diff --git a/.changelog/4863.added b/.changelog/4863.added
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..fd65e7b875e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changelog/4863.added
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+`opentelemetry-sdk`: add `add_metric_reader` / `remove_metric_reader` public APIs to register / unregister metric readers at runtime.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/opentelemetry-sdk/src/opentelemetry/sdk/metrics/_internal/__init__.py b/opentelemetry-sdk/src/opentelemetry/sdk/metrics/_internal/__init__.py
index a514be735d1..5b8c2600c21 100644
--- a/opentelemetry-sdk/src/opentelemetry/sdk/metrics/_internal/__init__.py
+++ b/opentelemetry-sdk/src/opentelemetry/sdk/metrics/_internal/__init__.py
@@ -490,11 +490,12 @@ def __init__(
                 )
             ),
             resource=resource,
-            metric_readers=metric_readers,
             views=views,
         )
+        self._metric_readers = metric_readers
         self._measurement_consumer = SynchronousMeasurementConsumer(
-            sdk_config=self._sdk_config
+            sdk_config=self._sdk_config,
+            metric_readers=metric_readers,
         )
         disabled = environ.get(OTEL_SDK_DISABLED, "")
         self._disabled = disabled.lower().strip() == "true"
@@ -509,7 +510,7 @@ def __init__(
             _meter_configurator or _default_meter_configurator
         )
 
-        for metric_reader in self._sdk_config.metric_readers:
+        for metric_reader in self._metric_readers:
             with self._all_metric_readers_lock:
                 if metric_reader in self._all_metric_readers:
                     # pylint: disable=broad-exception-raised
@@ -560,7 +561,7 @@ def force_flush(self, timeout_millis: float = 10_000) -> bool:
 
         metric_reader_error = {}
 
-        for metric_reader in self._sdk_config.metric_readers:
+        for metric_reader in self._metric_readers:
             current_ts = time_ns()
             try:
                 if current_ts >= deadline_ns:
@@ -605,7 +606,7 @@ def _shutdown():
 
         metric_reader_error = {}
 
-        for metric_reader in self._sdk_config.metric_readers:
+        for metric_reader in self._metric_readers:
             current_ts = time_ns()
             try:
                 if current_ts >= deadline_ns:
@@ -675,3 +676,36 @@ def get_meter(
                     ),
                 )
             return self._meters[instrumentation_scope]
+
+    def add_metric_reader(
+        self, metric_reader: "opentelemetry.sdk.metrics.export.MetricReader"
+    ) -> None:
+        with self._all_metric_readers_lock:
+            if metric_reader in self._all_metric_readers:
+                _logger.warning(
+                    "MetricReader '%s' has been registered already!",
+                    metric_reader,
+                )
+                return
+            self._measurement_consumer.add_metric_reader(metric_reader)
+            # pylint: disable-next=protected-access
+            metric_reader._set_collect_callback(
+                self._measurement_consumer.collect
+            )
+            self._all_metric_readers.add(metric_reader)
+
+    def remove_metric_reader(
+        self,
+        metric_reader: "opentelemetry.sdk.metrics.export.MetricReader",
+    ) -> None:
+        with self._all_metric_readers_lock:
+            if metric_reader not in self._all_metric_readers:
+                _logger.warning(
+                    "MetricReader '%s' has not been registered!", metric_reader
+                )
+                return
+            self._measurement_consumer.remove_metric_reader(metric_reader)
+            # pylint: disable-next=protected-access
+            metric_reader._set_collect_callback(None)
+            metric_reader.shutdown()
+            self._all_metric_readers.remove(metric_reader)
diff --git a/opentelemetry-sdk/src/opentelemetry/sdk/metrics/_internal/export/__init__.py b/opentelemetry-sdk/src/opentelemetry/sdk/metrics/_internal/export/__init__.py
index 676a356c2bc..aee356f78d2 100644
--- a/opentelemetry-sdk/src/opentelemetry/sdk/metrics/_internal/export/__init__.py
+++ b/opentelemetry-sdk/src/opentelemetry/sdk/metrics/_internal/export/__init__.py
@@ -223,13 +223,16 @@ def __init__(
         *,
         otel_component_type: OtelComponentTypeValues | None = None,
     ) -> None:
-        self._collect: Callable[
-            [
-                opentelemetry.sdk.metrics.export.MetricReader,
-                AggregationTemporality,
-            ],
-            Iterable[opentelemetry.sdk.metrics.export.Metric],
-        ] = None
+        self._collect: (
+            Callable[
+                [
+                    opentelemetry.sdk.metrics.export.MetricReader,
+                    AggregationTemporality,
+                ],
+                Iterable[opentelemetry.sdk.metrics.export.Metric],
+            ]
+            | None
+        ) = None
 
