diff --git a/packages/core/src/tracing/span.ts b/packages/core/src/tracing/span.ts
index 27cd287a017e..be4e420fc8bc 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/tracing/span.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/tracing/span.ts
@@ -332,6 +332,7 @@ export class Span implements SpanInterface {
       status: this.status,
       tags: Object.keys(this.tags).length > 0 ? this.tags : undefined,
       trace_id: this.traceId,
+      origin: this.origin,
     });
   }
 
diff --git a/packages/e2e-tests/test-applications/node-experimental-fastify-app/tests/propagation.test.ts b/packages/e2e-tests/test-applications/node-experimental-fastify-app/tests/propagation.test.ts
index 8dbcb590b331..d069fd299682 100644
--- a/packages/e2e-tests/test-applications/node-experimental-fastify-app/tests/propagation.test.ts
+++ b/packages/e2e-tests/test-applications/node-experimental-fastify-app/tests/propagation.test.ts
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ test('Propagates trace for outgoing http requests', async ({ baseURL }) => {
             'http.status_code': 200,
           },
           trace_id: traceId,
+          origin: 'auto.http.otel.http',
         },
       }),
     }),
@@ -93,6 +94,7 @@ test('Propagates trace for outgoing http requests', async ({ baseURL }) => {
             'http.status_code': 200,
           },
           trace_id: traceId,
+          origin: 'auto.http.otel.http',
         },
       }),
     }),
@@ -162,6 +164,7 @@ test('Propagates trace for outgoing fetch requests', async ({ baseURL }) => {
             'http.status_code': 200,
           },
           trace_id: traceId,
+          origin: 'auto.http.otel.http',
         },
       }),
     }),
@@ -184,6 +187,7 @@ test('Propagates trace for outgoing fetch requests', async ({ baseURL }) => {
             'http.status_code': 200,
           },
           trace_id: traceId,
+          origin: 'auto.http.otel.http',
         },
       }),
     }),
diff --git a/packages/e2e-tests/test-applications/node-experimental-fastify-app/tests/transactions.test.ts b/packages/e2e-tests/test-applications/node-experimental-fastify-app/tests/transactions.test.ts
index f34beaa63926..b9241d5a2569 100644
--- a/packages/e2e-tests/test-applications/node-experimental-fastify-app/tests/transactions.test.ts
+++ b/packages/e2e-tests/test-applications/node-experimental-fastify-app/tests/transactions.test.ts
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ test('Sends an API route transaction', async ({ baseURL }) => {
             'http.status_code': 200,
           },
           trace_id: expect.any(String),
+          origin: 'auto.http.otel.http',
         },
       }),
 
diff --git a/packages/node-experimental/test/integration/scope.test.ts b/packages/node-experimental/test/integration/scope.test.ts
index 5beb1b7ec06f..78579701e47e 100644
--- a/packages/node-experimental/test/integration/scope.test.ts
+++ b/packages/node-experimental/test/integration/scope.test.ts
@@ -92,6 +92,7 @@ describe('Integration | Scope', () => {
                 span_id: spanId,
                 status: 'ok',
                 trace_id: traceId,
+                origin: 'manual',
               },
             }),
             spans: [],
diff --git a/packages/node-experimental/test/integration/transactions.test.ts b/packages/node-experimental/test/integration/transactions.test.ts
index 2f6cea23c0fd..45dafa88916c 100644
--- a/packages/node-experimental/test/integration/transactions.test.ts
+++ b/packages/node-experimental/test/integration/transactions.test.ts
@@ -37,10 +37,6 @@ describe('Integration | Transactions', () => {
         metadata: { requestPath: 'test-path' },
       },
       span => {
-        if (!span) {
-          return;
-        }
-
         Sentry.addBreadcrumb({ message: 'test breadcrumb 2', timestamp: 123456 });
 
         span.setAttributes({
@@ -48,15 +44,11 @@ describe('Integration | Transactions', () => {
         });
 
         const subSpan = Sentry.startInactiveSpan({ name: 'inner span 1' });
-        subSpan?.end();
+        subSpan.end();
 
         Sentry.setTag('test.tag', 'test value');
 
