diff --git a/plugins/inputs/system/memory.go b/plugins/inputs/system/memory.go
index 490c56f890e3f827941f509ea20bd35b93614438..3cb95610ed57714d51524972e472ed9cfcaa9976 100644
--- a/plugins/inputs/system/memory.go
+++ b/plugins/inputs/system/memory.go
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ func (s *MemStats) Gather(acc telegraf.Accumulator) error {
 		"used_percent":      100 * float64(vm.Used) / float64(vm.Total),
 		"available_percent": 100 * float64(vm.Available) / float64(vm.Total),
 	}
-	acc.AddCounter("mem", fields, nil)
+	acc.AddGauge("mem", fields, nil)
 
 	return nil
 }