diff --git a/agent.go b/agent.go
index 93e2e5ea6..66d0da707 100644
--- a/agent.go
+++ b/agent.go
@@ -33,7 +33,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/opencontainers/runc/libcontainer/configs"
 	_ "github.com/opencontainers/runc/libcontainer/nsenter"
 	"github.com/opencontainers/runtime-spec/specs-go"
-	opentracing "github.com/opentracing/opentracing-go"
 	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 	"golang.org/x/net/context"
 	"golang.org/x/sys/unix"
@@ -175,9 +174,6 @@ var logsVSockPort = uint32(0)
 // commType is used to denote the communication channel type used.
 type commType int
 
-// agentSpan is used to denote the span tracing that is being used.
-type agentSpan opentracing.Span
-
 const (
 	// virtio-serial channel
 	serialCh commType = iota
@@ -242,7 +238,7 @@ func (p *process) closePostExitFDs() {
 	}
 }
 
-func (c *container) trace(name string) (agentSpan, context.Context) {
+func (c *container) trace(name string) (*agentSpan, context.Context) {
 	if c.ctx == nil {
 		agentLog.WithField("type", "bug").Error("trace called before context set")
 		c.ctx = context.Background()
@@ -259,8 +255,8 @@ func (c *container) setProcess(process *process) {
 
 func (c *container) deleteProcess(execID string) {
 	span, _ := c.trace("deleteProcess")
-	span.SetTag("exec-id", execID)
-	defer span.Finish()
+	span.setTag("exec-id", execID)
+	defer span.finish()
 	c.Lock()
 	delete(c.processes, execID)
 	c.Unlock()
@@ -268,7 +264,7 @@ func (c *container) deleteProcess(execID string) {
 
 func (c *container) removeContainer() error {
 	span, _ := c.trace("removeContainer")
-	defer span.Finish()
+	defer span.finish()
 	// This will terminates all processes related to this container, and
 	// destroy the container right after. But this will error in case the
 	// container in not in the right state.
@@ -291,7 +287,7 @@ func (c *container) getProcess(execID string) (*process, error) {
 	return proc, nil
 }
 
-func (s *sandbox) trace(name string) (agentSpan, context.Context) {
+func (s *sandbox) trace(name string) (*agentSpan, context.Context) {
 	if s.ctx == nil {
 		agentLog.WithField("type", "bug").Error("trace called before context set")
 		s.ctx = context.Background()
@@ -299,7 +295,7 @@ func (s *sandbox) trace(name string) (agentSpan, context.Context) {
 
 	span, ctx := trace(s.ctx, "sandbox", name)
 
-	span.SetTag("sandbox", s.id)
+	span.setTag("sandbox", s.id)
 
 	return span, ctx
 }
@@ -327,8 +323,8 @@ func (s *sandbox) setSandboxStorage(path string) bool {
 // for any OCI hooks
 func (s *sandbox) scanGuestHooks(guestHookPath string) {
 	span, _ := s.trace("scanGuestHooks")
-	span.SetTag("guest-hook-path", guestHookPath)
-	defer span.Finish()
+	span.setTag("guest-hook-path", guestHookPath)
+	defer span.finish()
 
 	fieldLogger := agentLog.WithField("oci-hook-path", guestHookPath)
 	fieldLogger.Info("Scanning guest filesystem for OCI hooks")
@@ -348,7 +344,7 @@ func (s *sandbox) scanGuestHooks(guestHookPath string) {
 // found to the OCI spec
 func (s *sandbox) addGuestHooks(spec *specs.Spec) {
 	span, _ := s.trace("addGuestHooks")
-	defer span.Finish()
+	defer span.finish()
 
 	if spec == nil {
 		return
@@ -374,8 +370,8 @@ func (s *sandbox) addGuestHooks(spec *specs.Spec) {
 // acquiring a lock on sandbox.
 func (s *sandbox) unSetSandboxStorage(path string) (bool, error) {
 	span, _ := s.trace("unSetSandboxStorage")
-	span.SetTag("path", path)
-	defer span.Finish()
+	span.setTag("path", path)
+	defer span.finish()
 
