diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index ba6ebec..50c8452 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 
 [project]
 name = "scadable-kit"
-version = "0.5.0"
+version = "0.5.1"
 description = "Cross-cutting behaviour shared by every SCADABLE service"
 requires-python = ">=3.14,<3.15"
 license = { file = "LICENSE" }
diff --git a/src/kit/__init__.py b/src/kit/__init__.py
index 10da434..efe440e 100644
--- a/src/kit/__init__.py
+++ b/src/kit/__init__.py
@@ -20,4 +20,4 @@
 across the fleet without opening every repository.
 """
 
-__version__ = "0.5.0"
+__version__ = "0.5.1"
diff --git a/src/kit/observability/_metrics.py b/src/kit/observability/_metrics.py
index 8350091..a915a4a 100644
--- a/src/kit/observability/_metrics.py
+++ b/src/kit/observability/_metrics.py
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@
 import logging
 from typing import Any
 
+from kit.observability._tracing import signal_endpoint
+
 _meter: Any = None
 _provider: Any = None
 _instruments: dict[str, Any] = {}
@@ -86,7 +88,9 @@ def start_metrics(
     # report why it stopped. Telemetry must never be the reason a shutdown is
     # not clean.
     reader = PeriodicExportingMetricReader(
-        OTLPMetricExporter(endpoint=endpoint, timeout=EXPORT_TIMEOUT_SECONDS)
+        OTLPMetricExporter(
+            endpoint=signal_endpoint(endpoint, "metrics"), timeout=EXPORT_TIMEOUT_SECONDS
+        )
     )
     provider = MeterProvider(resource=resource, metric_readers=[reader])
     metrics.set_meter_provider(provider)
diff --git a/src/kit/observability/_tracing.py b/src/kit/observability/_tracing.py
index 00e66e4..eb90155 100644
--- a/src/kit/observability/_tracing.py
+++ b/src/kit/observability/_tracing.py
@@ -37,6 +37,28 @@ class of data we exist to keep track of.
 log = logging.getLogger("kit.observability")
 
 
+def signal_endpoint(endpoint: str, signal: str) -> str:
+    """Append the signal path unless the caller already gave one.
+
+    Passing `endpoint=` to an OTLP exporter overrides the SDK entirely and is
+    used VERBATIM. Only when the SDK reads OTEL_EXPORTER_OTLP_ENDPOINT itself
+    does it append /v1/traces or /v1/metrics. So handing both exporters one base
+    URL posts both signals to the collector's root, which answers 404, and the
+    only symptom is an export error in the logs while the service serves
+    perfectly. That is exactly how this shipped.
+
+    Both forms are accepted because both exist in the wild: a base URL from an
+    operator who read the OTel docs, and a full signal URL from one who read
+    this kit's tests.
+    """
+    if not endpoint:
+        return endpoint
+    trimmed = endpoint.rstrip("/")
+    if trimmed.endswith(("/v1/traces", "/v1/metrics", "/v1/logs")):
+        return trimmed
+    return f"{trimmed}/v1/{signal}"
+
+
 def start_telemetry(
     *,
     service_name: str,
@@ -92,7 +114,11 @@ def start_telemetry(
         # unreachable collector must not outlast the pod's termination grace
         # period and turn a clean stop into a SIGKILL.
         provider.add_span_processor(
-            BatchSpanProcessor(OTLPSpanExporter(endpoint=endpoint, timeout=EXPORT_TIMEOUT_SECONDS))
+            BatchSpanProcessor(
+                OTLPSpanExporter(
+                    endpoint=signal_endpoint(endpoint, "traces"), timeout=EXPORT_TIMEOUT_SECONDS
+                )
+            )
         )
 
     trace.set_tracer_provider(provider)
diff --git a/tests/test_propagation.py b/tests/test_propagation.py
index 3294c59..bd509c7 100644
--- a/tests/test_propagation.py
+++ b/tests/test_propagation.py
@@ -207,3 +207,41 @@ def missing(name: str, *args: Any, **kwargs: Any) -> Any:
     monkeypatch.setattr(builtins, "__import__", missing)
 
     assert start_telemetry(service_name="s", version="v", environment="test") is False
+
+
+# --- the endpoint bug that shipped in 0.5.0 ---------------------------------
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    ("given", "signal", "expected"),
+    [
+        ("http://collector:4318", "traces", "http://collector:4318/v1/traces"),
+        ("http://collector:4318", "metrics", "http://collector:4318/v1/metrics"),
+        ("http://collector:4318/", "traces", "http://collector:4318/v1/traces"),
+        # Already specific: left alone rather than doubled.
+        ("http://c:4318/v1/traces", "traces", "http://c:4318/v1/traces"),
+        ("", "traces", ""),
+    ],
+)
+def test_the_endpoint_gets_its_signal_path(given: str, signal: str, expected: str) -> None:
+    """Passing `endpoint=` to an OTLP exporter overrides the SDK and is used
+    VERBATIM; only reading OTEL_EXPORTER_OTLP_ENDPOINT itself makes the SDK
+    append the signal path.
+
+    0.5.0 handed both exporters one base URL, so traces and metrics both POSTed
+    to the collector's root and got 404. The service served perfectly and the
+    only evidence was an export error in the logs, which is why this reached a
+    cluster before anyone noticed.
+    """
+    from kit.observability._tracing import signal_endpoint
+
+    assert signal_endpoint(given, signal) == expected
+
+
+def test_traces_and_metrics_do_not_share_one_url() -> None:
+    """The specific thing that was broken: one endpoint cannot be both signals."""
+    from kit.observability._tracing import signal_endpoint
+
+    base = "http://collector:4318"
+
+    assert signal_endpoint(base, "traces") != signal_endpoint(base, "metrics")
diff --git a/uv.lock b/uv.lock
index 6e024b8..7e2b4e9 100644
--- a/uv.lock
+++ b/uv.lock
@@ -623,7 +623,7 @@ wheels = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "scadable-kit"
-version = "0.5.0"
+version = "0.5.1"
 source = { editable = "." }
 dependencies = [
     { name = "fastapi" },