diff --git a/storage/series.go b/storage/series.go
index f609df3f02..5daa6255da 100644
--- a/storage/series.go
+++ b/storage/series.go
@@ -281,7 +281,7 @@ func NewSeriesToChunkEncoder(series Series) ChunkSeries {
 func (s *seriesToChunkEncoder) Iterator(it chunks.Iterator) chunks.Iterator {
 	var (
 		chk chunkenc.Chunk
-		app chunkenc.Appender
+		app *RecodingAppender
 		err error
 	)
 	mint := int64(math.MaxInt64)
@@ -299,21 +299,16 @@ func (s *seriesToChunkEncoder) Iterator(it chunks.Iterator) chunks.Iterator {
 	for typ := seriesIter.Next(); typ != chunkenc.ValNone; typ = seriesIter.Next() {
 		if typ != lastType || i >= seriesToChunkEncoderSplit {
 			// Create a new chunk if the sample type changed or too many samples in the current one.
-			if chk != nil {
-				chks = append(chks, chunks.Meta{
-					MinTime: mint,
-					MaxTime: maxt,
-					Chunk:   chk,
-				})
-			}
+			chks = appendChunk(chks, mint, maxt, chk)
 			chk, err = chunkenc.NewEmptyChunk(typ.ChunkEncoding())
 			if err != nil {
 				return errChunksIterator{err: err}
 			}
-			app, err = chk.Appender()
+			chkAppender, err := chk.Appender()
 			if err != nil {
 				return errChunksIterator{err: err}
 			}
+			app = NewRecodingAppender(&chk, chkAppender)
 			mint = int64(math.MaxInt64)
 			// maxt is immediately overwritten below which is why setting it here won't make a difference.
 			i = 0
@@ -332,10 +327,45 @@ func (s *seriesToChunkEncoder) Iterator(it chunks.Iterator) chunks.Iterator {
 			app.Append(t, v)
 		case chunkenc.ValHistogram:
 			t, h = seriesIter.AtHistogram()
-			app.AppendHistogram(t, h)
+			if ok, counterReset := app.AppendHistogram(t, h); !ok {
+				chks = appendChunk(chks, mint, maxt, chk)
+				histChunk := chunkenc.NewHistogramChunk()
+				if counterReset {
+					histChunk.SetCounterResetHeader(chunkenc.CounterReset)
+				}
+				chk = histChunk
+
+				chkAppender, err := chk.Appender()
+				if err != nil {
+					return errChunksIterator{err: err}
+				}
+				mint = int64(math.MaxInt64)
+				i = 0
+				app = NewRecodingAppender(&chk, chkAppender)
+				if ok, _ := app.AppendHistogram(t, h); !ok {
+					panic("unexpected error while appending histogram")
+				}
+			}
 		case chunkenc.ValFloatHistogram:
 			t, fh = seriesIter.AtFloatHistogram()
-			app.AppendFloatHistogram(t, fh)
+			if ok, counterReset := app.AppendFloatHistogram(t, fh); !ok {
+				chks = appendChunk(chks, mint, maxt, chk)
+				floatHistChunk := chunkenc.NewFloatHistogramChunk()
+				if counterReset {
+					floatHistChunk.SetCounterResetHeader(chunkenc.CounterReset)
+				}
+				chk = floatHistChunk
+				chkAppender, err := chk.Appender()
+				if err != nil {
+					return errChunksIterator{err: err}
+				}
+				mint = int64(math.MaxInt64)
+				i = 0
+				app = NewRecodingAppender(&chk, chkAppender)
+				if ok, _ := app.AppendFloatHistogram(t, fh); !ok {
+					panic("unexpected error while float appending histogram")
+				}
+			}
 		default:
 			return errChunksIterator{err: fmt.Errorf("unknown sample type %s", typ.String())}
 		}
@@ -350,6 +380,16 @@ func (s *seriesToChunkEncoder) Iterator(it chunks.Iterator) chunks.Iterator {
 		return errChunksIterator{err: err}
 	}
 
+	chks = appendChunk(chks, mint, maxt, chk)
+
+	if existing {
+		lcsi.Reset(chks...)
+		return lcsi
+	}
+	return NewListChunkSeriesIterator(chks...)