 	if sbs, ok := s.storages[path]; ok {
 		sbs.refCount--
@@ -397,8 +393,8 @@ func (s *sandbox) unSetSandboxStorage(path string) (bool, error) {
 // acquiring a lock on sandbox.
 func (s *sandbox) removeSandboxStorage(path string) error {
 	span, _ := s.trace("removeSandboxStorage")
-	span.SetTag("path", path)
-	defer span.Finish()
+	span.setTag("path", path)
+	defer span.finish()
 
 	err := removeMounts([]string{path})
 	if err != nil {
@@ -419,8 +415,8 @@ func (s *sandbox) removeSandboxStorage(path string) error {
 // acquiring a lock on sandbox.
 func (s *sandbox) unsetAndRemoveSandboxStorage(path string) error {
 	span, _ := s.trace("unsetAndRemoveSandboxStorage")
-	span.SetTag("path", path)
-	defer span.Finish()
+	span.setTag("path", path)
+	defer span.finish()
 
 	removeSbs, err := s.unSetSandboxStorage(path)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -455,9 +451,9 @@ func (s *sandbox) setContainer(ctx context.Context, id string, ctr *container) {
 	s.ctx = ctx
 
 	span, _ := s.trace("setContainer")
-	span.SetTag("id", id)
-	span.SetTag("container", ctr.id)
-	defer span.Finish()
+	span.setTag("id", id)
+	span.setTag("container", ctr.id)
+	defer span.finish()
 
 	s.Lock()
 	s.containers[id] = ctr
@@ -466,8 +462,8 @@ func (s *sandbox) setContainer(ctx context.Context, id string, ctr *container) {
 
 func (s *sandbox) deleteContainer(id string) {
 	span, _ := s.trace("deleteContainer")
-	span.SetTag("container", id)
-	defer span.Finish()
+	span.setTag("container", id)
+	defer span.finish()
 
 	s.Lock()
 
@@ -554,7 +550,7 @@ func (s *sandbox) readStdio(cid, execID string, length int, stdout bool) ([]byte
 
 func (s *sandbox) setupSharedNamespaces(ctx context.Context) error {
 	span, _ := trace(ctx, "sandbox", "setupSharedNamespaces")
-	defer span.Finish()
+	defer span.finish()
 
 	// Set up shared IPC namespace
 	ns, err := setupPersistentNs(nsTypeIPC)
@@ -575,7 +571,7 @@ func (s *sandbox) setupSharedNamespaces(ctx context.Context) error {
 
 func (s *sandbox) unmountSharedNamespaces() error {
 	span, _ := s.trace("unmountSharedNamespaces")
-	defer span.Finish()
+	defer span.finish()
 
 	if err := unix.Unmount(s.sharedIPCNs.path, unix.MNT_DETACH); err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -592,7 +588,7 @@ func (s *sandbox) unmountSharedNamespaces() error {
 // be destroyed if other processes are terminated.
 func (s *sandbox) setupSharedPidNs() error {
 	span, _ := s.trace("setupSharedPidNs")
-	defer span.Finish()
+	defer span.finish()
 
 	cmd := &exec.Cmd{
 		Path: selfBinPath,
@@ -620,7 +616,7 @@ func (s *sandbox) setupSharedPidNs() error {
 
 func (s *sandbox) teardownSharedPidNs() error {
 	span, _ := s.trace("teardownSharedPidNs")
-	defer span.Finish()
+	defer span.finish()
 
 	if !s.sandboxPidNs {
 		// We are not in a case where we have created a pause process.
@@ -648,7 +644,7 @@ func (s *sandbox) teardownSharedPidNs() error {
 
 func (s *sandbox) waitForStopServer() {
 	span, _ := s.trace("waitForStopServer")
-	defer span.Finish()
+	defer span.finish()
 
 	fieldLogger := agentLog.WithField("subsystem", "stopserverwatcher")
 
@@ -685,7 +681,7 @@ func (s *sandbox) waitForStopServer() {
 
 	fieldLogger.Info("Force stopping the server now")
 
