diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 2a90569..afb1b5a 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ checksum = "9035ad2d096bed7955a320ee7e2230574d28fd3c3a0f186cbea1ff3c7eed5dbb"
 dependencies = [
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
- "syn 2.0.107",
+ "syn",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -389,7 +389,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "heck",
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
- "syn 2.0.107",
+ "syn",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -589,7 +589,7 @@ checksum = "f46882e17999c6cc590af592290432be3bce0428cb0d5f8b6715e4dc7b383eb3"
 dependencies = [
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
- "syn 2.0.107",
+ "syn",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -644,7 +644,7 @@ checksum = "cb7330aeadfbe296029522e6c40f315320aba36fc43a5b3632f3795348f3bd22"
 dependencies = [
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
- "syn 2.0.107",
+ "syn",
  "unicode-xid",
 ]
 
@@ -656,7 +656,7 @@ checksum = "bda628edc44c4bb645fbe0f758797143e4e07926f7ebf4e9bdfbd3d2ce621df3"
 dependencies = [
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
- "syn 2.0.107",
+ "syn",
  "unicode-xid",
 ]
 
@@ -685,7 +685,7 @@ checksum = "97369cbbc041bc366949bc74d34658d6cda5621039731c6310521892a3a20ae0"
 dependencies = [
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
- "syn 2.0.107",
+ "syn",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -762,7 +762,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "heck",
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
- "syn 2.0.107",
+ "syn",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -892,7 +892,7 @@ checksum = "162ee34ebcb7c64a8abebc059ce0fee27c2262618d7b60ed8faf72fef13c3650"
 dependencies = [
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
- "syn 2.0.107",
+ "syn",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -1540,7 +1540,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "heck",
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
- "syn 2.0.107",
+ "syn",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -1657,6 +1657,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "iroh-quinn",
  "irpc-derive",
  "n0-future",
+ "opentelemetry",
  "postcard",
  "rcgen",
  "rustls",
@@ -1668,6 +1669,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "tokio",
  "tokio-util",
  "tracing",
+ "tracing-opentelemetry",
  "tracing-subscriber",
  "trybuild",
 ]
@@ -1678,7 +1680,7 @@ version = "0.8.0"
 dependencies = [
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
- "syn 2.0.107",
+ "syn",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -1705,9 +1707,9 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "is_terminal_polyfill"
-version = "1.70.1"
+version = "1.70.2"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "7943c866cc5cd64cbc25b2e01621d07fa8eb2a1a23160ee81ce38704e97b8ecf"
+checksum = "a6cb138bb79a146c1bd460005623e142ef0181e3d0219cb493e02f7d08a35695"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "itoa"
@@ -1920,14 +1922,14 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "nested_enum_utils"
-version = "0.2.2"
+version = "0.2.3"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "43fa9161ed44d30e9702fe42bd78693bceac0fed02f647da749f36109023d3a3"
+checksum = "b1d5475271bdd36a4a2769eac1ef88df0f99428ea43e52dfd8b0ee5cb674695f"
 dependencies = [
  "proc-macro-crate",
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
- "syn 1.0.109",
+ "syn",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -2088,7 +2090,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "proc-macro-crate",
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
- "syn 2.0.107",
+ "syn",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -2112,9 +2114,9 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "once_cell_polyfill"
-version = "1.70.1"
+version = "1.70.2"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "a4895175b425cb1f87721b59f0f286c2092bd4af812243672510e1ac53e2e0ad"
+checksum = "384b8ab6d37215f3c5301a95a4accb5d64aa607f1fcb26a11b5303878451b4fe"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "openssl-probe"
@@ -2122,6 +2124,35 @@ version = "0.1.6"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "d05e27ee213611ffe7d6348b942e8f942b37114c00cc03cec254295a4a17852e"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "opentelemetry"
+version = "0.31.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "b84bcd6ae87133e903af7ef497404dda70c60d0ea14895fc8a5e6722754fc2a0"
+dependencies = [
+ "futures-core",
+ "futures-sink",
+ "js-sys",
+ "pin-project-lite",
+ "thiserror 2.0.17",
+ "tracing",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "opentelemetry_sdk"
+version = "0.31.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "e14ae4f5991976fd48df6d843de219ca6d31b01daaab2dad5af2badeded372bd"
+dependencies = [
+ "futures-channel",
+ "futures-executor",
+ "futures-util",
+ "opentelemetry",
+ "percent-encoding",
+ "rand 0.9.2",
+ "thiserror 2.0.17",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "parking"
 version = "2.2.1"
@@ -2209,7 +2240,7 @@ checksum = "6e918e4ff8c4549eb882f14b3a4bc8c8bc93de829416eacf579f1207a8fbf861"
 dependencies = [
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
- "syn 2.0.107",
+ "syn",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -2334,7 +2365,7 @@ checksum = "e0232bd009a197ceec9cc881ba46f727fcd8060a2d8d6a9dde7a69030a6fe2bb"
 dependencies = [
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
- "syn 2.0.107",
+ "syn",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -2631,9 +2662,9 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "rustls"
-version = "0.23.33"
+version = "0.23.34"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "751e04a496ca00bb97a5e043158d23d66b5aabf2e1d5aa2a0aaebb1aafe6f82c"
+checksum = "6a9586e9ee2b4f8fab52a0048ca7334d7024eef48e2cb9407e3497bb7cab7fa7"
 dependencies = [
  "log",
  "once_cell",
@@ -2781,9 +2812,9 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "self_cell"
-version = "1.2.0"
+version = "1.2.1"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "0f7d95a54511e0c7be3f51e8867aa8cf35148d7b9445d44de2f943e2b206e749"
+checksum = "16c2f82143577edb4921b71ede051dac62ca3c16084e918bf7b40c96ae10eb33"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "semver"
@@ -2834,7 +2865,7 @@ checksum = "d540f220d3187173da220f885ab66608367b6574e925011a9353e4badda91d79"
 dependencies = [
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
- "syn 2.0.107",
+ "syn",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -2985,7 +3016,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "heck",
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
- "syn 2.0.107",
+ "syn",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -3063,7 +3094,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "heck",
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
- "syn 2.0.107",
+ "syn",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -3072,17 +3103,6 @@ version = "2.6.1"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "13c2bddecc57b384dee18652358fb23172facb8a2c51ccc10d74c157bdea3292"
 