+}
+
+func appendChunk(chks []chunks.Meta, mint, maxt int64, chk chunkenc.Chunk) []chunks.Meta {
 	if chk != nil {
 		chks = append(chks, chunks.Meta{
 			MinTime: mint,
@@ -357,12 +397,7 @@ func (s *seriesToChunkEncoder) Iterator(it chunks.Iterator) chunks.Iterator {
 			Chunk:   chk,
 		})
 	}
-
-	if existing {
-		lcsi.Reset(chks...)
-		return lcsi
-	}
-	return NewListChunkSeriesIterator(chks...)
+	return chks
 }
 
 type errChunksIterator struct {
@@ -420,3 +455,126 @@ func ExpandChunks(iter chunks.Iterator) ([]chunks.Meta, error) {
 	}
 	return result, iter.Err()
 }
+
+// RecodingAppender is a tsdb.Appender that recodes histogram samples if needed during appends.
+// It takes an existing appender and a chunk to which samples are appended.
+type RecodingAppender struct {
+	chk *chunkenc.Chunk
+	app chunkenc.Appender
+}
+
+func NewRecodingAppender(chk *chunkenc.Chunk, app chunkenc.Appender) *RecodingAppender {
+	return &RecodingAppender{
+		chk: chk,
+		app: app,
+	}
+}
+
+// Append appends a float sample to the appender.
+func (a *RecodingAppender) Append(t int64, v float64) {
+	a.app.Append(t, v)
+}
+
+// AppendHistogram appends a histogram sample to the underlying chunk.
+// The method returns false if the sample cannot be appended and a boolean value set to true
+// when it is not appendable because of a counter reset.
+// If counterReset is true, okToAppend is always false.
+func (a *RecodingAppender) AppendHistogram(t int64, h *histogram.Histogram) (okToAppend, counterReset bool) {
+	app, ok := a.app.(*chunkenc.HistogramAppender)
+	if !ok {
+		return false, false
+	}
+
+	if app.NumSamples() == 0 {
+		a.app.AppendHistogram(t, h)
+		return true, false
+	}
+
+	var (
+		pForwardInserts, nForwardInserts   []chunkenc.Insert
+		pBackwardInserts, nBackwardInserts []chunkenc.Insert
+		pMergedSpans, nMergedSpans         []histogram.Span
+	)
+	switch h.CounterResetHint {
+	case histogram.GaugeType:
+		pForwardInserts, nForwardInserts,
+			pBackwardInserts, nBackwardInserts,
+			pMergedSpans, nMergedSpans,
+			okToAppend = app.AppendableGauge(h)
+	default:
+		pForwardInserts, nForwardInserts, okToAppend, counterReset = app.Appendable(h)
+	}
+	if !okToAppend || counterReset {
+		return false, counterReset
+	}
+
+	if len(pBackwardInserts)+len(nBackwardInserts) > 0 {
+		h.PositiveSpans = pMergedSpans
+		h.NegativeSpans = nMergedSpans
+		app.RecodeHistogram(h, pBackwardInserts, nBackwardInserts)
+	}
+	if len(pForwardInserts) > 0 || len(nForwardInserts) > 0 {
+		chk, app := app.Recode(
+			pForwardInserts, nForwardInserts,
+			h.PositiveSpans, h.NegativeSpans,
+		)
+		*a.chk = chk
+		a.app = app
+	}
+
+	a.app.AppendHistogram(t, h)
+	return true, counterReset
+}
+
+// AppendFloatHistogram appends a float histogram sample to the underlying chunk.
+// The method returns false if the sample cannot be appended and a boolean value set to true
+// when it is not appendable because of a counter reset.
+// If counterReset is true, okToAppend is always false.
