diff --git a/metrics/graphite/graphite.go b/metrics/graphite/graphite.go
index 31e00cc..888e5a7 100644
--- a/metrics/graphite/graphite.go
+++ b/metrics/graphite/graphite.go
@@ -28,11 +28,11 @@
 type Emitter struct {
 	prefix string
 
-	addr  string
-	tcp   bool
-	conn  net.Conn
-	start sync.Once
-	stop  chan bool
+	network, addr string
+	conn          net.Conn
+	dialer        Dialer
+	start         sync.Once
+	stop          chan bool
 
 	mtx        sync.Mutex
 	counters   []*counter
@@ -44,16 +44,24 @@
 
 // NewEmitter will return an Emitter that will prefix all
 // metrics names with the given prefix. Once started, it will attempt to create
-// a TCP or a UDP connection with the given address and periodically post
+// a connection with the given network and address via `net.Dial` and periodically post
 // metrics to the connection in the Graphite plaintext protocol.
-// If the provided `tcp` parameter is false, a UDP connection will be used.
-func NewEmitter(addr string, tcp bool, metricsPrefix string, logger log.Logger) *Emitter {
+func NewEmitter(network, addr string, metricsPrefix string, logger log.Logger) *Emitter {
+	return NewEmitterDial(network, addr, net.Dial, metricsPrefix, logger)
+}
+
+// NewEmitter will return an Emitter that will prefix all
+// metrics names with the given prefix. Once started, it will attempt to create
+// a connection with the given network and address via the given Dialer and periodically post
+// metrics to the connection in the Graphite plaintext protocol.
+func NewEmitterDial(network, addr string, dialer Dialer, metricsPrefix string, logger log.Logger) *Emitter {
 	return &Emitter{
-		addr:   addr,
-		tcp:    tcp,
-		stop:   make(chan bool),
-		prefix: metricsPrefix,
-		logger: logger,
+		network: network,
+		addr:    addr,
+		dialer:  net.Dial,
+		stop:    make(chan bool),
+		prefix:  metricsPrefix,
+		logger:  logger,
 	}
 }
 
@@ -118,27 +126,12 @@
 }
 
 func (e *Emitter) dial() error {
-	if e.tcp {
-		tAddr, err := net.ResolveTCPAddr("tcp", e.addr)
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-		e.conn, err = net.DialTCP("tcp", nil, tAddr)
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-	} else {
-		uAddr, err := net.ResolveUDPAddr("udp", e.addr)
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-		e.conn, err = net.DialUDP("udp", nil, uAddr)
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-	}
-	return nil
-}
+	var err error
+	e.conn, err = e.dialer(e.network, e.addr)
+	return err
+}
+
+type Dialer func(network, addr string) (net.Conn, error)
 
 // Start will kick off a background goroutine to
 // call Flush once every interval.
diff --git a/metrics/graphite/graphite_test.go b/metrics/graphite/graphite_test.go
index 7dc385f..3c23038 100644
--- a/metrics/graphite/graphite_test.go
+++ b/metrics/graphite/graphite_test.go
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 
 func TestHistogramQuantiles(t *testing.T) {
 	prefix := "prefix"
-	e := NewEmitter("", true, prefix, nil)
+	e := NewEmitter("", "", prefix, nil)
 	var (
 		name      = "test_histogram_quantiles"
 		quantiles = []int{50, 90, 95, 99}
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
 		prefix = "prefix"
 		name   = "m"
 		value  = 123
-		e      = NewEmitter("", true, prefix, nil)
+		e      = NewEmitter("", "", prefix, nil)
 		b      bytes.Buffer
 	)
 	e.NewCounter(name).With(metrics.Field{Key: "ignored", Value: "field"}).Add(uint64(value))
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@
 		name   = "xyz"
 		value  = 54321
 		delta  = 12345
-		e      = NewEmitter("", true, prefix, nil)
+		e      = NewEmitter("", "", prefix, nil)
 		b      bytes.Buffer
 		g      = e.NewGauge(name).With(metrics.Field{Key: "ignored", Value: "field"})
 	)