         self._instrument_class_temporality = {
             _Counter: AggregationTemporality.CUMULATIVE,
@@ -373,7 +376,8 @@ def _set_collect_callback(
                 AggregationTemporality,
             ],
             MetricsData,
-        ],
+        ]
+        | None,
     ) -> None:
         """This function is internal to the SDK. It should not be called or overridden by users"""
         self._collect = func
diff --git a/opentelemetry-sdk/src/opentelemetry/sdk/metrics/_internal/measurement_consumer.py b/opentelemetry-sdk/src/opentelemetry/sdk/metrics/_internal/measurement_consumer.py
index 64d996787c2..8af2f064314 100644
--- a/opentelemetry-sdk/src/opentelemetry/sdk/metrics/_internal/measurement_consumer.py
+++ b/opentelemetry-sdk/src/opentelemetry/sdk/metrics/_internal/measurement_consumer.py
@@ -3,15 +3,15 @@
 
 # pylint: disable=unused-import
 
+import weakref
 from abc import ABC, abstractmethod
-from collections.abc import Mapping
+from collections.abc import Iterable, Mapping
 from threading import Lock
 from time import time_ns
 
 # This kind of import is needed to avoid Sphinx errors.
 import opentelemetry.sdk.metrics
 import opentelemetry.sdk.metrics._internal.instrument
-import opentelemetry.sdk.metrics._internal.sdk_configuration
 from opentelemetry.metrics._internal.instrument import CallbackOptions
 from opentelemetry.sdk.metrics._internal.exceptions import MetricsTimeoutError
 from opentelemetry.sdk.metrics._internal.measurement import Measurement
@@ -48,10 +48,10 @@ class SynchronousMeasurementConsumer(MeasurementConsumer):
     def __init__(
         self,
         sdk_config: "opentelemetry.sdk.metrics._internal.sdk_configuration.SdkConfiguration",
+        metric_readers: Iterable["opentelemetry.sdk.metrics.MetricReader"],
     ) -> None:
         self._lock = Lock()
         self._sdk_config = sdk_config
-        # should never be mutated
         self._reader_storages: Mapping[
             opentelemetry.sdk.metrics.export.MetricReader, MetricReaderStorage
         ] = {
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ def __init__(
                 reader._instrument_class_temporality,
                 reader._instrument_class_aggregation,
             )
-            for reader in sdk_config.metric_readers
+            for reader in metric_readers
         }
         self._async_instruments: list[
             opentelemetry.sdk.metrics._internal.instrument._Asynchronous
@@ -75,7 +75,9 @@ def consume_measurement(self, measurement: Measurement) -> None:
                 measurement.context,
             )
         )
-        for reader_storage in self._reader_storages.values():
+        with self._lock:
+            reader_storages = weakref.WeakSet(self._reader_storages.values())
+        for reader_storage in reader_storages:
             reader_storage.consume_measurement(
                 measurement, should_sample_exemplar
             )
@@ -132,3 +134,23 @@ def collect(
             result = self._reader_storages[metric_reader].collect()
 