+func (a *RecodingAppender) AppendFloatHistogram(t int64, fh *histogram.FloatHistogram) (okToAppend, counterReset bool) {
+	app, ok := a.app.(*chunkenc.FloatHistogramAppender)
+	if !ok {
+		return false, false
+	}
+
+	if app.NumSamples() == 0 {
+		a.app.AppendFloatHistogram(t, fh)
+		return true, false
+	}
+
+	var (
+		pForwardInserts, nForwardInserts   []chunkenc.Insert
+		pBackwardInserts, nBackwardInserts []chunkenc.Insert
+		pMergedSpans, nMergedSpans         []histogram.Span
+	)
+	switch fh.CounterResetHint {
+	case histogram.GaugeType:
+		pForwardInserts, nForwardInserts,
+			pBackwardInserts, nBackwardInserts,
+			pMergedSpans, nMergedSpans,
+			okToAppend = app.AppendableGauge(fh)
+	default:
+		pForwardInserts, nForwardInserts, okToAppend, counterReset = app.Appendable(fh)
+	}
+
+	if !okToAppend || counterReset {
+		return false, counterReset
+	}
+
+	if len(pBackwardInserts)+len(nBackwardInserts) > 0 {
+		fh.PositiveSpans = pMergedSpans
+		fh.NegativeSpans = nMergedSpans
+		app.RecodeHistogramm(fh, pBackwardInserts, nBackwardInserts)
+	}
+
+	if len(pForwardInserts) > 0 || len(nForwardInserts) > 0 {
+		chunk, app := app.Recode(
+			pForwardInserts, nForwardInserts,
+			fh.PositiveSpans, fh.NegativeSpans,
+		)
+		*a.chk = chunk
+		a.app = app
+	}
+
+	a.app.AppendFloatHistogram(t, fh)
+	return true, counterReset
+}
diff --git a/storage/series_test.go b/storage/series_test.go
index 210a68e283..4c318f1a0e 100644
--- a/storage/series_test.go
+++ b/storage/series_test.go
@@ -14,12 +14,17 @@
 package storage
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
+	"math"
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 
+	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/model/histogram"
 	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/model/labels"
+	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/model/value"
 	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/tsdb/chunkenc"
+	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/tsdb/chunks"
 	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/tsdb/tsdbutil"
 )
 
@@ -119,3 +124,284 @@ func TestChunkSeriesSetToSeriesSet(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+type histogramTest struct {
+	samples              []tsdbutil.Sample
+	expectedChunks       int
+	expectedCounterReset bool
+}
+
+func TestHistogramSeriesToChunks(t *testing.T) {
+	h1 := &histogram.Histogram{
+		Count:         3,
+		ZeroCount:     2,
+		ZeroThreshold: 0.001,
+		Sum:           100,
+		Schema:        0,
+		PositiveSpans: []histogram.Span{
+			{Offset: 0, Length: 2},
+		},
+		PositiveBuckets: []int64{2, 1}, // Abs: 2, 3
+	}
+	// Appendable to h1.
+	h2 := &histogram.Histogram{
+		Count:         12,
+		ZeroCount:     2,
+		ZeroThreshold: 0.001,
+		Sum:           100,
+		Schema:        0,
+		PositiveSpans: []histogram.Span{
+			{Offset: 0, Length: 2},
+			{Offset: 1, Length: 2},
+		},
+		PositiveBuckets: []int64{2, 1, -2, 3}, // Abs: 2, 3, 1, 4
+	}
+	// Implicit counter reset by reduction in buckets, not appendable.
+	h2down := &histogram.Histogram{
+		Count:         8,
+		ZeroCount:     2,
+		ZeroThreshold: 0.001,
+		Sum:           100,
+		Schema:        0,
+		PositiveSpans: []histogram.Span{
+			{Offset: 0, Length: 2},
+			{Offset: 1, Length: 2},
+		},
+		PositiveBuckets: []int64{1, 1, -1, 3}, // Abs: 1, 2, 1, 4
+	}
+
+	fh1 := &histogram.FloatHistogram{
+		Count:         4,
+		ZeroCount:     2,
+		ZeroThreshold: 0.001,
+		Sum:           100,
+		Schema:        0,
+		PositiveSpans: []histogram.Span{
+			{Offset: 0, Length: 2},
+		},
+		PositiveBuckets: []float64{3, 1},
+	}
+	// Appendable to fh1.