-[[package]]
-name = "syn"
-version = "1.0.109"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "72b64191b275b66ffe2469e8af2c1cfe3bafa67b529ead792a6d0160888b4237"
-dependencies = [
- "proc-macro2",
- "quote",
- "unicode-ident",
-]
-
 [[package]]
 name = "syn"
 version = "2.0.107"
@@ -3111,7 +3131,7 @@ checksum = "728a70f3dbaf5bab7f0c4b1ac8d7ae5ea60a4b5549c8a5914361c99147a709d2"
 dependencies = [
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
- "syn 2.0.107",
+ "syn",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -3188,7 +3208,7 @@ checksum = "4fee6c4efc90059e10f81e6d42c60a18f76588c3d74cb83a0b242a2b6c7504c1"
 dependencies = [
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
- "syn 2.0.107",
+ "syn",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -3199,7 +3219,7 @@ checksum = "3ff15c8ecd7de3849db632e14d18d2571fa09dfc5ed93479bc4485c7a517c913"
 dependencies = [
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
- "syn 2.0.107",
+ "syn",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -3287,7 +3307,7 @@ checksum = "af407857209536a95c8e56f8231ef2c2e2aff839b22e07a1ffcbc617e9db9fa5"
 dependencies = [
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
- "syn 2.0.107",
+ "syn",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -3464,7 +3484,7 @@ checksum = "81383ab64e72a7a8b8e13130c49e3dab29def6d0c7d76a03087b3cf71c5c6903"
 dependencies = [
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
- "syn 2.0.107",
+ "syn",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -3498,6 +3518,25 @@ dependencies = [
  "tracing-core",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "tracing-opentelemetry"
+version = "0.32.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "1e6e5658463dd88089aba75c7791e1d3120633b1bfde22478b28f625a9bb1b8e"
+dependencies = [
+ "js-sys",
+ "opentelemetry",
+ "opentelemetry_sdk",
+ "rustversion",
+ "smallvec",
+ "thiserror 2.0.17",
+ "tracing",
+ "tracing-core",
+ "tracing-log",
+ "tracing-subscriber",
+ "web-time",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "tracing-subscriber"
 version = "0.3.20"
@@ -3669,7 +3708,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "log",
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
- "syn 2.0.107",
+ "syn",
  "wasm-bindgen-shared",
 ]
 