-	span.SetTag("forced", true)
+	span.setTag("forced", true)
 	s.stopGRPC()
 }
 
@@ -714,11 +710,11 @@ func (s *sandbox) listenToUdevEvents() {
 		}
 
 		span, _ := trace(rootContext, "udev", "udev event")
-		span.SetTag("udev-action", uEv.Action)
-		span.SetTag("udev-name", uEv.DevName)
-		span.SetTag("udev-path", uEv.DevPath)
-		span.SetTag("udev-subsystem", uEv.SubSystem)
-		span.SetTag("udev-seqno", uEv.SeqNum)
+		span.setTag("udev-action", uEv.Action)
+		span.setTag("udev-name", uEv.DevName)
+		span.setTag("udev-path", uEv.DevPath)
+		span.setTag("udev-subsystem", uEv.SubSystem)
+		span.setTag("udev-seqno", uEv.SeqNum)
 
 		fieldLogger = fieldLogger.WithFields(logrus.Fields{
 			"uevent-action":    uEv.Action,
@@ -781,7 +777,7 @@ func (s *sandbox) listenToUdevEvents() {
 			}
 		}
 
-		span.Finish()
+		span.finish()
 	}
 }
 
@@ -832,7 +828,7 @@ func (s *sandbox) signalHandlerLoop(sigCh chan os.Signal, errCh chan error) {
 
 func (s *sandbox) setupSignalHandler() error {
 	span, _ := s.trace("setupSignalHandler")
-	defer span.Finish()
+	defer span.finish()
 
 	sigCh := make(chan os.Signal, 512)
 	signal.Notify(sigCh, unix.SIGCHLD)
@@ -1011,7 +1007,7 @@ func (s *sandbox) initLogger(ctx context.Context) error {
 
 func (s *sandbox) initChannel() error {
 	span, ctx := s.trace("initChannel")
-	defer span.Finish()
+	defer span.finish()
 
 	c, err := newChannel(ctx)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -1031,12 +1027,12 @@ func makeUnaryInterceptor() grpc.UnaryServerInterceptor {
 
 		grpcCall := info.FullMethod
 		var ctx context.Context
-		var span agentSpan
+		var span *agentSpan
 
 		if tracing {
 			ctx = getGRPCContext()
 			span, _ = trace(ctx, "gRPC", grpcCall)
-			span.SetTag("grpc-method-type", "unary")
+			span.setTag("grpc-method-type", "unary")
 
 			if strings.HasSuffix(grpcCall, "/ReadStdout") || strings.HasSuffix(grpcCall, "/WriteStdin") {
 				// Add a tag to allow filtering of those calls dealing
@@ -1044,7 +1040,7 @@ func makeUnaryInterceptor() grpc.UnaryServerInterceptor {
 				// being able to filter them out allows the
 				// performance of "core" calls to be determined
 				// without the "noise" of these calls.
-				span.SetTag("api-category", "interactive")
+				span.setTag("api-category", "interactive")
 			}
 		} else {
 			// Just log call details
@@ -1079,7 +1075,7 @@ func makeUnaryInterceptor() grpc.UnaryServerInterceptor {
 		// - Tracing was enabled but the handler (StopTracing()) disabled it.
 		// - Tracing was disabled but the handler (StartTracing()) enabled it.
 		if span != nil {
-			span.Finish()
+			span.finish()
 		}
 
 		if stopTracingCalled {
@@ -1092,7 +1088,7 @@ func makeUnaryInterceptor() grpc.UnaryServerInterceptor {
 
 func (s *sandbox) startGRPC() {
 	span, _ := s.trace("startGRPC")
-	defer span.Finish()
+	defer span.finish()
 
 	// Save the context for gRPC calls. They are provided with a different
 	// context, but we need them to use our context as it contains trace
@@ -1111,9 +1107,9 @@ func (s *sandbox) startGRPC() {
 	if collatedTrace {
 		// "collated" tracing (allow agent traces to be
 		// associated with runtime-initiated traces.
-		tracer := span.Tracer()
+		tracer := span.tracer()
 
