diff --git a/block.go b/block.go
index 5cec4ca56..981c69eb4 100644
--- a/block.go
+++ b/block.go
@@ -478,7 +478,6 @@ Outer:
 	err = pb.tombstones.Iter(func(id uint64, ivs Intervals) error {
 		for _, iv := range ivs {
 			stones.addInterval(id, iv)
-			pb.meta.Stats.NumTombstones++
 		}
 		return nil
 	})
@@ -486,6 +485,7 @@ Outer:
 		return err
 	}
 	pb.tombstones = stones
+	pb.meta.Stats.NumTombstones = pb.tombstones.Total()
 
 	if err := writeTombstoneFile(pb.dir, pb.tombstones); err != nil {
 		return err
diff --git a/db_test.go b/db_test.go
index 073b727b3..7d4b88a44 100644
--- a/db_test.go
+++ b/db_test.go
@@ -1302,3 +1302,38 @@ func TestInitializeHeadTimestamp(t *testing.T) {
 		testutil.Equals(t, int64(15000), db.head.MaxTime())
 	})
 }
+
+func TestCorrectNumTombstones(t *testing.T) {
+	db, close := openTestDB(t, nil)
+	defer close()
+	defer db.Close()
+
+	blockRange := DefaultOptions.BlockRanges[0]
+	label := labels.FromStrings("foo", "bar")
+
+	app := db.Appender()
+	for i := int64(0); i < 3; i++ {
+		for j := int64(0); j < 15; j++ {
+			_, err := app.Add(label, i*blockRange+j, 0)
+			testutil.Ok(t, err)
+		}
+	}
+	testutil.Ok(t, app.Commit())
+
+	_, err := db.compact()
+	testutil.Ok(t, err)
+	testutil.Equals(t, 1, len(db.blocks))
+
+	testutil.Ok(t, db.Delete(0, 1, labels.NewEqualMatcher("foo", "bar")))
+	testutil.Equals(t, uint64(1), db.blocks[0].meta.Stats.NumTombstones)
+
+	// {0, 1} and {2, 3} are merged to form 1 tombstone.
+	testutil.Ok(t, db.Delete(2, 3, labels.NewEqualMatcher("foo", "bar")))
+	testutil.Equals(t, uint64(1), db.blocks[0].meta.Stats.NumTombstones)
+
+	testutil.Ok(t, db.Delete(5, 6, labels.NewEqualMatcher("foo", "bar")))
+	testutil.Equals(t, uint64(2), db.blocks[0].meta.Stats.NumTombstones)
+
+	testutil.Ok(t, db.Delete(9, 11, labels.NewEqualMatcher("foo", "bar")))
+	testutil.Equals(t, uint64(3), db.blocks[0].meta.Stats.NumTombstones)
+}
diff --git a/tombstones.go b/tombstones.go
index ad820a05f..0626ac58e 100644
--- a/tombstones.go
+++ b/tombstones.go
@@ -42,6 +42,9 @@ type TombstoneReader interface {
 	// Iter calls the given function for each encountered interval.
 	Iter(func(uint64, Intervals) error) error
 
+	// Total returns the total count of tombstones.
+	Total() uint64
+
 	// Close any underlying resources
 	Close() error
 }
@@ -185,6 +188,17 @@ func (t *memTombstones) Iter(f func(uint64, Intervals) error) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+func (t *memTombstones) Total() uint64 {
+	t.mtx.RLock()
+	defer t.mtx.RUnlock()
+
+	total := uint64(0)
+	for _, ivs := range t.intvlGroups {
+		total += uint64(len(ivs))
+	}
+	return total
+}
+
 // addInterval to an existing memTombstones
 func (t *memTombstones) addInterval(ref uint64, itvs ...Interval) {
 	t.mtx.Lock()