Open WebUI configures a TracerProvider and instruments HTTP clients, but never configures a propagator — so traceparent headers are never injected into outgoing requests. Downstream services (LLM backends, etc.) start isolated traces instead of joining the parent trace.
This PR configures the standard W3C TraceContext + Baggage propagators so that the existing requests/httpx/aiohttp instrumentation propagates trace context automatically.
Added
W3C TraceContext and Baggage propagators (standard OTEL defaults)
Fixed
Trace context is no longer dropped at outgoing HTTP boundaries
Dependencies
No changes — all classes come from opentelemetry-api, already in requirements.
Testing
Deployed in a Kubernetes environment with Open WebUI → LiteLLM → vLLM. Before: three disconnected traces. After: single end-to-end trace across all three services. Running in production for ~5 days without issues.
Contributor License Agreement
By submitting this pull request, I confirm that I have read and fully agree to the Contributor License Agreement (CLA), and I am providing my contributions under its terms.
🔄 This issue represents a GitHub Pull Request. It cannot be merged through Gitea due to API limitations.
## 📋 Pull Request Information
**Original PR:** https://github.com/open-webui/open-webui/pull/23660
**Author:** [@runixer](https://github.com/runixer)
**Created:** 4/13/2026
**Status:** ❌ Closed
**Base:** `dev` ← **Head:** `feat/otel-trace-propagation`
---
### 📝 Commits (1)
- [`60a85ee`](https://github.com/open-webui/open-webui/commit/60a85ee1402683fdccf03ef016afcf7279095e42) feat(otel): add W3C TraceContext propagator for distributed trace correlation
### 📊 Changes
**1 file changed** (+9 additions, -0 deletions)
<details>
<summary>View changed files</summary>
📝 `backend/open_webui/utils/telemetry/setup.py` (+9 -0)
</details>
### 📄 Description
# Description
Open WebUI configures a `TracerProvider` and instruments HTTP clients, but never configures a propagator — so `traceparent` headers are never injected into outgoing requests. Downstream services (LLM backends, etc.) start isolated traces instead of joining the parent trace.
This PR configures the standard W3C TraceContext + Baggage propagators so that the existing `requests`/`httpx`/`aiohttp` instrumentation propagates trace context automatically.
### Added
- W3C TraceContext and Baggage propagators (standard OTEL defaults)
### Fixed
- Trace context is no longer dropped at outgoing HTTP boundaries
### Dependencies
No changes — all classes come from `opentelemetry-api`, already in requirements.
---
## Testing
Deployed in a Kubernetes environment with Open WebUI → LiteLLM → vLLM. Before: three disconnected traces. After: single end-to-end trace across all three services. Running in production for ~5 days without issues.
### Contributor License Agreement
- [x] By submitting this pull request, I confirm that I have read and fully agree to the [Contributor License Agreement (CLA)](https://github.com/open-webui/open-webui/blob/main/CONTRIBUTOR_LICENSE_AGREEMENT), and I am providing my contributions under its terms.
---
<sub>🔄 This issue represents a GitHub Pull Request. It cannot be merged through Gitea due to API limitations.</sub>
Blocking a user prevents them from interacting with repositories, such as opening or commenting on pull requests or issues. Learn more about blocking a user.
📋 Pull Request Information
Original PR: https://github.com/open-webui/open-webui/pull/23660
Author: @runixer
Created: 4/13/2026
Status: ❌ Closed
Base:
dev← Head:feat/otel-trace-propagation📝 Commits (1)
60a85eefeat(otel): add W3C TraceContext propagator for distributed trace correlation📊 Changes
1 file changed (+9 additions, -0 deletions)
View changed files
📝
backend/open_webui/utils/telemetry/setup.py(+9 -0)📄 Description
Description
Open WebUI configures a
TracerProviderand instruments HTTP clients, but never configures a propagator — sotraceparentheaders are never injected into outgoing requests. Downstream services (LLM backends, etc.) start isolated traces instead of joining the parent trace.This PR configures the standard W3C TraceContext + Baggage propagators so that the existing
requests/httpx/aiohttpinstrumentation propagates trace context automatically.Added
Fixed
Dependencies
No changes — all classes come from
opentelemetry-api, already in requirements.Testing
Deployed in a Kubernetes environment with Open WebUI → LiteLLM → vLLM. Before: three disconnected traces. After: single end-to-end trace across all three services. Running in production for ~5 days without issues.
Contributor License Agreement
🔄 This issue represents a GitHub Pull Request. It cannot be merged through Gitea due to API limitations.