-		serverOpts = append(serverOpts, grpc.UnaryInterceptor(otgrpc.OpenTracingServerInterceptor(tracer)))
+		serverOpts = append(serverOpts, grpc.UnaryInterceptor(otgrpc.OpenTracingServerInterceptor(tracer.tracer)))
 	} else {
 		// Enable interceptor whether tracing is enabled or not. This
 		// is necessary to support StartTracing() and StopTracing()
diff --git a/channel.go b/channel.go
index 47d107c6e..05662f362 100644
--- a/channel.go
+++ b/channel.go
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ type channel interface {
 // If there are neither vsocks nor serial ports, an error is returned.
 func newChannel(ctx context.Context) (channel, error) {
 	span, _ := trace(ctx, "channel", "newChannel")
-	defer span.Finish()
+	defer span.finish()
 
 	var serialErr error
 	var vsockErr error
@@ -91,13 +91,13 @@ func newChannel(ctx context.Context) (channel, error) {
 
 func checkForSerialChannel(ctx context.Context) (*serialChannel, error) {
 	span, _ := trace(ctx, "channel", "checkForSerialChannel")
-	defer span.Finish()
+	defer span.finish()
 
 	// Check serial port path
 	serialPath, serialErr := findVirtualSerialPath(serialChannelName)
 	if serialErr == nil {
-		span.SetTag("channel-type", "serial")
-		span.SetTag("serial-path", serialPath)
+		span.setTag("channel-type", "serial")
+		span.setTag("serial-path", serialPath)
 		agentLog.Debug("Serial channel type detected")
 		return &serialChannel{serialPath: serialPath}, nil
 	}
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ func checkForSerialChannel(ctx context.Context) (*serialChannel, error) {
 
 func checkForVsockChannel(ctx context.Context) (*vSockChannel, error) {
 	span, _ := trace(ctx, "channel", "checkForVsockChannel")
-	defer span.Finish()
+	defer span.finish()
 
 	// check vsock path
 	if _, err := os.Stat(vSockDevPath); err != nil {
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ func checkForVsockChannel(ctx context.Context) (*vSockChannel, error) {
 
 	vSockSupported, vsockErr := isAFVSockSupportedFunc()
 	if vSockSupported && vsockErr == nil {
-		span.SetTag("channel-type", "vsock")
+		span.setTag("channel-type", "vsock")
 		agentLog.Debug("Vsock channel type detected")
 		return &vSockChannel{}, nil
 	}
diff --git a/mount.go b/mount.go
index a560fb863..b824b8f0e 100644
--- a/mount.go
+++ b/mount.go
@@ -355,8 +355,8 @@ func mountStorage(storage pb.Storage) error {
 // each storage.
 func addStorages(ctx context.Context, storages []*pb.Storage, s *sandbox) (mounts []string, err error) {
 	span, ctx := trace(ctx, "mount", "addStorages")
-	span.SetTag("sandbox", s.id)
-	defer span.Finish()
+	span.setTag("sandbox", s.id)
+	defer span.finish()
 
 	var mountList []string
 	var storageList []string
@@ -392,7 +392,7 @@ func addStorages(ctx context.Context, storages []*pb.Storage, s *sandbox) (mount
 		// code to each driver.
 		handlerSpan, _ := trace(ctx, "mount", storage.Driver)
 		mountPoint, err := devHandler(ctx, *storage, s)
-		handlerSpan.Finish()
+		handlerSpan.finish()
 
 		if _, ok := s.storages[storage.MountPoint]; ok {
 			storageList = append([]string{storage.MountPoint}, storageList...)
diff --git a/network.go b/network.go
index e049ce56d..21f4a9e66 100644
--- a/network.go
+++ b/network.go
@@ -669,7 +669,7 @@ func (s *sandbox) removeNetwork() error {
 // Bring up localhost network interface.
 func (s *sandbox) handleLocalhost() error {
 	span, _ := s.trace("handleLocalhost")
-	defer span.Finish()
+	defer span.finish()
 
 	// If not running as the init daemon, there is nothing to do as the
 	// localhost interface will already exist.
diff --git a/tracing.go b/tracing.go
index 41c53ae4f..863ccc3b5 100644
--- a/tracing.go
+++ b/tracing.go
@@ -20,13 +20,55 @@ const (
 	jaegerAgentPort = "6831"
 )
 
+// agentSpan implements opentracing.Span
+type agentSpan struct {
+	span opentracing.Span
+}
+
 // The first trace span
-var rootSpan agentSpan
+var rootSpan *agentSpan
 