+	fh2 := &histogram.FloatHistogram{
+		Count:         15,
+		ZeroCount:     2,
+		ZeroThreshold: 0.001,
+		Sum:           100,
+		Schema:        0,
+		PositiveSpans: []histogram.Span{
+			{Offset: 0, Length: 2},
+			{Offset: 1, Length: 2},
+		},
+		PositiveBuckets: []float64{4, 2, 7, 2},
+	}
+	// Implicit counter reset by reduction in buckets, not appendable.
+	fh2down := &histogram.FloatHistogram{
+		Count:         13,
+		ZeroCount:     2,
+		ZeroThreshold: 0.001,
+		Sum:           100,
+		Schema:        0,
+		PositiveSpans: []histogram.Span{
+			{Offset: 0, Length: 2},
+			{Offset: 1, Length: 2},
+		},
+		PositiveBuckets: []float64{2, 2, 7, 2},
+	}
+
+	staleHistogram := &histogram.Histogram{
+		Sum: math.Float64frombits(value.StaleNaN),
+	}
+	staleFloatHistogram := &histogram.FloatHistogram{
+		Sum: math.Float64frombits(value.StaleNaN),
+	}
+
+	tests := map[string]histogramTest{
+		"single histogram to single chunk": {
+			samples: []tsdbutil.Sample{
+				hSample{t: 1, h: h1},
+			},
+			expectedChunks: 1,
+		},
+		"two histograms encoded to a single chunk": {
+			samples: []tsdbutil.Sample{
+				hSample{t: 1, h: h1},
+				hSample{t: 2, h: h2},
+			},
+			expectedChunks: 1,
+		},
+		"two histograms encoded to two chunks": {
+			samples: []tsdbutil.Sample{
+				hSample{t: 1, h: h2},
+				hSample{t: 2, h: h1},
+			},
+			expectedChunks:       2,
+			expectedCounterReset: true,
+		},
+		"histogram and stale sample encoded to two chunks": {
+			samples: []tsdbutil.Sample{
+				hSample{t: 1, h: staleHistogram},
+				hSample{t: 2, h: h1},
+			},
+			expectedChunks: 2,
+		},
+		"histogram and reduction in bucket encoded to two chunks": {
+			samples: []tsdbutil.Sample{
+				hSample{t: 1, h: h1},
+				hSample{t: 2, h: h2down},
+			},
+			expectedChunks:       2,
+			expectedCounterReset: true,
+		},
+		// Float histograms.
+		"single float histogram to single chunk": {
+			samples: []tsdbutil.Sample{
+				fhSample{t: 1, fh: fh1},
+			},
+			expectedChunks: 1,
+		},
+		"two float histograms encoded to a single chunk": {
+			samples: []tsdbutil.Sample{
+				fhSample{t: 1, fh: fh1},
+				fhSample{t: 2, fh: fh2},
+			},
+			expectedChunks: 1,
+		},
+		"two float histograms encoded to two chunks": {
+			samples: []tsdbutil.Sample{
+				fhSample{t: 1, fh: fh2},
+				fhSample{t: 2, fh: fh1},
+			},
+			expectedChunks:       2,
+			expectedCounterReset: true,
+		},
+		"float histogram and stale sample encoded to two chunks": {
+			samples: []tsdbutil.Sample{
+				fhSample{t: 1, fh: staleFloatHistogram},
+				fhSample{t: 2, fh: fh1},
+			},
+			expectedChunks: 2,
+		},
+		"float histogram and reduction in bucket encoded to two chunks": {
+			samples: []tsdbutil.Sample{
+				fhSample{t: 1, fh: fh1},
+				fhSample{t: 2, fh: fh2down},
+			},
+			expectedChunks:       2,
+			expectedCounterReset: true,
+		},
+		// Mixed.