         return result
+
+    def add_metric_reader(
+        self, metric_reader: "opentelemetry.sdk.metrics.MetricReader"
+    ) -> None:
+        """Registers a new metric reader."""
+        with self._lock:
+            self._reader_storages[metric_reader] = MetricReaderStorage(
+                self._sdk_config,
+                # pylint: disable-next=protected-access
+                metric_reader._instrument_class_temporality,
+                # pylint: disable-next=protected-access
+                metric_reader._instrument_class_aggregation,
+            )
+
+    def remove_metric_reader(
+        self, metric_reader: "opentelemetry.sdk.metrics.MetricReader"
+    ) -> None:
+        """Unregisters the given metric reader."""
+        with self._lock:
+            self._reader_storages.pop(metric_reader)
diff --git a/opentelemetry-sdk/src/opentelemetry/sdk/metrics/_internal/sdk_configuration.py b/opentelemetry-sdk/src/opentelemetry/sdk/metrics/_internal/sdk_configuration.py
index 6c2b8de25c6..a1430261cb5 100644
--- a/opentelemetry-sdk/src/opentelemetry/sdk/metrics/_internal/sdk_configuration.py
+++ b/opentelemetry-sdk/src/opentelemetry/sdk/metrics/_internal/sdk_configuration.py
@@ -15,5 +15,4 @@
 class SdkConfiguration:
     exemplar_filter: "opentelemetry.sdk.metrics.ExemplarFilter"
     resource: "opentelemetry.sdk.resources.Resource"
-    metric_readers: Sequence["opentelemetry.sdk.metrics.export.MetricReader"]
     views: Sequence["opentelemetry.sdk.metrics.view.View"]
diff --git a/opentelemetry-sdk/tests/_configuration/test_meter_provider.py b/opentelemetry-sdk/tests/_configuration/test_meter_provider.py
index 0cbb53cbc74..566329cf146 100644
--- a/opentelemetry-sdk/tests/_configuration/test_meter_provider.py
+++ b/opentelemetry-sdk/tests/_configuration/test_meter_provider.py
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ def test_none_config_uses_supplied_resource(self):
 
     def test_none_config_no_readers(self):
         provider = create_meter_provider(None)
-        self.assertEqual(len(provider._sdk_config.metric_readers), 0)
+        self.assertEqual(len(provider._metric_readers), 0)
 
     def test_none_config_uses_trace_based_exemplar_filter(self):
         provider = create_meter_provider(None)
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ def test_none_config_does_not_read_interval_env_var(self):
         )
         with patch.dict(os.environ, {"OTEL_METRIC_EXPORT_INTERVAL": "999999"}):
             provider = create_meter_provider(config)
-        reader = provider._sdk_config.metric_readers[0]
+        reader = provider._metric_readers[0]
         self.assertIsInstance(reader, PeriodicExportingMetricReader)
         self.assertEqual(reader._export_interval_millis, 60000.0)
 
@@ -163,11 +163,6 @@ def test_configure_with_config_sets_global(self):
             arg = mock_set.call_args[0][0]
             self.assertIsInstance(arg, MeterProvider)
 
-    def test_empty_readers_list(self):
-        config = MeterProviderConfig(readers=[])
-        provider = create_meter_provider(config)
-        self.assertEqual(len(provider._sdk_config.metric_readers), 0)
-
 
 class TestCreateMetricReaders(unittest.TestCase):
     @staticmethod
@@ -189,7 +184,7 @@ def test_console_exporter(self):
             PushMetricExporterConfig(console=ConsoleMetricExporterConfig())
         )
         provider = create_meter_provider(config)
-        reader = provider._sdk_config.metric_readers[0]
+        reader = provider._metric_readers[0]
         self.assertIsInstance(reader, PeriodicExportingMetricReader)
         self.assertIsInstance(reader._exporter, ConsoleMetricExporter)
 
@@ -198,7 +193,7 @@ def test_periodic_reader_default_interval(self):
             PushMetricExporterConfig(console=ConsoleMetricExporterConfig())
         )
         provider = create_meter_provider(config)
-        reader = provider._sdk_config.metric_readers[0]
+        reader = provider._metric_readers[0]
         self.assertEqual(reader._export_interval_millis, 60000.0)
 
     def test_periodic_reader_default_timeout(self):
@@ -206,7 +201,7 @@ def test_periodic_reader_default_timeout(self):
             PushMetricExporterConfig(console=ConsoleMetricExporterConfig())
         )
         provider = create_meter_provider(config)
-        reader = provider._sdk_config.metric_readers[0]
+        reader = provider._metric_readers[0]
         self.assertEqual(reader._export_timeout_millis, 30000.0)
 
