diff --git a/pkg/sql/conn_executor.go b/pkg/sql/conn_executor.go
index be0924b75e97..1ff8ebeb8190 100644
--- a/pkg/sql/conn_executor.go
+++ b/pkg/sql/conn_executor.go
@@ -835,7 +835,7 @@ func (ex *connExecutor) close(ctx context.Context, closeType closeType) {
 				panic(errors.AssertionFailedf("unexpected state in conn executor after ApplyWithPayload %T", t))
 			}
 		}
-		if util.CrdbTestBuild && ex.state.sp != nil {
+		if util.CrdbTestBuild && ex.state.Ctx != nil {
 			panic(errors.AssertionFailedf("txn span not closed in state %s", ex.machine.CurState()))
 		}
 	} else if closeType == externalTxnClose {
diff --git a/pkg/sql/conn_executor_exec.go b/pkg/sql/conn_executor_exec.go
index 2703a0589eae..0ed2864a2a5b 100644
--- a/pkg/sql/conn_executor_exec.go
+++ b/pkg/sql/conn_executor_exec.go
@@ -645,7 +645,7 @@ func (ex *connExecutor) execStmtInOpenState(
 	alreadyRecording := ex.transitionCtx.sessionTracing.Enabled()
 	stmtTraceThreshold := traceStmtThreshold.Get(&ex.planner.execCfg.Settings.SV)
 	if !alreadyRecording && stmtTraceThreshold > 0 {
-		ctx, stmtThresholdSpan = createRootOrChildSpan(ctx, "trace-stmt-threshold", ex.transitionCtx.tracer)
+		ctx, stmtThresholdSpan = createRootOrChildSpan(ctx, "trace-stmt-threshold", ex.transitionCtx.tracer, tracing.WithForceRealSpan())
 		stmtThresholdSpan.SetVerbose(true)
 	}
 
@@ -1544,9 +1544,6 @@ func (ex *connExecutor) recordTransaction(ev txnEvent, implicit bool, txnStart t
 func createRootOrChildSpan(
 	parentCtx context.Context, opName string, tr *tracing.Tracer, os ...tracing.SpanOption,
 ) (context.Context, *tracing.Span) {
-	// WithForceRealSpan is used to support the use of session tracing, which
-	// may start recording on this span.
-	os = append(os, tracing.WithForceRealSpan())
 	return tracing.EnsureChildSpan(parentCtx, tr, opName, os...)
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/sql/exec_util.go b/pkg/sql/exec_util.go
index bef57301ce92..ccc8eafa3711 100644
--- a/pkg/sql/exec_util.go
+++ b/pkg/sql/exec_util.go
@@ -1642,16 +1642,18 @@ func (st *SessionTracing) StartTracing(
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	// If we're inside a transaction, start recording on the txn span.
+	// If we're inside a transaction, hijack the txn's ctx with one that has a
+	// recording span.
 	if _, ok := st.ex.machine.CurState().(stateNoTxn); !ok {
-		sp := tracing.SpanFromContext(st.ex.state.Ctx)
-		if sp == nil {
+		txnCtx := st.ex.state.Ctx
+		if sp := tracing.SpanFromContext(txnCtx); sp == nil {
 			return errors.Errorf("no txn span for SessionTracing")
 		}
-		// We want to clear out any existing recordings so they don't show up in
-		// future traces.
-		sp.ResetRecording()
+
+		newTxnCtx, sp := tracing.EnsureChildSpan(txnCtx, st.ex.server.cfg.AmbientCtx.Tracer,
+			"session tracing", tracing.WithForceRealSpan())
 		sp.SetVerbose(true)
+		st.ex.state.Ctx = newTxnCtx
 		st.firstTxnSpan = sp
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/sql/instrumentation.go b/pkg/sql/instrumentation.go
index 22b35520bf1c..e704dc1fdb19 100644
--- a/pkg/sql/instrumentation.go
+++ b/pkg/sql/instrumentation.go
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ func (ih *instrumentationHelper) Setup(
 			// If we need to collect stats, create a non-verbose child span. Stats
 			// will be added as structured metadata and processed in Finish.
 			ih.origCtx = ctx
-			newCtx, ih.sp = tracing.EnsureChildSpan(ctx, cfg.AmbientCtx.Tracer, "traced statement")
+			newCtx, ih.sp = tracing.EnsureChildSpan(ctx, cfg.AmbientCtx.Tracer, "traced statement", tracing.WithForceRealSpan())
 			return newCtx, true
 		}
 		return ctx, false
diff --git a/pkg/sql/logictest/testdata/logic_test/contention_event b/pkg/sql/logictest/testdata/logic_test/contention_event
index e5e458d2a2c9..306835097034 100644
--- a/pkg/sql/logictest/testdata/logic_test/contention_event
+++ b/pkg/sql/logictest/testdata/logic_test/contention_event
@@ -26,6 +26,9 @@ INSERT INTO kv VALUES('k', 'v')
 
