diff --git a/pyawschart/__init__.py b/pyawschart/__init__.py
index fca1409..40d16b5 100644
--- a/pyawschart/__init__.py
+++ b/pyawschart/__init__.py
@@ -83,11 +83,15 @@ def _get_datapoints(self):
             )
         return self._datapoints
     
+
     def _get_chart(self):
         if not self._chart:
-            datapoints = self._get_datapoints()
-            data = [datapoint['Average'] for datapoint in self._datapoints]
+            self._get_datapoints()
         
+            key = 'Sum' if self._datapoints and 'Sum' in self._datapoints[0]
+                        else 'Average'
+            data = [datapoint[key] for datapoint in self._datapoints]
+
             # Set the vertical range from 0 to 100
             max_y = 1
             if data:
diff --git a/pyawschart/elb.py b/pyawschart/elb.py
index 90a627f..345ad32 100644
--- a/pyawschart/elb.py
+++ b/pyawschart/elb.py
@@ -26,8 +26,8 @@ def __init__(self, cloudwatch_connection=None, instance=None, range=None):
         ELBChart.__init__(self, cloudwatch_connection, instance, range)
         self.metric_verbose = 'Request count'
         self.args['metric'] = 'RequestCount'
-        self.args['statistics'] = 'Average'
-        self.args['unit'] = 'Count/Second'
+        self.args['statistics'] = 'Sum'
+        self.args['unit'] = 'Count'
 CHART_CLASSES.append(RequestCountChart)