 // Implements jaeger-client-go.Logger interface
 type traceLogger struct {
 }
 
+func (a *agentSpan) setTag(key string, value interface{}) *agentSpan {
+	a.span.SetTag(key, value)
+	return a
+}
+
+func (a *agentSpan) finish() {
+	a.span.Finish()
+}
+
+func (a *agentSpan) tracer() agentTracer {
+	return agentTracer{tracer: a.span.Tracer()}
+}
+
+type agentTracer struct {
+	tracer opentracing.Tracer
+}
+
+func (a *agentTracer) startSpan(name string) agentSpan {
+	return agentSpan{span: a.tracer.StartSpan(name)}
+}
+
+func spanFromContext(ctx context.Context) *agentSpan {
+	var a agentSpan
+	a.span = opentracing.SpanFromContext(ctx)
+	return &a
+}
+
+func spanStartFromContext(ctx context.Context, name string) (agentSpan, context.Context) {
+	var a agentSpan
+	a.span, ctx = opentracing.StartSpanFromContext(ctx, name)
+	return a, ctx
+}
+
+func contextWithSpan(ctx context.Context, a agentSpan) context.Context {
+	return opentracing.ContextWithSpan(ctx, a.span)
+}
+
 // tracerCloser contains a copy of the closer returned by createTracer() which
 // is used by stopTracing().
 var tracerCloser io.Closer
@@ -39,7 +81,7 @@ func (t traceLogger) Infof(msg string, args ...interface{}) {
 	agentLog.Infof(msg, args...)
 }
 
-func createTracer(name string) (opentracing.Tracer, error) {
+func createTracer(name string) (*agentTracer, error) {
 	cfg := &config.Configuration{
 		ServiceName: name,
 
@@ -79,10 +121,10 @@ func createTracer(name string) (opentracing.Tracer, error) {
 	// Seems to be essential to ensure non-root spans are logged
 	opentracing.SetGlobalTracer(tracer)
 
-	return tracer, nil
+	return &agentTracer{tracer: tracer}, nil
 }
 
-func setupTracing(rootSpanName string) (agentSpan, context.Context, error) {
+func setupTracing(rootSpanName string) (*agentSpan, context.Context, error) {
 	ctx := context.Background()
 
 	tracer, err := createTracer(agentName)
@@ -91,9 +133,9 @@ func setupTracing(rootSpanName string) (agentSpan, context.Context, error) {
 	}
 
 	// Create the root span (which is .Finish()'d by stopTracing())
-	span := tracer.StartSpan(rootSpanName)
-	span.SetTag("source", "agent")
-	span.SetTag("root-span", "true")
+	span := tracer.startSpan(rootSpanName)
+	span.setTag("source", "agent")
+	span.setTag("root-span", "true")
 
 	// See comment in trace().
 	if tracing {
@@ -101,9 +143,9 @@ func setupTracing(rootSpanName string) (agentSpan, context.Context, error) {
 	}
 
 	// Associate the root span with the context
-	ctx = opentracing.ContextWithSpan(ctx, span)
+	ctx = contextWithSpan(ctx, span)
 
-	return span, ctx, nil
+	return &span, ctx, nil
 }
 
 // stopTracing() ends all tracing, reporting the spans to the collector.
@@ -117,9 +159,9 @@ func stopTracing(ctx context.Context) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	span := opentracing.SpanFromContext(ctx)
+	span := spanFromContext(ctx)
 	if span != nil {
-		span.Finish()
+		span.finish()
 	}
 
 	// report all possible spans to the collector
@@ -132,10 +174,10 @@ func stopTracing(ctx context.Context) {
 
 // trace creates a new tracing span based on the specified contex, subsystem
 // and name.
-func trace(ctx context.Context, subsystem, name string) (agentSpan, context.Context) {
-	span, ctx := opentracing.StartSpanFromContext(ctx, name)
+func trace(ctx context.Context, subsystem, name string) (*agentSpan, context.Context) {
+	span, ctx := spanStartFromContext(ctx, name)
 
-	span.SetTag("subsystem", subsystem)
+	span.setTag("subsystem", subsystem)
 
 	// This is slightly confusing: when tracing is disabled, trace spans
 	// are still created - but the tracer used is a NOP. Therefore, only
@@ -144,5 +186,5 @@ func trace(ctx context.Context, subsystem, name string) (agentSpan, context.Cont
 		agentLog.Debugf("created span %v", span)
 	}
 
-	return span, ctx
+	return &span, ctx
 }