         Sentry.startSpan({ name: 'inner span 2' }, innerSpan => {
-          if (!innerSpan) {
-            return;
-          }
-
           Sentry.addBreadcrumb({ message: 'test breadcrumb 3', timestamp: 123456 });
 
           innerSpan.setAttributes({
@@ -97,6 +89,7 @@ describe('Integration | Transactions', () => {
             span_id: expect.any(String),
             status: 'ok',
             trace_id: expect.any(String),
+            origin: 'auto.test',
           },
         },
         environment: 'production',
@@ -189,10 +182,6 @@ describe('Integration | Transactions', () => {
     Sentry.addBreadcrumb({ message: 'test breadcrumb 1', timestamp: 123456 });
 
     Sentry.startSpan({ op: 'test op', name: 'test name', source: 'task', origin: 'auto.test' }, span => {
-      if (!span) {
-        return;
-      }
-
       Sentry.addBreadcrumb({ message: 'test breadcrumb 2', timestamp: 123456 });
 
       span.setAttributes({
@@ -200,15 +189,11 @@ describe('Integration | Transactions', () => {
       });
 
       const subSpan = Sentry.startInactiveSpan({ name: 'inner span 1' });
-      subSpan?.end();
+      subSpan.end();
 
       Sentry.setTag('test.tag', 'test value');
 
       Sentry.startSpan({ name: 'inner span 2' }, innerSpan => {
-        if (!innerSpan) {
-          return;
-        }
-
         Sentry.addBreadcrumb({ message: 'test breadcrumb 3', timestamp: 123456 });
 
         innerSpan.setAttributes({
@@ -218,10 +203,6 @@ describe('Integration | Transactions', () => {
     });
 
     Sentry.startSpan({ op: 'test op b', name: 'test name b' }, span => {
-      if (!span) {
-        return;
-      }
-
       Sentry.addBreadcrumb({ message: 'test breadcrumb 2b', timestamp: 123456 });
 
       span.setAttributes({
@@ -229,15 +210,11 @@ describe('Integration | Transactions', () => {
       });
 
       const subSpan = Sentry.startInactiveSpan({ name: 'inner span 1b' });
-      subSpan?.end();
+      subSpan.end();
 
       Sentry.setTag('test.tag', 'test value b');
 
       Sentry.startSpan({ name: 'inner span 2b' }, innerSpan => {
-        if (!innerSpan) {
-          return;
-        }
-
         Sentry.addBreadcrumb({ message: 'test breadcrumb 3b', timestamp: 123456 });
 
         innerSpan.setAttributes({
@@ -268,6 +245,7 @@ describe('Integration | Transactions', () => {
             span_id: expect.any(String),
             status: 'ok',
             trace_id: expect.any(String),
+            origin: 'auto.test',
           },
         }),
         spans: [
@@ -309,6 +287,7 @@ describe('Integration | Transactions', () => {
             span_id: expect.any(String),
             status: 'ok',
             trace_id: expect.any(String),
+            origin: 'manual',
           },
         }),
         spans: [
@@ -362,19 +341,11 @@ describe('Integration | Transactions', () => {
     context.with(
       trace.setSpanContext(setPropagationContextOnContext(context.active(), propagationContext), spanContext),
       () => {
-        Sentry.startSpan({ op: 'test op', name: 'test name', source: 'task', origin: 'auto.test' }, span => {
-          if (!span) {
-            return;
-          }
-
+        Sentry.startSpan({ op: 'test op', name: 'test name', source: 'task', origin: 'auto.test' }, () => {
           const subSpan = Sentry.startInactiveSpan({ name: 'inner span 1' });
-          subSpan?.end();
+          subSpan.end();
 
-          Sentry.startSpan({ name: 'inner span 2' }, innerSpan => {
-            if (!innerSpan) {
-              return;
-            }
-          });
+          Sentry.startSpan({ name: 'inner span 2' }, () => {});
         });
       },
     );
@@ -395,6 +366,7 @@ describe('Integration | Transactions', () => {
             parent_span_id: parentSpanId,
             status: 'ok',
             trace_id: traceId,
+            origin: 'auto.test',
           },
         }),
         // spans are circular (they have a reference to the transaction), which leads to jest choking on this
@@ -481,20 +453,12 @@ describe('Integration | Transactions', () => {
     let innerSpan1Id: string | undefined;
     let innerSpan2Id: string | undefined;
 