 user root
 
+statement ok
+SET TRACING = on
+
 # Scan all ranges of the table (note that we have intentionally
 # split it into at least six ranges). This is better than a point
 # lookup in that it gives tracing more of a chance to get things
@@ -47,9 +50,6 @@ user root
 #
 # NB: the contention event is not in our trace span but in one of its
 # children, so it wouldn't be found if we filtered by the trace span ID.
-#
-# NB: this needs the 5node-pretend59315 config because otherwise the span is not
-# tracked.
 query B
 WITH spans AS (
   SELECT span_id
diff --git a/pkg/sql/logictest/testdata/logic_test/inflight_trace_spans b/pkg/sql/logictest/testdata/logic_test/inflight_trace_spans
index e11114f9b3d6..cbe1b280e2e4 100644
--- a/pkg/sql/logictest/testdata/logic_test/inflight_trace_spans
+++ b/pkg/sql/logictest/testdata/logic_test/inflight_trace_spans
@@ -16,6 +16,9 @@ user testuser
 statement ok
 BEGIN
 
+statement ok
+SET TRACING = on
+
 let $curr_trace_id
 SELECT * FROM crdb_internal.trace_id()
 
diff --git a/pkg/sql/sem/builtins/builtins.go b/pkg/sql/sem/builtins/builtins.go
index 045a93b56ddd..c3cd4d205e07 100644
--- a/pkg/sql/sem/builtins/builtins.go
+++ b/pkg/sql/sem/builtins/builtins.go
@@ -3634,7 +3634,12 @@ may increase either contention or retry errors, or both.`,
 				if sp == nil {
 					return tree.DNull, nil
 				}
-				return tree.NewDInt(tree.DInt(sp.GetRecording()[0].TraceID)), nil
+
+				traceID := sp.TraceID()
+				if traceID == 0 {
+					return tree.DNull, nil
+				}
+				return tree.NewDInt(tree.DInt(traceID)), nil
 			},
 			Info: "Returns the current trace ID or an error if no trace is open.",
 			// NB: possibly this is or could be made stable, but it's not worth it.
diff --git a/pkg/sql/txn_state.go b/pkg/sql/txn_state.go
index ed04da383866..0e0af21b2dd8 100644
--- a/pkg/sql/txn_state.go
+++ b/pkg/sql/txn_state.go
@@ -61,11 +61,12 @@ type txnState struct {
 
 	// Ctx is the context for everything running in this SQL txn.
 	// This is only set while the session's state is not stateNoTxn.
+	//
+	// It also embeds the tracing span associated with the SQL txn. These are
+	// often root spans, as SQL txns are frequently the level at which we do
+	// tracing. This context is hijacked when session tracing is enabled.
 	Ctx context.Context
 
-	// sp is the span corresponding to the SQL txn. These are often root spans, as
-	// SQL txns are frequently the level at which we do tracing.
-	sp *tracing.Span
 	// recordingThreshold, is not zero, indicates that sp is recording and that
 	// the recording should be dumped to the log if execution of the transaction
 	// took more than this.
@@ -154,15 +155,22 @@ func (ts *txnState) resetForNewSQLTxn(
 	// Create a context for this transaction. It will include a root span that
 	// will contain everything executed as part of the upcoming SQL txn, including
 	// (automatic or user-directed) retries. The span is closed by finishSQLTxn().
-	// TODO(andrei): figure out how to close these spans on server shutdown? Ties
-	// into a larger discussion about how to drain SQL and rollback open txns.
 	opName := sqlTxnName
-	txnCtx, sp := createRootOrChildSpan(connCtx, opName, tranCtx.tracer)
+	alreadyRecording := tranCtx.sessionTracing.Enabled()
+
+	var txnCtx context.Context
+	var sp *tracing.Span
+	if alreadyRecording {
+		// WithForceRealSpan is used to support the use of session tracing,
+		// which will start recording on this span.
+		txnCtx, sp = createRootOrChildSpan(connCtx, opName, tranCtx.tracer, tracing.WithForceRealSpan())
+	} else {
+		txnCtx, sp = createRootOrChildSpan(connCtx, opName, tranCtx.tracer)
+	}
 	if txnType == implicitTxn {
 		sp.SetTag("implicit", "true")
 	}
 
