diff --git a/lib/statix/packet.ex b/lib/statix/packet.ex
index c163246..0a0c84c 100644
--- a/lib/statix/packet.ex
+++ b/lib/statix/packet.ex
@@ -34,15 +34,20 @@ defmodule Statix.Packet do
     defp metric_type(unquote(name)), do: unquote(type)
   end
 
-  defp set_option(packet, _kind, nil) do
-    packet
-  end
+  defp set_option(packet, _kind, nil), do: packet
 
   defp set_option(packet, :sample_rate, sample_rate) when is_float(sample_rate) do
     [packet | ["|@", :erlang.float_to_binary(sample_rate, [:compact, decimals: 2])]]
   end
 
   defp set_option(packet, :tags, tags) when is_list(tags) do
-    [packet | ["|#", Enum.join(tags, ",")]]
+    [packet | ["|#", Enum.join(normalize_tags(tags), ",")]]
+  end
+
+  defp normalize_tags(tags) do
+    Enum.map(tags, fn
+      {name, value} -> "#{name}:#{value}"
+      value -> to_string(value)
+    end)
   end
 end
diff --git a/test/statix_test.exs b/test/statix_test.exs
index 0ba5d25..0be1469 100644
--- a/test/statix_test.exs
+++ b/test/statix_test.exs
@@ -94,6 +94,9 @@ defmodule StatixTest do
     TestStatix.increment("sample", 3, tags: ["foo:bar", "baz"])
     assert_receive {:server, "sample:3|c|#foo:bar,baz"}
 
+    TestStatix.increment("sample", 3, tags: ["baz", foo: "bar"])
+    assert_receive {:server, "sample:3|c|#baz,foo:bar"}
+
     TestStatix.increment("sample", 3, sample_rate: 1.0, tags: ["foo", "bar"])
     assert_receive {:server, "sample:3|c|@1.0|#foo,bar"}
 
@@ -114,8 +117,11 @@ defmodule StatixTest do
 
     TestStatix.decrement("sample", 3, tags: ["foo:bar", "baz"])
     assert_receive {:server, "sample:-3|c|#foo:bar,baz"}
-    TestStatix.decrement("sample", 3, sample_rate: 1.0, tags: ["foo", "bar"])
 
+    TestStatix.decrement("sample", 3, tags: ["baz", foo: "bar"])
+    assert_receive {:server, "sample:-3|c|#baz,foo:bar"}
+
+    TestStatix.decrement("sample", 3, sample_rate: 1.0, tags: ["foo", "bar"])
     assert_receive {:server, "sample:-3|c|@1.0|#foo,bar"}
 
     TestStatix.decrement("sample", 3, sample_rate: 0.0)
@@ -133,6 +139,9 @@ defmodule StatixTest do
     TestStatix.gauge("sample", 3, tags: ["foo:bar", "baz"])
     assert_receive {:server, "sample:3|g|#foo:bar,baz"}
 
+    TestStatix.gauge("sample", 3, tags: ["baz", foo: "bar"])
+    assert_receive {:server, "sample:3|g|#baz,foo:bar"}
+
     TestStatix.gauge("sample", 3, sample_rate: 1.0, tags: ["foo", "bar"])
     assert_receive {:server, "sample:3|g|@1.0|#foo,bar"}
 
@@ -151,6 +160,9 @@ defmodule StatixTest do
     TestStatix.histogram("sample", 3, tags: ["foo:bar", "baz"])
     assert_receive {:server, "sample:3|h|#foo:bar,baz"}
 
+    TestStatix.histogram("sample", 3, tags: ["baz", foo: "bar"])
+    assert_receive {:server, "sample:3|h|#baz,foo:bar"}
+
     TestStatix.histogram("sample", 3, sample_rate: 1.0, tags: ["foo", "bar"])
     assert_receive {:server, "sample:3|h|@1.0|#foo,bar"}
 
@@ -169,6 +181,9 @@ defmodule StatixTest do
     TestStatix.timing("sample", 3, tags: ["foo:bar", "baz"])
     assert_receive {:server, "sample:3|ms|#foo:bar,baz"}
 
+    TestStatix.timing("sample", 3, tags: ["baz", foo: "bar"])
+    assert_receive {:server, "sample:3|ms|#baz,foo:bar"}
+
     TestStatix.timing("sample", 3, sample_rate: 1.0, tags: ["foo", "bar"])
     assert_receive {:server, "sample:3|ms|@1.0|#foo,bar"}
 
@@ -204,6 +219,9 @@ defmodule StatixTest do
     TestStatix.set("sample", 3, tags: ["foo:bar", "baz"])
     assert_receive {:server, "sample:3|s|#foo:bar,baz"}
 
+    TestStatix.set("sample", 3, tags: ["baz", foo: "bar"])
+    assert_receive {:server, "sample:3|s|#baz,foo:bar"}
+
     TestStatix.set("sample", 3, sample_rate: 1.0, tags: ["foo", "bar"])
     assert_receive {:server, "sample:3|s|@1.0|#foo,bar"}