     def test_periodic_reader_explicit_interval(self):
@@ -215,7 +210,7 @@ def test_periodic_reader_explicit_interval(self):
             interval=5000,
         )
         provider = create_meter_provider(config)
-        reader = provider._sdk_config.metric_readers[0]
+        reader = provider._metric_readers[0]
         self.assertEqual(reader._export_interval_millis, 5000.0)
 
     def test_periodic_reader_explicit_timeout(self):
@@ -224,7 +219,7 @@ def test_periodic_reader_explicit_timeout(self):
             timeout=10000,
         )
         provider = create_meter_provider(config)
-        reader = provider._sdk_config.metric_readers[0]
+        reader = provider._metric_readers[0]
         self.assertEqual(reader._export_timeout_millis, 10000.0)
 
     def test_otlp_http_missing_package_raises(self):
@@ -347,7 +342,7 @@ def test_pull_prometheus_creates_reader(self):
 
         mock_reader_cls.assert_called_once_with(disable_target_info=True)
         mock_start_server.assert_called_once_with(port=9090, addr="0.0.0.0")
-        self.assertEqual(len(provider._sdk_config.metric_readers), 1)
+        self.assertEqual(len(provider._metric_readers), 1)
 
     def test_pull_prometheus_defaults(self):
         mock_reader_cls = MagicMock()
@@ -375,7 +370,7 @@ def test_pull_prometheus_defaults(self):
 
         mock_reader_cls.assert_called_once_with(disable_target_info=False)
         mock_start_server.assert_called_once_with(port=9464, addr="localhost")
-        self.assertEqual(len(provider._sdk_config.metric_readers), 1)
+        self.assertEqual(len(provider._metric_readers), 1)
 
     def test_pull_prometheus_missing_package_raises(self):
         with patch.dict(
@@ -432,7 +427,7 @@ def test_pull_plugin_loads_via_entry_point(self):
                 ]
             )
             provider = create_meter_provider(config)
-        self.assertEqual(len(provider._sdk_config.metric_readers), 1)
+        self.assertEqual(len(provider._metric_readers), 1)
         mock_class.assert_called_once_with(port=8080)
         mock_entry_points.assert_called_once_with(
             group="opentelemetry_pull_metric_exporter",
@@ -547,7 +542,7 @@ def test_plugin_metric_exporter_loaded_via_entry_point(self):
                 PushMetricExporterConfig(my_custom_exporter={})
             )
             provider = create_meter_provider(config)
-        self.assertEqual(len(provider._sdk_config.metric_readers), 1)
+        self.assertEqual(len(provider._metric_readers), 1)
 
     def test_unknown_metric_exporter_raises_configuration_error(self):
         with patch(
@@ -581,7 +576,7 @@ def test_multiple_readers(self):
             ]
         )
         provider = create_meter_provider(config)
-        self.assertEqual(len(provider._sdk_config.metric_readers), 2)
+        self.assertEqual(len(provider._metric_readers), 2)
 
 
 class TestTemporalityAndAggregation(unittest.TestCase):
@@ -605,7 +600,7 @@ def _make_console_config(temporality=None, histogram_agg=None):
     @staticmethod
     def _get_exporter(config):
         provider = create_meter_provider(config)
-        return provider._sdk_config.metric_readers[0]._exporter
+        return provider._metric_readers[0]._exporter
 
     def test_default_temporality_is_cumulative(self):
         exporter = self._get_exporter(self._make_console_config())
diff --git a/opentelemetry-sdk/tests/metrics/test_measurement_consumer.py b/opentelemetry-sdk/tests/metrics/test_measurement_consumer.py
index 9f67271a086..b4ce731cc1e 100644
--- a/opentelemetry-sdk/tests/metrics/test_measurement_consumer.py
+++ b/opentelemetry-sdk/tests/metrics/test_measurement_consumer.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 
 # pylint: disable=invalid-name,no-self-use
 