@@ -3704,7 +3743,7 @@ checksum = "9f07d2f20d4da7b26400c9f4a0511e6e0345b040694e8a75bd41d578fa4421d7"
 dependencies = [
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
- "syn 2.0.107",
+ "syn",
  "wasm-bindgen-backend",
  "wasm-bindgen-shared",
 ]
@@ -3914,7 +3953,7 @@ checksum = "053e2e040ab57b9dc951b72c264860db7eb3b0200ba345b4e4c3b14f67855ddf"
 dependencies = [
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
- "syn 2.0.107",
+ "syn",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -3925,7 +3964,7 @@ checksum = "3f316c4a2570ba26bbec722032c4099d8c8bc095efccdc15688708623367e358"
 dependencies = [
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
- "syn 2.0.107",
+ "syn",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -4420,7 +4459,7 @@ checksum = "38da3c9736e16c5d3c8c597a9aaa5d1fa565d0532ae05e27c24aa62fb32c0ab6"
 dependencies = [
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
- "syn 2.0.107",
+ "syn",
  "synstructure",
 ]
 
@@ -4447,7 +4486,7 @@ checksum = "88d2b8d9c68ad2b9e4340d7832716a4d21a22a1154777ad56ea55c51a9cf3831"
 dependencies = [
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
- "syn 2.0.107",
+ "syn",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -4467,7 +4506,7 @@ checksum = "d71e5d6e06ab090c67b5e44993ec16b72dcbaabc526db883a360057678b48502"
 dependencies = [
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
- "syn 2.0.107",
+ "syn",
  "synstructure",
 ]
 
@@ -4488,7 +4527,7 @@ checksum = "ce36e65b0d2999d2aafac989fb249189a141aee1f53c612c1f37d72631959f69"
 dependencies = [
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
- "syn 2.0.107",
+ "syn",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -4521,5 +4560,5 @@ checksum = "5b96237efa0c878c64bd89c436f661be4e46b2f3eff1ebb976f7ef2321d2f58f"
 dependencies = [
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
- "syn 2.0.107",
+ "syn",
 ]
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index b26b7d8..c4d363c 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -46,6 +46,9 @@ n0-future = { workspace = true }
 futures-util = { workspace = true, optional = true }
 # for the derive reexport/feature
 irpc-derive = { version = "0.8.0", path = "./irpc-derive", optional = true }
+# for remote span propagation when both spans and rpc are enabled
+opentelemetry = { version = "0.31", optional = true }
+tracing-opentelemetry = { version = "0.32", optional = true }
 
 [target.'cfg(not(all(target_family = "wasm", target_os = "unknown")))'.dependencies]
 quinn = { workspace = true, optional = true, features = ["runtime-tokio"] }
@@ -64,11 +67,11 @@ testresult = "0.4.1"
 
