --git a/simpleclient_hotspot/src/test/java/io/prometheus/client/hotspot/ThreadExportsTest.java b/simpleclient_hotspot/src/test/java/io/prometheus/client/hotspot/ThreadExportsTest.java
index 9bd6c7f45..908ffccfc 100644
--- a/simpleclient_hotspot/src/test/java/io/prometheus/client/hotspot/ThreadExportsTest.java
+++ b/simpleclient_hotspot/src/test/java/io/prometheus/client/hotspot/ThreadExportsTest.java
@@ -7,9 +7,9 @@
 
 import java.lang.management.ThreadInfo;
 import java.lang.management.ThreadMXBean;
-import java.util.Arrays;
 
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertNull;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.when;
 
 public class ThreadExportsTest {
@@ -34,8 +34,6 @@ public void setUp() {
     when(mockThreadsBean.getDaemonThreadCount()).thenReturn(200);
     when(mockThreadsBean.getPeakThreadCount()).thenReturn(301);
     when(mockThreadsBean.getTotalStartedThreadCount()).thenReturn(503L);
-    when(mockThreadsBean.findDeadlockedThreads()).thenReturn(new long[]{1L,2L,3L});
-    when(mockThreadsBean.findMonitorDeadlockedThreads()).thenReturn(new long[]{2L,3L,4L});
     when(mockThreadsBean.getAllThreadIds()).thenReturn(new long[]{3L,4L,5L});
     when(mockThreadInfoBlocked.getThreadState()).thenReturn(Thread.State.BLOCKED);
     when(mockThreadInfoRunnable1.getThreadState()).thenReturn(Thread.State.RUNNABLE);
@@ -68,16 +66,12 @@ public void testThreadPools() {
             registry.getSampleValue(
                     "jvm_threads_started_total", EMPTY_LABEL, EMPTY_LABEL),
             .0000001);
-    assertEquals(
-        3L,
+    assertNull(
             registry.getSampleValue(
-            "jvm_threads_deadlocked", EMPTY_LABEL, EMPTY_LABEL),
-        .0000001);
-    assertEquals(
-            3L,
+                    "jvm_threads_deadlocked", EMPTY_LABEL, EMPTY_LABEL));
+    assertNull(
             registry.getSampleValue(
-            "jvm_threads_deadlocked_monitor", EMPTY_LABEL, EMPTY_LABEL),
-            .0000001);
+                    "jvm_threads_deadlocked_monitor", EMPTY_LABEL, EMPTY_LABEL));
 
     assertEquals(
             1L,