+from threading import Event, Thread
 from time import sleep
 from unittest import TestCase
 from unittest.mock import MagicMock, Mock, patch
@@ -23,7 +24,8 @@
 class TestSynchronousMeasurementConsumer(TestCase):
     def test_parent(self, _):
         self.assertIsInstance(
-            SynchronousMeasurementConsumer(MagicMock()), MeasurementConsumer
+            SynchronousMeasurementConsumer(MagicMock(), metric_readers=()),
+            MeasurementConsumer,
         )
 
     def test_creates_metric_reader_storages(self, MockMetricReaderStorage):
@@ -33,9 +35,9 @@ def test_creates_metric_reader_storages(self, MockMetricReaderStorage):
             SdkConfiguration(
                 exemplar_filter=Mock(),
                 resource=Mock(),
-                metric_readers=reader_mocks,
                 views=Mock(),
-            )
+            ),
+            metric_readers=reader_mocks,
         )
         self.assertEqual(len(MockMetricReaderStorage.mock_calls), 5)
 
@@ -50,9 +52,9 @@ def test_measurements_passed_to_each_reader_storage(
             SdkConfiguration(
                 exemplar_filter=Mock(should_sample=Mock(return_value=False)),
                 resource=Mock(),
-                metric_readers=reader_mocks,
                 views=Mock(),
-            )
+            ),
+            metric_readers=reader_mocks,
         )
         measurement_mock = Mock()
         consumer.consume_measurement(measurement_mock)
@@ -72,9 +74,9 @@ def test_collect_passed_to_reader_stage(self, MockMetricReaderStorage):
             SdkConfiguration(
                 exemplar_filter=Mock(),
                 resource=Mock(),
-                metric_readers=reader_mocks,
                 views=Mock(),
-            )
+            ),
+            metric_readers=reader_mocks,
         )
         for r_mock, rs_mock in zip(reader_mocks, reader_storage_mocks):
             rs_mock.collect.assert_not_called()
@@ -91,9 +93,9 @@ def test_collect_calls_async_instruments(self, MockMetricReaderStorage):
             SdkConfiguration(
                 exemplar_filter=Mock(should_sample=Mock(return_value=False)),
                 resource=Mock(),
-                metric_readers=[reader_mock],
                 views=Mock(),
-            )
+            ),
+            metric_readers=[reader_mock],
         )
         async_instrument_mocks = [MagicMock() for _ in range(5)]
         for i_mock in async_instrument_mocks:
@@ -122,9 +124,9 @@ def test_collect_timeout(self, MockMetricReaderStorage):
             SdkConfiguration(
                 exemplar_filter=Mock(),
                 resource=Mock(),
-                metric_readers=[reader_mock],
                 views=Mock(),
-            )
+            ),
+            metric_readers=[reader_mock],
         )
 
         def sleep_1(*args, **kwargs):
@@ -156,9 +158,9 @@ def test_collect_deadline(
             SdkConfiguration(
                 exemplar_filter=Mock(),
                 resource=Mock(),
-                metric_readers=[reader_mock],
                 views=Mock(),
-            )
+            ),
+            metric_readers=[reader_mock],
         )
 
