diff --git a/kong/plugins/opentelemetry/handler.lua b/kong/plugins/opentelemetry/handler.lua
index 8ca68b5225d..3125c79f636 100644
--- a/kong/plugins/opentelemetry/handler.lua
+++ b/kong/plugins/opentelemetry/handler.lua
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ function OpenTelemetryHandler:rewrite()
     root_span.parent_id = span_id
   end
 
-  propagation_set("w3c", header_type, root_span)
+  propagation_set("preserve", header_type, root_span, "w3c")
 end
 
 function OpenTelemetryHandler:log(conf)
diff --git a/spec/03-plugins/37-opentelemetry/03-propagation_spec.lua b/spec/03-plugins/37-opentelemetry/03-propagation_spec.lua
index bb7803158cc..8ce89d2a1f0 100644
--- a/spec/03-plugins/37-opentelemetry/03-propagation_spec.lua
+++ b/spec/03-plugins/37-opentelemetry/03-propagation_spec.lua
@@ -53,6 +53,18 @@ describe("propagation tests #" .. strategy, function()
     helpers.stop_kong()
   end)
 
+  it("default propagation headers (w3c)", function()
+    local r = proxy_client:get("/", {
+      headers = {
+        host = "http-route",
+      },
+    })
+    local body = assert.response(r).has.status(200)
+    local json = cjson.decode(body)
+
+    assert.matches("00%-%x+-%x+-01", json.headers.traceparent)
+  end)
+
   it("propagates tracing headers (b3 request)", function()
     local trace_id = gen_trace_id()
     local r = proxy_client:get("/", {
@@ -65,7 +77,6 @@ describe("propagation tests #" .. strategy, function()
     local body = assert.response(r).has.status(200)
     local json = cjson.decode(body)
     assert.equals(trace_id, json.headers["x-b3-traceid"])
-    assert.matches("00%-" .. trace_id .. "%-%x+-01", json.headers.traceparent)
   end)
 
   describe("propagates tracing headers (b3-single request)", function()
@@ -83,7 +94,6 @@ describe("propagation tests #" .. strategy, function()
       local body = assert.response(r).has.status(200)
       local json = cjson.decode(body)
       assert.matches(trace_id .. "%-%x+%-1%-%x+", json.headers.b3)
-      assert.matches("00%-" .. trace_id .. "%-%x+-01", json.headers.traceparent)
     end)
 
     it("without parent_id", function()
@@ -99,7 +109,6 @@ describe("propagation tests #" .. strategy, function()
       local body = assert.response(r).has.status(200)
       local json = cjson.decode(body)
       assert.matches(trace_id .. "%-%x+%-1", json.headers.b3)
-      assert.matches("00%-" .. trace_id .. "%-%x+-01", json.headers.traceparent)
     end)
   end)