diff --git a/sdks/go/alpha.go b/sdks/go/alpha.go
index eb67d083a1..b7c6a05258 100644
--- a/sdks/go/alpha.go
+++ b/sdks/go/alpha.go
@@ -84,21 +84,14 @@ func (a *Alpha) GetConnectedPlayers() ([]string, error) {
 	return list.GetList(), errors.Wrap(err, "could not list connected players")
 }
 
-// GetCounter returns a copy of a Counter, given the Counter's key (name).
-// Will error if the key was not predefined in the GameServer resource on creation.
-func (a *Alpha) GetCounter(key string) (alpha.Counter, error) {
-	counter, err := a.client.GetCounter(context.Background(), &alpha.GetCounterRequest{Name: key})
-	if err == nil {
-		return alpha.Counter{Name: counter.Name, Count: counter.Count, Capacity: counter.Capacity}, nil
-	}
-	return alpha.Counter{}, errors.Wrapf(err, "could not get Counter %s", key)
-}
-
 // GetCounterCount returns the Count for a Counter, given the Counter's key (name).
 // Will error if the key was not predefined in the GameServer resource on creation.
 func (a *Alpha) GetCounterCount(key string) (int64, error) {
 	counter, err := a.client.GetCounter(context.Background(), &alpha.GetCounterRequest{Name: key})
-	return counter.Count, errors.Wrapf(err, "could not get Counter %s count", key)
+	if err != nil {
+		return -1, errors.Wrapf(err, "could not get Counter %s count", key)
+	}
+	return counter.Count, nil
 }
 
 // IncrementCounter increases a counter by the given nonnegative integer amount.
@@ -161,7 +154,10 @@ func (a *Alpha) SetCounterCount(key string, amount int64) (bool, error) {
 // Will error if the key was not predefined in the GameServer resource on creation.
 func (a *Alpha) GetCounterCapacity(key string) (int64, error) {
 	counter, err := a.client.GetCounter(context.Background(), &alpha.GetCounterRequest{Name: key})
-	return counter.Capacity, errors.Wrapf(err, "could not get Counter %s capacity", key)
+	if err != nil {
+		return -1, errors.Wrapf(err, "could not get Counter %s capacity", key)
+	}
+	return counter.Capacity, nil
 }
 
 // SetCounterCapacity sets the capacity for a given count. A capacity of 0 is no capacity.
diff --git a/sdks/go/alpha_test.go b/sdks/go/alpha_test.go
index 79c5896f8a..5b70020e71 100644
--- a/sdks/go/alpha_test.go
+++ b/sdks/go/alpha_test.go
@@ -113,16 +113,20 @@ func TestAlphaGetAndUpdateCounter(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
 
 	t.Run("Set Counter and Set Capacity", func(t *testing.T) {
-		counter, err := a.GetCounter("sessions")
+		count, err := a.GetCounterCount("sessions")
+		assert.NoError(t, err)
+		assert.Equal(t, sessions.Count, count)
+
+		capacity, err := a.GetCounterCapacity("sessions")
 		assert.NoError(t, err)
-		assert.Equal(t, &sessions, &counter)
+		assert.Equal(t, sessions.Capacity, capacity)
 
 		wantCapacity := int64(25)
 		ok, err := a.SetCounterCapacity("sessions", wantCapacity)
 		assert.NoError(t, err)
 		assert.True(t, ok)
 
-		capacity, err := a.GetCounterCapacity("sessions")
+		capacity, err = a.GetCounterCapacity("sessions")
 		assert.NoError(t, err)
 		assert.Equal(t, wantCapacity, capacity)
 
@@ -131,15 +135,17 @@ func TestAlphaGetAndUpdateCounter(t *testing.T) {
 		assert.NoError(t, err)
 		assert.True(t, ok)
 
-		count, err := a.GetCounterCount("sessions")
+		count, err = a.GetCounterCount("sessions")
 		assert.NoError(t, err)
 		assert.Equal(t, wantCount, count)
 	})
 
-	t.Run("Set Counter and Set Capacity Non Defined Counter", func(t *testing.T) {
-		counter, err := a.GetCounter("secessions")
+	t.Run("Get and Set Non-Defined Counter", func(t *testing.T) {
+		_, err := a.GetCounterCount("secessions")
+		assert.Error(t, err)
+
+		_, err = a.GetCounterCapacity("secessions")
 		assert.Error(t, err)
-		assert.Empty(t, &counter)
 
 		ok, err := a.SetCounterCapacity("secessions", int64(100))
 		assert.Error(t, err)
@@ -152,15 +158,15 @@ func TestAlphaGetAndUpdateCounter(t *testing.T) {
 
 	// nolint:dupl // testing DecrementCounter and IncrementCounter are not duplicates.
 	t.Run("Decrement Counter Fails then Success", func(t *testing.T) {
-		counter, err := a.GetCounter("games")
+		count, err := a.GetCounterCount("games")
 		assert.NoError(t, err)
-		assert.Equal(t, &games, &counter)
+		assert.Equal(t, games.Count, count)
 
 		ok, err := a.DecrementCounter("games", 21)
 		assert.Error(t, err)
 		assert.False(t, ok)
 
-		count, err := a.GetCounterCount("games")
+		count, err = a.GetCounterCount("games")
 		assert.NoError(t, err)
 		assert.Equal(t, games.Count, count)
 
@@ -183,15 +189,15 @@ func TestAlphaGetAndUpdateCounter(t *testing.T) {
 
 	// nolint:dupl // testing DecrementCounter and IncrementCounter are not duplicates.
 	t.Run("Increment Counter Fails then Success", func(t *testing.T) {
-		counter, err := a.GetCounter("gamers")
+		count, err := a.GetCounterCount("gamers")
 		assert.NoError(t, err)
-		assert.Equal(t, &gamers, &counter)
+		assert.Equal(t, gamers.Count, count)
 
 		ok, err := a.IncrementCounter("gamers", 250)
 		assert.Error(t, err)
 		assert.False(t, ok)
 
-		count, err := a.GetCounterCount("gamers")
+		count, err = a.GetCounterCount("gamers")
 		assert.NoError(t, err)
 		assert.Equal(t, gamers.Count, count)