         consumer.register_asynchronous_instrument(
@@ -188,3 +190,91 @@ def test_collect_deadline(
             callback_options_time_call,
             10000,
         )
+
+
+class TestSynchronousMeasurementConsumerConcurrency(TestCase):
+    def test_concurrent_changes_to_metric_readers(self):
+        timeout = 1
+        failure = None
+        iteration_started = Event()
+        mutation_done = Event()
+        iteration_timeout_error = "Timed out waiting for iteration to start"
+        mutation_timeout_error = "Timed out waiting for mutation to be done"
+
+        consumer = SynchronousMeasurementConsumer(
+            SdkConfiguration(
+                exemplar_filter=MagicMock(),
+                resource=MagicMock(),
+                views=MagicMock(),
+            ),
+            metric_readers=[MagicMock()],
+        )
+
+        def _hooked_iter(iterable):
+            nonlocal failure
+
+            iterable = iter(iterable)
+            iteration_started.set()
+            if not mutation_done.wait(timeout):
+                failure = mutation_timeout_error
+            yield next(iterable, None)
+            yield from iterable
+
+        class HookedDict(dict):
+            def __iter__(self):
+                return _hooked_iter(super().__iter__())
+
+            def keys(self):
+                return _hooked_iter(super().keys())
+
+            def values(self):
+                return _hooked_iter(super().values())
+
+            def items(self):
+                return _hooked_iter(super().items())
+
+        with patch.object(
+            consumer,
+            "_reader_storages",
+            # pylint: disable-next=protected-access
+            HookedDict(consumer._reader_storages),
+        ):
+
+            def mutate():
+                """Directly mutate _reader_storages after iteration starts"""
+                nonlocal failure
+                if not iteration_started.wait(timeout):
+                    failure = iteration_timeout_error
+                # pylint: disable-next=protected-access
+                consumer._reader_storages.clear()
+
+            # Verify that test setup works (direct mutation with no synchronization fails)
+            with self.assertRaises(RuntimeError) as cm:
+                t = Thread(target=mutate)
+                t.start()
+                try:
+                    consumer.consume_measurement(MagicMock())
+                finally:
+                    t.join()
+            self.assertEqual(
+                "dictionary changed size during iteration", str(cm.exception)
+            )
+
+            def add_and_remove_readers():
+                """Modifies _reader_storages after iteration starts"""
+                nonlocal failure
+                if not iteration_started.wait(timeout):
+                    failure = iteration_timeout_error
+                reader = MagicMock()
+                consumer.add_metric_reader(reader)
+                consumer.remove_metric_reader(reader)
+
+            # Verify the API calls do not attempt concurrent modification of reader storages
+            t = Thread(target=add_and_remove_readers)
+            t.start()
+            try:
+                consumer.add_metric_reader(MagicMock())
+                consumer.consume_measurement(MagicMock())
+            finally:
+                t.join()
+            self.assertEqual(mutation_timeout_error, failure)
diff --git a/opentelemetry-sdk/tests/metrics/test_metric_reader_storage.py b/opentelemetry-sdk/tests/metrics/test_metric_reader_storage.py
index ec70ff11455..281aae92158 100644
--- a/opentelemetry-sdk/tests/metrics/test_metric_reader_storage.py
+++ b/opentelemetry-sdk/tests/metrics/test_metric_reader_storage.py
@@ -68,7 +68,6 @@ def test_creates_view_instrument_matches(
             SdkConfiguration(
                 exemplar_filter=Mock(),
                 resource=Mock(),
-                metric_readers=(),
                 views=(view1, view2),
             ),
             MagicMock(
@@ -135,7 +134,6 @@ def test_forwards_calls_to_view_instrument_match(
             SdkConfiguration(
                 exemplar_filter=Mock(),
                 resource=Mock(),
-                metric_readers=(),
                 views=(view1, view2),
             ),
             MagicMock(
@@ -245,7 +243,6 @@ def test_race_concurrent_measurements(self, MockViewInstrumentMatch: Mock):
             SdkConfiguration(
                 exemplar_filter=Mock(),
                 resource=Mock(),
-                metric_readers=(),
                 views=(view1,),
             ),
             MagicMock(
@@ -276,7 +273,6 @@ def test_race_collect_with_new_instruments(self):
             SdkConfiguration(
                 exemplar_filter=Mock(),
                 resource=Mock(),
-                metric_readers=(),
                 views=(View(instrument_name="test"),),
             ),
