diff --git a/micrometer-core/src/main/java/io/micrometer/core/instrument/binder/jvm/JvmThreadMetrics.java b/micrometer-core/src/main/java/io/micrometer/core/instrument/binder/jvm/JvmThreadMetrics.java
index ff8cbae995..9bb7da9b95 100644
--- a/micrometer-core/src/main/java/io/micrometer/core/instrument/binder/jvm/JvmThreadMetrics.java
+++ b/micrometer-core/src/main/java/io/micrometer/core/instrument/binder/jvm/JvmThreadMetrics.java
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 
 import io.micrometer.common.lang.NonNullApi;
 import io.micrometer.common.lang.NonNullFields;
+import io.micrometer.core.instrument.FunctionCounter;
 import io.micrometer.core.instrument.Gauge;
 import io.micrometer.core.instrument.MeterRegistry;
 import io.micrometer.core.instrument.Tag;
@@ -66,6 +67,10 @@ public void bindTo(MeterRegistry registry) {
                 .description("The current number of live threads including both daemon and non-daemon threads")
                 .baseUnit(BaseUnits.THREADS).register(registry);
 
+        FunctionCounter.builder("jvm.threads.started", threadBean, ThreadMXBean::getTotalStartedThreadCount).tags(tags)
+                .description("The total number of application threads started in the JVM").baseUnit(BaseUnits.THREADS)
+                .register(registry);
+
         try {
             threadBean.getAllThreadIds();
             for (Thread.State state : Thread.State.values()) {
diff --git a/micrometer-core/src/test/java/io/micrometer/core/instrument/binder/jvm/JvmThreadMetricsTest.java b/micrometer-core/src/test/java/io/micrometer/core/instrument/binder/jvm/JvmThreadMetricsTest.java
index e55adeab7a..0eafad2e78 100644
--- a/micrometer-core/src/test/java/io/micrometer/core/instrument/binder/jvm/JvmThreadMetricsTest.java
+++ b/micrometer-core/src/test/java/io/micrometer/core/instrument/binder/jvm/JvmThreadMetricsTest.java
@@ -39,18 +39,20 @@ class JvmThreadMetricsTest {
     void threadMetrics() {
         MeterRegistry registry = new SimpleMeterRegistry();
         new JvmThreadMetrics().bindTo(registry);
+        double initialThreadCount = registry.get("jvm.threads.started").functionCounter().count();
 
-        assertThat(registry.get("jvm.threads.live").gauge().value()).isGreaterThan(0);
-        assertThat(registry.get("jvm.threads.daemon").gauge().value()).isGreaterThan(0);
-        assertThat(registry.get("jvm.threads.peak").gauge().value()).isGreaterThan(0);
-        assertThat(registry.get("jvm.threads.states").tag("state", "runnable").gauge().value()).isGreaterThan(0);
+        assertThat(registry.get("jvm.threads.live").gauge().value()).isPositive();
+        assertThat(registry.get("jvm.threads.daemon").gauge().value()).isPositive();
+        assertThat(registry.get("jvm.threads.peak").gauge().value()).isPositive();
+        assertThat(registry.get("jvm.threads.states").tag("state", "runnable").gauge().value()).isPositive();
 
         createBlockedThread();
-        assertThat(registry.get("jvm.threads.states").tag("state", "blocked").gauge().value()).isGreaterThan(0);
-        assertThat(registry.get("jvm.threads.states").tag("state", "waiting").gauge().value()).isGreaterThan(0);
+        assertThat(registry.get("jvm.threads.states").tag("state", "blocked").gauge().value()).isPositive();
+        assertThat(registry.get("jvm.threads.states").tag("state", "waiting").gauge().value()).isPositive();
 
         createTimedWaitingThread();
-        assertThat(registry.get("jvm.threads.states").tag("state", "timed-waiting").gauge().value()).isGreaterThan(0);
+        assertThat(registry.get("jvm.threads.states").tag("state", "timed-waiting").gauge().value()).isPositive();
+        assertThat(registry.get("jvm.threads.started").functionCounter().count()).isGreaterThan(initialThreadCount);
     }
 
     @Test