 [features]
 # enable the remote transport
-rpc = ["dep:quinn", "dep:postcard", "dep:anyhow", "dep:smallvec", "dep:tracing", "tokio/io-util"]
+rpc = ["dep:quinn", "dep:postcard", "dep:anyhow", "dep:smallvec", "dep:tracing", "tokio/io-util", "dep:opentelemetry", "dep:tracing-opentelemetry", "irpc-derive?/rpc"]
 # add test utilities
 quinn_endpoint_setup = ["rpc", "dep:rustls", "dep:rcgen", "dep:anyhow", "dep:futures-buffered", "quinn/rustls-ring"]
 # pick up parent span when creating channel messages
-spans = ["dep:tracing"]
+spans = ["dep:tracing", "irpc-derive?/spans"]
 stream = ["dep:futures-util"]
 derive = ["dep:irpc-derive"]
 varint-util = ["dep:postcard", "dep:smallvec", "tokio/io-util"]
diff --git a/irpc-derive/Cargo.toml b/irpc-derive/Cargo.toml
index 6aebd71..b35bad8 100644
--- a/irpc-derive/Cargo.toml
+++ b/irpc-derive/Cargo.toml
@@ -16,3 +16,9 @@ proc-macro = true
 syn = { version = "2", features = ["full"] }
 quote = "1"
 proc-macro2 = "1"
+
+[features]
+# These features should match irpc's features for proper code generation
+spans = []
+rpc = []
+default = ["spans", "rpc"]
diff --git a/irpc-derive/src/lib.rs b/irpc-derive/src/lib.rs
index 4f80b26..806ef76 100644
--- a/irpc-derive/src/lib.rs
+++ b/irpc-derive/src/lib.rs
@@ -285,6 +285,28 @@ fn generate_remote_service_impl(
     proto_enum_name: &Ident,
     variants_with_attr: &[(Ident, Type)],
 ) -> TokenStream2 {
+    // Generate match arms that set the span parent for each variant
+    #[cfg(all(feature = "spans", feature = "rpc"))]
+    let variants = variants_with_attr
+        .iter()
+        .map(|(variant_name, _inner_type)| {
+            let span_name = variant_name.to_string();
+            quote! {
+                #proto_enum_name::#variant_name(msg) => {
+                    // Create a span for this specific RPC operation
+                    let span = ::tracing::info_span!(#span_name);
+                    // Set its parent to the propagated remote context if available
+                    if let Some(ctx) = ::irpc::span_propagation::take_remote_span_context() {
+                        use ::irpc::span_propagation::OpenTelemetrySpanExt;
+                        let _ = span.set_parent(ctx);
+                    }
+                    let _guard = span.enter();
+                    #message_enum_name::from(::irpc::WithChannels::from((msg, tx, rx)))
+                }
+            }
+        });
+
+    #[cfg(not(all(feature = "spans", feature = "rpc")))]
     let variants = variants_with_attr
         .iter()
         .map(|(variant_name, _inner_type)| {
diff --git a/irpc-iroh/src/lib.rs b/irpc-iroh/src/lib.rs
index e8fd3ab..7d9547b 100644
--- a/irpc-iroh/src/lib.rs
+++ b/irpc-iroh/src/lib.rs
@@ -263,8 +263,18 @@ pub async fn read_request_raw<R: DeserializeOwned + 'static>(
     recv.read_exact(&mut buf)
         .await
         .map_err(|e| io::Error::new(io::ErrorKind::UnexpectedEof, e))?;
-    let msg: R =
+
+    // Deserialize the payload which includes optional span context
+    // irpc-iroh uses irpc with default features, which include spans and rpc,
+    // so span_propagation module always exists
+    let (span_ctx, msg): (Option<irpc::span_propagation::SpanContextCarrier>, R) =
         postcard::from_bytes(&buf).map_err(|e| io::Error::new(io::ErrorKind::InvalidData, e))?;
+
+    // Store span context in thread-local for use by with_remote_channels
+    if let Some(ctx) = span_ctx {
+        ctx.store_in_thread_local();
+    }
+
     let rx = recv;
     let tx = send;
     Ok(Some((msg, rx, tx)))
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 06ba70f..620dfb7 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -315,6 +315,81 @@ mod sealed {
     pub trait Sealed {}
 }
 
