diff --git a/src/utils.ts b/src/utils.ts
index fda5c356c1..4efa2e3467 100644
--- a/src/utils.ts
+++ b/src/utils.ts
@@ -341,7 +341,7 @@ export async function trace<T>(
       let messageContext;
       let dstPropagationMetadata: undefined | string;
 
-      if (spanKind === SpanKind.CONSUMER) {
+      if (spanKind === SpanKind.CONSUMER && parentContext) {
         messageContext = span.setSpanOnContext(parentContext);
       } else {
         messageContext = span.setSpanOnContext(currentContext);