-    void Sentry.startSpan({ name: 'test name' }, async span => {
-      if (!span) {
-        return;
-      }
-
+    void Sentry.startSpan({ name: 'test name' }, async () => {
       const subSpan = Sentry.startInactiveSpan({ name: 'inner span 1' });
       innerSpan1Id = subSpan?.spanContext().spanId;
-      subSpan?.end();
+      subSpan.end();
 
       Sentry.startSpan({ name: 'inner span 2' }, innerSpan => {
-        if (!innerSpan) {
-          return;
-        }
-
         innerSpan2Id = innerSpan.spanContext().spanId;
       });
 
diff --git a/packages/opentelemetry/test/custom/transaction.test.ts b/packages/opentelemetry/test/custom/transaction.test.ts
index 65f5f79a87eb..1c4f9f3eea81 100644
--- a/packages/opentelemetry/test/custom/transaction.test.ts
+++ b/packages/opentelemetry/test/custom/transaction.test.ts
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ describe('NodeExperimentalTransaction', () => {
           trace: {
             span_id: expect.any(String),
             trace_id: expect.any(String),
+            origin: 'manual',
           },
         },
         spans: [],
@@ -106,6 +107,7 @@ describe('NodeExperimentalTransaction', () => {
           trace: {
             span_id: expect.any(String),
             trace_id: expect.any(String),
+            origin: 'manual',
           },
         },
         spans: [],
diff --git a/packages/opentelemetry/test/integration/scope.test.ts b/packages/opentelemetry/test/integration/scope.test.ts
index c028e1893d7a..16ff5e85ae37 100644
--- a/packages/opentelemetry/test/integration/scope.test.ts
+++ b/packages/opentelemetry/test/integration/scope.test.ts
@@ -98,6 +98,7 @@ describe('Integration | Scope', () => {
                 span_id: spanId,
                 status: 'ok',
                 trace_id: traceId,
+                origin: 'manual',
               },
             }),
 
diff --git a/packages/opentelemetry/test/integration/transactions.test.ts b/packages/opentelemetry/test/integration/transactions.test.ts
index 2a4de232cc1b..5174b577611a 100644
--- a/packages/opentelemetry/test/integration/transactions.test.ts
+++ b/packages/opentelemetry/test/integration/transactions.test.ts
@@ -37,10 +37,6 @@ describe('Integration | Transactions', () => {
         metadata: { requestPath: 'test-path' },
       },
       span => {
-        if (!span) {
-          return;
-        }
-
         addBreadcrumb({ message: 'test breadcrumb 2', timestamp: 123456 });
 
         span.setAttributes({
@@ -48,15 +44,11 @@ describe('Integration | Transactions', () => {
         });
 
         const subSpan = startInactiveSpan({ name: 'inner span 1' });
-        subSpan?.end();
+        subSpan.end();
 
         setTag('test.tag', 'test value');
 
         startSpan({ name: 'inner span 2' }, innerSpan => {
-          if (!innerSpan) {
-            return;
-          }
-
           addBreadcrumb({ message: 'test breadcrumb 3', timestamp: 123456 });
 
           innerSpan.setAttributes({
@@ -96,6 +88,7 @@ describe('Integration | Transactions', () => {
             span_id: expect.any(String),
             status: 'ok',
             trace_id: expect.any(String),
+            origin: 'auto.test',
           },
         },
         environment: 'production',
@@ -186,10 +179,6 @@ describe('Integration | Transactions', () => {
     addBreadcrumb({ message: 'test breadcrumb 1', timestamp: 123456 });
 
     startSpan({ op: 'test op', name: 'test name', source: 'task', origin: 'auto.test' }, span => {
-      if (!span) {
-        return;
-      }
-
       addBreadcrumb({ message: 'test breadcrumb 2', timestamp: 123456 });
 
       span.setAttributes({
@@ -197,15 +186,11 @@ describe('Integration | Transactions', () => {
       });
 
       const subSpan = startInactiveSpan({ name: 'inner span 1' });
-      subSpan?.end();
+      subSpan.end();
 
       setTag('test.tag', 'test value');
 
       startSpan({ name: 'inner span 2' }, innerSpan => {
-        if (!innerSpan) {
-          return;
-        }
-
         addBreadcrumb({ message: 'test breadcrumb 3', timestamp: 123456 });
 