+/// Span context propagation for remote RPC calls
+///
+/// When both `spans` and `rpc` features are enabled, this module provides
+/// automatic propagation of OpenTelemetry trace context across remote boundaries.
+#[cfg(all(feature = "spans", feature = "rpc"))]
+#[cfg_attr(quicrpc_docsrs, doc(cfg(all(feature = "spans", feature = "rpc"))))]
+pub mod span_propagation {
+    use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
+    use std::cell::RefCell;
+    use std::collections::HashMap;
+
+    // Re-export for use in macro-generated code
+    pub use tracing_opentelemetry::OpenTelemetrySpanExt;
+
+    thread_local! {
+        static SPAN_CONTEXT: RefCell<Option<opentelemetry::Context>> = RefCell::new(None);
+    }
+
+    /// Carrier for propagating span context across RPC boundaries using W3C Trace Context format
+    #[derive(Debug, Clone, Serialize, Deserialize, Default)]
+    pub struct SpanContextCarrier {
+        headers: HashMap<String, String>,
+    }
+
+    impl opentelemetry::propagation::Injector for SpanContextCarrier {
+        fn set(&mut self, key: &str, value: String) {
+            self.headers.insert(key.to_string(), value);
+        }
+    }
+
+    impl opentelemetry::propagation::Extractor for SpanContextCarrier {
+        fn get(&self, key: &str) -> Option<&str> {
+            self.headers.get(key).map(|v| v.as_str())
+        }
+
+        fn keys(&self) -> Vec<&str> {
+            self.headers.keys().map(|k| k.as_str()).collect()
+        }
+    }
+
+    impl SpanContextCarrier {
+        /// Create a carrier from the current OpenTelemetry context
+        pub fn from_current() -> Self {
+            use opentelemetry::global;
+            let mut carrier = Self::default();
+            global::get_text_map_propagator(|prop| {
+                prop.inject_context(&opentelemetry::Context::current(), &mut carrier);
+            });
+            carrier
+        }
+
+        /// Extract an OpenTelemetry context from this carrier
+        pub fn to_context(&self) -> opentelemetry::Context {
+            use opentelemetry::global;
+            global::get_text_map_propagator(|prop| {
+                prop.extract_with_context(&opentelemetry::Context::current(), self)
+            })
+        }
+
+        /// Store this carrier's context in thread-local storage for use by with_remote_channels
+        pub fn store_in_thread_local(&self) {
+            let context = self.to_context();
+            SPAN_CONTEXT.with(|cell| {
+                *cell.borrow_mut() = Some(context);
+            });
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Take the span context from thread-local storage (if any) and create a span with it as parent.
+    /// This is called by the generated `with_remote_channels` implementation.
+    pub fn take_remote_span_context() -> Option<opentelemetry::Context> {
+        SPAN_CONTEXT.with(|cell| cell.borrow_mut().take())
+    }
+}
+
 /// Requirements for a RPC message
 ///
 /// Even when just using the mem transport, we require messages to be Serializable and Deserializable.
@@ -1972,11 +2047,22 @@ pub mod rpc {
         msg: impl Into<S>,
     ) -> std::result::Result<SmallVec<[u8; 128]>, WriteError> {
         let msg = msg.into();
-        if postcard::experimental::serialized_size(&msg)? as u64 > MAX_MESSAGE_SIZE {
+
+        // When both spans and rpc features are enabled, include span context
+        #[cfg(all(feature = "spans", feature = "rpc"))]
+        let payload = {
+            let span_ctx = crate::span_propagation::SpanContextCarrier::from_current();
+            (Some(span_ctx), msg)
+        };
+
+        #[cfg(not(all(feature = "spans", feature = "rpc")))]
+        let payload = (None::<()>, msg);
+
+        if postcard::experimental::serialized_size(&payload)? as u64 > MAX_MESSAGE_SIZE {
             return Err(WriteError::MaxMessageSizeExceeded);
         }
         let mut buf = SmallVec::<[u8; 128]>::new();
-        buf.write_length_prefixed(&msg)?;
+        buf.write_length_prefixed(&payload)?;
         Ok(buf)
     }
 
@@ -2419,8 +2505,23 @@ pub mod rpc {
         recv.read_exact(&mut buf)
             .await
             .map_err(|e| io::Error::new(io::ErrorKind::UnexpectedEof, e))?;
-        let msg: R = postcard::from_bytes(&buf)
+
+        // Deserialize the payload which includes optional span context
+        #[cfg(all(feature = "spans", feature = "rpc"))]
+        let (span_ctx, msg): (Option<crate::span_propagation::SpanContextCarrier>, R) =
+            postcard::from_bytes(&buf)
+                .map_err(|e| io::Error::new(io::ErrorKind::InvalidData, e))?;
+
+        #[cfg(not(all(feature = "spans", feature = "rpc")))]
+        let (_span_ctx, msg): (Option<()>, R) = postcard::from_bytes(&buf)
             .map_err(|e| io::Error::new(io::ErrorKind::InvalidData, e))?;
+
+        // Store span context in thread-local for use by with_remote_channels
+        #[cfg(all(feature = "spans", feature = "rpc"))]
+        if let Some(ctx) = span_ctx {
+            ctx.store_in_thread_local();
+        }
+
         let rx = recv;
         let tx = send;
         Ok(Some((msg, rx, tx)))