             MagicMock(
@@ -322,7 +318,6 @@ def test_default_view_enabled(self, MockViewInstrumentMatch: Mock):
             SdkConfiguration(
                 exemplar_filter=Mock(),
                 resource=Mock(),
-                metric_readers=(),
                 views=(),
             ),
             MagicMock(
@@ -358,7 +353,6 @@ def test_drop_aggregation(self):
             SdkConfiguration(
                 exemplar_filter=Mock(),
                 resource=Mock(),
-                metric_readers=(),
                 views=(
                     View(
                         instrument_name="name", aggregation=DropAggregation()
@@ -386,7 +380,6 @@ def test_same_collection_start(self):
             SdkConfiguration(
                 exemplar_filter=Mock(),
                 resource=Mock(),
-                metric_readers=(),
                 views=(View(instrument_name="name"),),
             ),
             MagicMock(
@@ -433,7 +426,6 @@ def test_conflicting_view_configuration(self):
             SdkConfiguration(
                 exemplar_filter=Mock(),
                 resource=Mock(),
-                metric_readers=(),
                 views=(
                     View(
                         instrument_name="observable_counter",
@@ -482,7 +474,6 @@ def test_view_instrument_match_conflict_0(self):
             SdkConfiguration(
                 exemplar_filter=Mock(),
                 resource=Mock(),
-                metric_readers=(),
                 views=(
                     View(instrument_name="observable_counter_0", name="foo"),
                     View(instrument_name="observable_counter_1", name="foo"),
@@ -540,7 +531,6 @@ def test_view_instrument_match_conflict_1(self):
             SdkConfiguration(
                 exemplar_filter=Mock(),
                 resource=Mock(),
-                metric_readers=(),
                 views=(
                     View(instrument_name="bar", name="foo"),
                     View(instrument_name="baz", name="foo"),
@@ -609,7 +599,6 @@ def test_view_instrument_match_conflict_2(self):
             SdkConfiguration(
                 exemplar_filter=Mock(),
                 resource=Mock(),
-                metric_readers=(),
                 views=(
                     View(instrument_name="foo"),
                     View(instrument_name="bar"),
@@ -662,7 +651,6 @@ def test_view_instrument_match_conflict_3(self):
             SdkConfiguration(
                 exemplar_filter=Mock(),
                 resource=Mock(),
-                metric_readers=(),
                 views=(
                     View(instrument_name="bar", name="foo"),
                     View(instrument_name="baz", name="foo"),
@@ -713,7 +701,6 @@ def test_view_instrument_match_conflict_4(self):
             SdkConfiguration(
                 exemplar_filter=Mock(),
                 resource=Mock(),
-                metric_readers=(),
                 views=(
                     View(instrument_name="bar", name="foo"),
                     View(instrument_name="baz", name="foo"),
@@ -760,7 +747,6 @@ def test_view_instrument_match_conflict_5(self):
             SdkConfiguration(
                 exemplar_filter=Mock(),
                 resource=Mock(),
-                metric_readers=(),
                 views=(
                     View(instrument_name="observable_counter_0", name="foo"),
                     View(instrument_name="observable_counter_1", name="foo"),
@@ -815,7 +801,6 @@ def test_view_instrument_match_conflict_6(self):
             SdkConfiguration(
                 exemplar_filter=Mock(),
                 resource=Mock(),
-                metric_readers=(),
                 views=(
                     View(instrument_name="observable_counter", name="foo"),
                     View(instrument_name="histogram", name="foo"),
@@ -870,7 +855,6 @@ def test_view_instrument_match_conflict_7(self):
             SdkConfiguration(
                 exemplar_filter=Mock(),
                 resource=Mock(),
-                metric_readers=(),
                 views=(
                     View(instrument_name="observable_counter_0", name="foo"),
                     View(instrument_name="observable_counter_1", name="foo"),
@@ -925,7 +909,6 @@ def test_view_instrument_match_conflict_8(self):
             SdkConfiguration(
                 exemplar_filter=Mock(),
                 resource=Mock(),
-                metric_readers=(),
                 views=(
                     View(instrument_name="up_down_counter", name="foo"),
                     View(
diff --git a/opentelemetry-sdk/tests/metrics/test_metrics.py b/opentelemetry-sdk/tests/metrics/test_metrics.py
index beb8dbb2f23..7f32da99a60 100644
--- a/opentelemetry-sdk/tests/metrics/test_metrics.py
+++ b/opentelemetry-sdk/tests/metrics/test_metrics.py
@@ -2,10 +2,9 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
 