         innerSpan.setAttributes({
@@ -215,10 +200,6 @@ describe('Integration | Transactions', () => {
     });
 
     startSpan({ op: 'test op b', name: 'test name b' }, span => {
-      if (!span) {
-        return;
-      }
-
       addBreadcrumb({ message: 'test breadcrumb 2b', timestamp: 123456 });
 
       span.setAttributes({
@@ -226,15 +207,11 @@ describe('Integration | Transactions', () => {
       });
 
       const subSpan = startInactiveSpan({ name: 'inner span 1b' });
-      subSpan?.end();
+      subSpan.end();
 
       setTag('test.tag', 'test value b');
 
       startSpan({ name: 'inner span 2b' }, innerSpan => {
-        if (!innerSpan) {
-          return;
-        }
-
         addBreadcrumb({ message: 'test breadcrumb 3b', timestamp: 123456 });
 
         innerSpan.setAttributes({
@@ -265,6 +242,7 @@ describe('Integration | Transactions', () => {
             span_id: expect.any(String),
             status: 'ok',
             trace_id: expect.any(String),
+            origin: 'auto.test',
           },
         }),
         spans: [
@@ -306,6 +284,7 @@ describe('Integration | Transactions', () => {
             span_id: expect.any(String),
             status: 'ok',
             trace_id: expect.any(String),
+            origin: 'manual',
           },
         }),
         spans: [
@@ -359,19 +338,11 @@ describe('Integration | Transactions', () => {
     context.with(
       trace.setSpanContext(setPropagationContextOnContext(context.active(), propagationContext), spanContext),
       () => {
-        startSpan({ op: 'test op', name: 'test name', source: 'task', origin: 'auto.test' }, span => {
-          if (!span) {
-            return;
-          }
-
+        startSpan({ op: 'test op', name: 'test name', source: 'task', origin: 'auto.test' }, () => {
           const subSpan = startInactiveSpan({ name: 'inner span 1' });
-          subSpan?.end();
+          subSpan.end();
 
-          startSpan({ name: 'inner span 2' }, innerSpan => {
-            if (!innerSpan) {
-              return;
-            }
-          });
+          startSpan({ name: 'inner span 2' }, () => {});
         });
       },
     );
@@ -392,6 +363,7 @@ describe('Integration | Transactions', () => {
             parent_span_id: parentSpanId,
             status: 'ok',
             trace_id: traceId,
+            origin: 'auto.test',
           },
         }),
         // spans are circular (they have a reference to the transaction), which leads to jest choking on this
diff --git a/packages/tracing/test/span.test.ts b/packages/tracing/test/span.test.ts
index ca16a1395e3e..ffa57d615d7b 100644
--- a/packages/tracing/test/span.test.ts
+++ b/packages/tracing/test/span.test.ts
@@ -327,6 +327,7 @@ describe('Span', () => {
       expect(context).toStrictEqual({
         span_id: 'd',
         trace_id: 'c',
+        origin: 'manual',
       });
     });
   });
diff --git a/packages/tracing/test/transaction.test.ts b/packages/tracing/test/transaction.test.ts
index fed6a63ea684..a8a8557150a1 100644
--- a/packages/tracing/test/transaction.test.ts
+++ b/packages/tracing/test/transaction.test.ts
@@ -153,6 +153,7 @@ describe('`Transaction` class', () => {
             trace: {
               span_id: transaction.spanId,
               trace_id: transaction.traceId,
+              origin: 'manual',
             },
           },
         }),
@@ -179,6 +180,7 @@ describe('`Transaction` class', () => {
             trace: {
               span_id: transaction.spanId,
               trace_id: transaction.traceId,
+              origin: 'manual',
             },
           },
         }),
diff --git a/packages/types/src/context.ts b/packages/types/src/context.ts
index d52b674e2cbe..8dadb959a97d 100644
--- a/packages/types/src/context.ts
+++ b/packages/types/src/context.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import type { Primitive } from './misc';
+import type { SpanOrigin } from './span';
 
 export type Context = Record<string, unknown>;
 
@@ -101,6 +102,7 @@ export interface TraceContext extends Record<string, unknown> {
   status?: string;
   tags?: { [key: string]: Primitive };
   trace_id: string;
+  origin?: SpanOrigin;
 }
 
 export interface CloudResourceContext extends Record<string, unknown> {