diff --git a/src/internal/middleware/mw_ctx.rs b/src/internal/middleware/mw_ctx.rs
index 47d56e91..103dc112 100644
--- a/src/internal/middleware/mw_ctx.rs
+++ b/src/internal/middleware/mw_ctx.rs
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ impl MiddlewareContext {
 
     #[cfg(feature = "tracing")]
     pub fn with_span(mut self, span: Option<tracing::Span>) -> Self {
-        self.req.span = span;
+        self.req.span = Some(span);
         self
     }
 
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ pub struct RequestContext {
     pub kind: ProcedureKind,
     pub path: Cow<'static, str>,
     #[cfg(feature = "tracing")]
-    pub span: Option<tracing::Span>,
+    span: Option<Option<tracing::Span>>,
     // Prevents downstream user constructing type
     _priv: (),
 }
@@ -74,23 +74,30 @@ impl RequestContext {
         Self {
             id,
             #[cfg(feature = "tracing")]
-            span: Some(match kind {
+            span: None,
+            kind,
+            path,
+            _priv: (),
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[cfg(feature = "tracing")]
+    pub fn span(&self) -> Option<tracing::Span> {
+        self.span.clone().unwrap_or_else(|| {
+            Some(match self.kind {
                 ProcedureKind::Query => {
-                    let query = path.as_ref();
+                    let query = self.path.as_ref();
                     tracing::info_span!("rspc", query)
                 }
                 ProcedureKind::Mutation => {
-                    let mutation = path.as_ref();
+                    let mutation = self.path.as_ref();
                     tracing::info_span!("rspc", mutation)
                 }
                 ProcedureKind::Subscription => {
-                    let subscription = path.as_ref();
+                    let subscription = self.path.as_ref();
                     tracing::info_span!("rspc", subscription)
                 }
-            }),
-            kind,
-            path,
-            _priv: (),
-        }
+            })
+        })
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/internal/middleware/resolver_layer.rs b/src/internal/middleware/resolver_layer.rs
index 4833684b..1601c63d 100644
--- a/src/internal/middleware/resolver_layer.rs
+++ b/src/internal/middleware/resolver_layer.rs
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ where
         c: RequestContext,
     ) -> Result<Self::Stream<'_>, ExecError> {
         #[cfg(feature = "tracing")]
-        let span = c.span.clone();
+        let span = c.span();
 
         #[cfg(feature = "tracing")]
         let _enter = span.as_ref().map(|s| s.enter());