+		"histogram and float histogram encoded to two chunks": {
+			samples: []tsdbutil.Sample{
+				hSample{t: 1, h: h1},
+				fhSample{t: 2, fh: fh2},
+			},
+			expectedChunks: 2,
+		},
+		"float histogram and histogram encoded to two chunks": {
+			samples: []tsdbutil.Sample{
+				fhSample{t: 1, fh: fh1},
+				hSample{t: 2, h: h2},
+			},
+			expectedChunks: 2,
+		},
+		"histogram and stale float histogram encoded to two chunks": {
+			samples: []tsdbutil.Sample{
+				hSample{t: 1, h: h1},
+				fhSample{t: 2, fh: staleFloatHistogram},
+			},
+			expectedChunks: 2,
+		},
+	}
+
+	for testName, test := range tests {
+		t.Run(testName, func(t *testing.T) {
+			testHistogramsSeriesToChunks(t, test)
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func testHistogramsSeriesToChunks(t *testing.T, test histogramTest) {
+	lbs := labels.FromStrings("__name__", "up", "instance", "localhost:8080")
+	series := NewListSeries(lbs, test.samples)
+	encoder := NewSeriesToChunkEncoder(series)
+	require.EqualValues(t, lbs, encoder.Labels())
+
+	chks, err := ExpandChunks(encoder.Iterator(nil))
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.Equal(t, test.expectedChunks, len(chks))
+
+	// Decode all encoded samples and assert they are equal to the original ones.
+	encodedSamples := expandHistogramSamples(chks)
+	require.Equal(t, len(test.samples), len(encodedSamples))
+
+	for i, s := range test.samples {
+		switch expectedSample := s.(type) {
+		case hSample:
+			encodedSample, ok := encodedSamples[i].(hSample)
+			require.True(t, ok, "expect histogram", fmt.Sprintf("at idx %d", i))
+			// Ignore counter reset here, will check on chunk level.
+			encodedSample.h.CounterResetHint = histogram.UnknownCounterReset
+			if value.IsStaleNaN(expectedSample.h.Sum) {
+				require.True(t, value.IsStaleNaN(encodedSample.h.Sum), fmt.Sprintf("at idx %d", i))
+				continue
+			}
+			require.Equal(t, *expectedSample.h, *encodedSample.h.Compact(0), fmt.Sprintf("at idx %d", i))
+		case fhSample:
+			encodedSample, ok := encodedSamples[i].(fhSample)
+			require.True(t, ok, "expect float histogram", fmt.Sprintf("at idx %d", i))
+			// Ignore counter reset here, will check on chunk level.
+			encodedSample.fh.CounterResetHint = histogram.UnknownCounterReset
+			if value.IsStaleNaN(expectedSample.fh.Sum) {
+				require.True(t, value.IsStaleNaN(encodedSample.fh.Sum), fmt.Sprintf("at idx %d", i))
+				continue
+			}
+			require.Equal(t, *expectedSample.fh, *encodedSample.fh.Compact(0), fmt.Sprintf("at idx %d", i))
+		default:
+			t.Error("internal error, unexpected type")
+		}
+	}
+
+	// If a counter reset hint is expected, it can only be found in the second chunk.
+	// Otherwise, we assert an unknown counter reset hint in all chunks.
+	if test.expectedCounterReset {
+		require.Equal(t, chunkenc.UnknownCounterReset, getCounterResetHint(chks[0]))
+		require.Equal(t, chunkenc.CounterReset, getCounterResetHint(chks[1]))
+	} else {
+		for _, chk := range chks {
+			require.Equal(t, chunkenc.UnknownCounterReset, getCounterResetHint(chk))
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func expandHistogramSamples(chunks []chunks.Meta) (result []tsdbutil.Sample) {
+	if len(chunks) == 0 {
+		return
+	}
+
+	for _, chunk := range chunks {
+		it := chunk.Chunk.Iterator(nil)
+		for vt := it.Next(); vt != chunkenc.ValNone; vt = it.Next() {
+			switch vt {
+			case chunkenc.ValHistogram:
+				t, h := it.AtHistogram()
+				result = append(result, hSample{t: t, h: h})
+			case chunkenc.ValFloatHistogram:
+				t, fh := it.AtFloatHistogram()
+				result = append(result, fhSample{t: t, fh: fh})
+			default:
+				panic("unexpected value type")
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	return
+}
+
+func getCounterResetHint(chunk chunks.Meta) chunkenc.CounterResetHeader {
+	switch chk := chunk.Chunk.(type) {
+	case *chunkenc.HistogramChunk:
+		return chk.GetCounterResetHeader()
+	case *chunkenc.FloatHistogramChunk:
+		return chk.GetCounterResetHeader()
+	}
+	return chunkenc.UnknownCounterReset
+}