diff --git a/plugins/inputs/ping/ping.go b/plugins/inputs/ping/ping.go
index e03fc71e8..ff7cebb99 100644
--- a/plugins/inputs/ping/ping.go
+++ b/plugins/inputs/ping/ping.go
@@ -86,7 +86,9 @@ func (p *Ping) Gather(acc inputs.Accumulator) error {
 				"packets_transmitted": trans,
 				"packets_received":    rec,
 				"percent_packet_loss": loss,
-				"average_response_ms": avg,
+			}
+			if avg > 0 {
+				fields["average_response_ms"] = avg
 			}
 			acc.AddFields("ping", fields, tags)
 		}(url, acc)
diff --git a/plugins/inputs/ping/ping_test.go b/plugins/inputs/ping/ping_test.go
index 7ae86534d..b98a08be8 100644
--- a/plugins/inputs/ping/ping_test.go
+++ b/plugins/inputs/ping/ping_test.go
@@ -193,7 +193,6 @@ func TestBadPingGather(t *testing.T) {
 		"packets_transmitted": 2,
 		"packets_received":    0,
 		"percent_packet_loss": 100.0,
-		"average_response_ms": 0.0,
 	}
 	acc.AssertContainsTaggedFields(t, "ping", fields, tags)
 }