diff --git a/README.adoc b/README.adoc
index 5889eeb..c8e112c 100644
--- a/README.adoc
+++ b/README.adoc
@@ -307,9 +307,9 @@ the `localhost` host to the inventory. Next, the test case makes a connection to
 Then, it asserts whether the time that is needed to retrieve
 the system properties for localhost is less than 4 seconds.
 
-* The [hotspot=testInventoryAccessCountMetric file=0]`testInventoryAccessCountMetric()` test case validates the [hotspot=countedForList file=1]`@Counted` metric. The test case sends a request to the
-`\http://localhost:9080/inventory/systems` URL to retrieve the whole inventory, and then it asserts
-that this endpoint is accessed at least once.
+* The [hotspot=testInventoryAccessCountMetric file=0]`testInventoryAccessCountMetric()` test case validates the [hotspot=countedForList file=1]`@Counted` metric. 
+The test case obtains metric data before and after a request to the `\http://localhost:9080/inventory/systems` URL.
+It then asserts that the metric was increased after the URL was accessed.
 
 * The [hotspot=testInventorySizeGaugeMetric file=0]`testInventorySizeGaugeMetric()` test case validates the [hotspot=gaugeForGetTotal file=1]`@Gauge` metric. The test case first ensures
 that the localhost is in the inventory, then looks for the [hotspot=gaugeForGetTotal file=1]`@Gauge` metric and asserts
diff --git a/finish/src/test/java/it/io/openliberty/guides/metrics/MetricsIT.java b/finish/src/test/java/it/io/openliberty/guides/metrics/MetricsIT.java
index 3c48e21..a53cc41 100644
--- a/finish/src/test/java/it/io/openliberty/guides/metrics/MetricsIT.java
+++ b/finish/src/test/java/it/io/openliberty/guides/metrics/MetricsIT.java
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ public void testPropertiesRequestTimeMetric() {
     for (String metric : metrics) {
       if (metric.startsWith(
           "application_inventoryProcessingTime_rate_per_second")) {
-        float seconds = Float.parseFloat(metric.split(" ")[1]);
+        float seconds = Float.parseFloat(metric.split("\\s+")[1]);
         assertTrue(4 > seconds);
       }
     }
@@ -106,13 +106,17 @@ public void testPropertiesRequestTimeMetric() {
   // end::Order2[]
   // tag::testInventoryAccessCountMetric[]
   public void testInventoryAccessCountMetric() {
+    metrics = getMetrics();
+    Map<String, Integer> accessCountsBefore = getIntMetrics(metrics,
+            "application_inventoryAccessCount_total");
     connectToEndpoint(baseHttpUrl + INVENTORY_HOSTS);
     metrics = getMetrics();
-    for (String metric : metrics) {
-      if (metric.startsWith("application_inventoryAccessCount_total")) {
-        assertTrue(
-            1 <= Integer.parseInt(metric.split(" ")[metric.split(" ").length - 1]));
-      }
+    Map<String, Integer> accessCountsAfter = getIntMetrics(metrics,
+            "application_inventoryAccessCount_total");
+    for (String key : accessCountsBefore.keySet()) {
+      Integer accessCountBefore = accessCountsBefore.get(key);
+      Integer accessCountAfter = accessCountsAfter.get(key);
+      assertTrue(accessCountAfter > accessCountBefore);
     }
   }
   // end::testInventoryAccessCountMetric[]
@@ -126,11 +130,10 @@ public void testInventoryAccessCountMetric() {
   // tag::testInventorySizeGaugeMetric[]
   public void testInventorySizeGaugeMetric() {
     metrics = getMetrics();
-    for (String metric : metrics) {
-      if (metric.startsWith("application_inventorySizeGauge")) {
-        assertTrue(
-            1 <= Character.getNumericValue(metric.charAt(metric.length() - 1)));
-      }
+    Map<String, Integer> inventorySizeGauges = getIntMetrics(metrics, 
+            "application_inventorySizeGauge");
+    for (Integer value : inventorySizeGauges.values()) {
+      assertTrue(1 <= value);
     }
   }
   // end::testInventorySizeGaugeMetric[]
@@ -198,5 +201,18 @@ private Response getResponse(String url) {
   private void assertResponse(String url, Response response) {
     assertEquals(200, response.getStatus(), "Incorrect response code from " + url);
   }
+  
+  private Map<String, Integer> getIntMetrics(List<String> metrics, String metricName) {
+    Map<String, Integer> output = new HashMap<String, Integer>();
+    for (String metric : metrics) {
+      if (metric.startsWith(metricName)) {
+        String[] mSplit = metric.split("\\s+");
+        String key = mSplit[0];
+        Integer value = Integer.parseInt(mSplit[mSplit.length - 1]);
+        output.put(key, value);
+      }
+    }
+    return output;
+  }
 }
 // end::MetricsTest[]