diff --git a/.github/workflows/R-CMD-check.yaml b/.github/workflows/R-CMD-check.yaml
index a003f2e78..2f7950c55 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/R-CMD-check.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/R-CMD-check.yaml
@@ -58,7 +58,9 @@ jobs:
 
       - uses: r-lib/actions/setup-r-dependencies@v2
         with:
-          extra-packages: any::rcmdcheck
+          extra-packages: |
+            any::rcmdcheck
+            otelsdk=?ignore-before-r=4.3.0
           needs: check
 
       - uses: r-lib/actions/check-r-package@v2
diff --git a/DESCRIPTION b/DESCRIPTION
index dac7aaf67..348378e2d 100644
--- a/DESCRIPTION
+++ b/DESCRIPTION
@@ -42,6 +42,8 @@ Suggests:
     digest (>= 0.6.33),
     gh,
     knitr,
+    otel,
+    otelsdk,
     rmarkdown,
     rstudioapi,
     S7,
diff --git a/R/otel.R b/R/otel.R
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..192446310
--- /dev/null
+++ b/R/otel.R
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+otel_tracer_name <- "org.r-lib.testthat"
+
+# generic otel helpers ---------------------------------------------------------
+
+otel_cache_tracer <- NULL
+otel_local_active_span <- NULL
+
+local({
+  otel_is_tracing <- FALSE
+  otel_tracer <- NULL
+
+  otel_cache_tracer <<- function() {
+    requireNamespace("otel", quietly = TRUE) || return()
+    otel_tracer <<- otel::get_tracer(otel_tracer_name)
+    otel_is_tracing <<- tracer_enabled(otel_tracer)
+  }
+
+  otel_local_active_span <<- function(
+    name,
+    label,
+    scope = parent.frame()
+  ) {
+    otel_is_tracing || return()
+    otel::start_local_active_span(
+      sprintf("%s %s", name, label),
+      tracer = otel_tracer,
+      activation_scope = scope
+    )
+  }
+})
+
+tracer_enabled <- function(tracer) {
+  .subset2(tracer, "is_enabled")()
+}
+
+with_otel_record <- function(expr) {
+  on.exit(otel_cache_tracer())
+  otelsdk::with_otel_record({
+    otel_cache_tracer()
+    expr
+  })
+}
diff --git a/R/test-that.R b/R/test-that.R
index 4e7fbae92..638edb0e6 100644
--- a/R/test-that.R
+++ b/R/test-that.R
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ test_code <- function(code, env, reporter = NULL, skip_on_empty = TRUE) {
 
   test <- test_description()
   if (!is.null(test)) {
+    otel_local_active_span("test that", test, scope = frame)
     reporter$start_test(context = reporter$.context, test = test)
     withr::defer(reporter$end_test(context = reporter$.context, test = test))
   }
diff --git a/R/testthat-package.R b/R/testthat-package.R
index 61fa9b316..cd37f9674 100644
--- a/R/testthat-package.R
+++ b/R/testthat-package.R
@@ -30,3 +30,11 @@ the$in_check_reporter <- FALSE
 #' @importFrom lifecycle deprecated
 ## usethis namespace: end
 NULL
+
+# nocov start
+
+.onLoad <- function(libname, pkgname) {
+  otel_cache_tracer()
+}
+
+# nocov end
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-otel.R b/tests/testthat/test-otel.R
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f60ab321a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-otel.R
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+test_that("otel instrumentation works", {
+  skip_if_not_installed("otelsdk")
+
+  record <- with_otel_record({
+    test_that("otel testing", {
+      expect_equal(1, 1)
+      expect_error(stop("otel error"))
+    })
+  })
+
+  traces <- record$traces
+  expect_length(traces, 1L)
+  expect_equal(traces[[1L]]$name, "test that otel instrumentation works / otel testing")
+  expect_equal(traces[[1L]]$instrumentation_scope$name , "org.r-lib.testthat")
+})