diff --git a/.github/workflows/R-CMD-check.yaml b/.github/workflows/R-CMD-check.yaml
index b54bac97..b7191e35 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/R-CMD-check.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/R-CMD-check.yaml
@@ -53,7 +53,9 @@ jobs:
 
       - uses: r-lib/actions/setup-r-dependencies@v2
         with:
-          extra-packages: any::rcmdcheck
+          extra-packages: |
+            any::rcmdcheck
+            otelsdk=?ignore-before-r=4.3.0
           needs: check
 
       - uses: r-lib/actions/check-r-package@v2
diff --git a/DESCRIPTION b/DESCRIPTION
index f39d9894..0ead3522 100644
--- a/DESCRIPTION
+++ b/DESCRIPTION
@@ -38,6 +38,8 @@ Suggests:
     covr,
     httpuv,
     knitr,
+    otel,
+    otelsdk,
     rmarkdown,
     sodium,
     spelling,
@@ -49,4 +51,4 @@ Config/testthat/edition: 3
 Encoding: UTF-8
 Language: en-US
 Roxygen: list(markdown = TRUE)
-RoxygenNote: 7.3.2.9000
+RoxygenNote: 7.3.3
diff --git a/R/otel.R b/R/otel.R
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..aeedebca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/R/otel.R
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+otel_tracer_name <- "org.r-lib.gargle"
+
+otel_cache_tracer <- NULL
+otel_local_active_span <- NULL
+otel_span_add_events <- NULL
+
+local({
+  otel_is_tracing <- FALSE
+  otel_tracer <- NULL
+
+  otel_cache_tracer <<- function() {
+    requireNamespace("otel", quietly = TRUE) || return()
+    otel_tracer <<- otel::get_tracer(otel_tracer_name)
+    otel_is_tracing <<- tracer_enabled(otel_tracer)
+  }
+
+  otel_local_active_span <<- function(
+    name,
+    attributes = list(),
+    links = NULL,
+    options = NULL,
+    return_ctx = FALSE,
+    scope = parent.frame()
+  ) {
+    otel_is_tracing || return()
+    otel::start_local_active_span(
+      name,
+      attributes = otel::as_attributes(attributes),
+      links = links,
+      options = options,
+      tracer = otel_tracer,
+      activation_scope = scope
+    )
+  }
+
+  otel_span_add_events <<- function(text) {
+    otel_is_tracing || return()
+    spn <- otel::get_active_span()
+    lapply(cli::ansi_strip(text), spn$add_event)
+  }
+})
+
+tracer_enabled <- function(tracer) {
+  .subset2(tracer, "is_enabled")()
+}
+
+with_otel_record <- function(expr) {
+  on.exit(otel_cache_tracer())
+  otelsdk::with_otel_record({
+    otel_cache_tracer()
+    expr
+  })
+}
diff --git a/R/token_fetch.R b/R/token_fetch.R
index 5be5579b..21e59b84 100644
--- a/R/token_fetch.R
+++ b/R/token_fetch.R
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 #' token_fetch(scopes = "https://www.googleapis.com/auth/userinfo.email")
 #' }
 token_fetch <- function(scopes = NULL, ...) {
+  gargle_span <- otel_local_active_span("token fetch")
   gargle_debug("trying {.fun token_fetch}")
   for (f in gargle_env$cred_funs) {
     token <- NULL
diff --git a/R/utils-ui.R b/R/utils-ui.R
index 0a06cb08..715e2ea9 100644
--- a/R/utils-ui.R
+++ b/R/utils-ui.R
@@ -91,6 +91,9 @@ with_gargle_verbosity <- function(level, code) {
 }
 
 gargle_debug <- function(text, .envir = caller_env()) {
+  otel_span_add_events(
+    cli::cli_fmt(cli::cli_bullets(text, .envir = .envir))
+  )
   if (gargle_verbosity() == "debug") {
     cli::cli_div(theme = gargle_theme())
     cli::cli_bullets(text, .envir = .envir)
diff --git a/R/zzz.R b/R/zzz.R
index 0675ba14..d6bd64ba 100644
--- a/R/zzz.R
+++ b/R/zzz.R
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 .onLoad <- function(lib, pkg) {
   # nocov start
+  otel_cache_tracer()
   cred_funs_set_default()
   invisible()
 } # nocov end