 # pylint: disable=protected-access,no-self-use,too-many-lines
-
 import weakref
 from collections.abc import Callable, Iterable, Sequence
-from logging import WARNING
+from logging import DEBUG, WARNING
 from threading import Lock
 from time import sleep
 from typing import Any
@@ -34,6 +33,7 @@
     _RuleBasedMeterConfigurator,
 )
 from opentelemetry.sdk.metrics.export import (
+    InMemoryMetricReader,
     Metric,
     MetricExporter,
     MetricExportResult,
@@ -488,6 +488,36 @@ def test_consume_measurement_gauge(self, mock_sync_measurement_consumer):
 
         sync_consumer_instance.consume_measurement.assert_called()
 
+    def test_addition_of_metric_reader(self):
+        internal_logger = "opentelemetry.sdk.metrics._internal"
+        export_logger = "opentelemetry.sdk.metrics._internal.export"
+
+        reader = InMemoryMetricReader()
+        meter_provider = MeterProvider()
+        meter = meter_provider.get_meter(__name__)
+        counter = meter.create_counter("counter")
+        counter.add(1)
+        # Suppress warnings for calling collect on an unregistered metric reader
+        with self.assertLogs(export_logger, DEBUG):
+            self.assertIsNone(reader.get_metrics_data())
+
+        meter_provider.add_metric_reader(reader)
+        counter.add(1)
+        self.assertIsNotNone(reader.get_metrics_data())
+
+        with self.assertLogs(internal_logger, DEBUG) as cm:
+            meter_provider.add_metric_reader(reader)
+            self.assertIn("has been registered already!", cm.output[0])
+
+        meter_provider.remove_metric_reader(reader)
+        counter.add(1)
+        with self.assertLogs(export_logger, DEBUG):
+            self.assertIsNone(reader.get_metrics_data())
+
+        with self.assertLogs(internal_logger, DEBUG) as cm:
+            meter_provider.remove_metric_reader(reader)
+            self.assertIn("has not been registered!", cm.output[0])
+
 
 class TestMeterConcurrency(ConcurrencyTestBase, TestCase):
     def test_create_instrument_concurrency(self):
diff --git a/opentelemetry-sdk/tests/metrics/test_view_instrument_match.py b/opentelemetry-sdk/tests/metrics/test_view_instrument_match.py
index 1de1af319fe..73b0e6e24a5 100644
--- a/opentelemetry-sdk/tests/metrics/test_view_instrument_match.py
+++ b/opentelemetry-sdk/tests/metrics/test_view_instrument_match.py
@@ -71,7 +71,6 @@ def setUpClass(cls):
         cls.sdk_configuration = SdkConfiguration(
             exemplar_filter=Mock(),
             resource=cls.mock_resource,
-            metric_readers=[],
             views=[],
         )
 
diff --git a/opentelemetry-sdk/tests/test_configurator.py b/opentelemetry-sdk/tests/test_configurator.py
index fbf4bd3b3c5..c66deeb2d81 100644
--- a/opentelemetry-sdk/tests/test_configurator.py
+++ b/opentelemetry-sdk/tests/test_configurator.py
@@ -1255,7 +1255,7 @@ def test_metrics_init_exporter(self):
             provider._sdk_config.resource.attributes.get("service.name"),
             "otlp-service",
         )
-        reader = provider._sdk_config.metric_readers[0]
+        reader = provider._metric_readers[0]
         self.assertIsInstance(reader, DummyMetricReader)
         self.assertIsInstance(reader.exporter, DummyOTLPMetricExporter)
 
@@ -1268,7 +1268,7 @@ def test_metrics_init_pull_exporter(self):
         self.assertEqual(self.set_provider_mock.call_count, 1)
         provider = self.set_provider_mock.call_args[0][0]
         self.assertIsInstance(provider, DummyMeterProvider)
-        reader = provider._sdk_config.metric_readers[0]
+        reader = provider._metric_readers[0]
         self.assertIsInstance(reader, DummyMetricReaderPullExporter)
 
     def test_metrics_init_exporter_uses_exporter_args_map(self):
@@ -1282,7 +1282,7 @@ def test_metrics_init_exporter_uses_exporter_args_map(self):
             },
         )
         provider = self.set_provider_mock.call_args[0][0]
-        reader = provider._sdk_config.metric_readers[0]
+        reader = provider._metric_readers[0]
         self.assertEqual(reader.exporter.compression, "gzip")
 
     def test_metrics_init_meter_configurator_none_by_default(self):