-	alreadyRecording := tranCtx.sessionTracing.Enabled()
 	duration := traceTxnThreshold.Get(&tranCtx.settings.SV)
 	if !alreadyRecording && (duration > 0) {
 		sp.SetVerbose(true)
@@ -170,9 +178,7 @@ func (ts *txnState) resetForNewSQLTxn(
 		ts.recordingStart = timeutil.Now()
 	}
 
-	ts.sp = sp
 	ts.Ctx, ts.cancel = contextutil.WithCancel(txnCtx)
-
 	ts.mon.Start(ts.Ctx, tranCtx.connMon, mon.BoundAccount{} /* reserved */)
 	ts.mu.Lock()
 	ts.mu.stmtCount = 0
@@ -207,16 +213,16 @@ func (ts *txnState) finishSQLTxn() {
 		ts.cancel()
 		ts.cancel = nil
 	}
-	if ts.sp == nil {
+	sp := tracing.SpanFromContext(ts.Ctx)
+	if sp == nil {
 		panic(errors.AssertionFailedf("No span in context? Was resetForNewSQLTxn() called previously?"))
 	}
 
 	if ts.recordingThreshold > 0 {
-		logTraceAboveThreshold(ts.Ctx, ts.sp.GetRecording(), "SQL txn", ts.recordingThreshold, timeutil.Since(ts.recordingStart))
+		logTraceAboveThreshold(ts.Ctx, sp.GetRecording(), "SQL txn", ts.recordingThreshold, timeutil.Since(ts.recordingStart))
 	}
 
-	ts.sp.Finish()
-	ts.sp = nil
+	sp.Finish()
 	ts.Ctx = nil
 	ts.mu.Lock()
 	ts.mu.txn = nil
@@ -239,10 +245,12 @@ func (ts *txnState) finishExternalTxn() {
 		ts.cancel()
 		ts.cancel = nil
 	}
-	if ts.sp != nil {
-		ts.sp.Finish()
+
+	if ts.Ctx != nil {
+		if sp := tracing.SpanFromContext(ts.Ctx); sp != nil {
+			sp.Finish()
+		}
 	}
-	ts.sp = nil
 	ts.Ctx = nil
 	ts.mu.Lock()
 	ts.mu.txn = nil
diff --git a/pkg/sql/txn_state_test.go b/pkg/sql/txn_state_test.go
index 2dd9055e4c9c..324abf6c322b 100644
--- a/pkg/sql/txn_state_test.go
+++ b/pkg/sql/txn_state_test.go
@@ -97,7 +97,6 @@ func (tc *testContext) createOpenState(typ txnType) (fsm.State, *txnState) {
 	ts := txnState{
 		Ctx:           ctx,
 		connCtx:       tc.ctx,
-		sp:            sp,
 		cancel:        cancel,
 		sqlTimestamp:  timeutil.Now(),
 		priority:      roachpb.NormalUserPriority,
diff --git a/pkg/util/tracing/span.go b/pkg/util/tracing/span.go
index 4f354eab4b4a..17f0c051a2bf 100644
--- a/pkg/util/tracing/span.go
+++ b/pkg/util/tracing/span.go
@@ -146,6 +146,8 @@ func (sp *Span) SetVerboseRecursively(to bool) {
 
 // ResetRecording clears any previously recorded information. This doesn't
 // affect any auxiliary trace sinks such as net/trace or zipkin.
+//
+// TODO(irfansharif): Remove this, it's no longer used.
 func (sp *Span) ResetRecording() {
 	sp.i.ResetRecording()
 }
diff --git a/pkg/util/tracing/span_inner.go b/pkg/util/tracing/span_inner.go
index dcb22bf2d952..765bacc58ca4 100644
--- a/pkg/util/tracing/span_inner.go
+++ b/pkg/util/tracing/span_inner.go
@@ -38,6 +38,9 @@ type spanInner struct {
 }
 
 func (s *spanInner) TraceID() uint64 {
+	if s.isNoop() {
+		return 0
+	}
 	return s.crdb.traceID
 }
 
@@ -73,6 +76,9 @@ func (s *spanInner) ResetRecording() {
 }
 
 func (s *spanInner) GetRecording() Recording {
+	if s.isNoop() {
+		return nil
+	}
 	// If the span is not verbose, optimize by avoiding the tags.
 	// This span is likely only used to carry payloads around.
 	wantTags := s.crdb.recordingType() == RecordingVerbose