diff --git a/sentry_sdk/integrations/opentelemetry/contextvars_context.py b/sentry_sdk/integrations/opentelemetry/contextvars_context.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7a382064c9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sentry_sdk/integrations/opentelemetry/contextvars_context.py
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+from opentelemetry.context.context import Context  # type: ignore
+from opentelemetry.context.contextvars_context import ContextVarsRuntimeContext  # type: ignore
+
+
+class SentryContextVarsRuntimeContext(ContextVarsRuntimeContext):  # type: ignore
+    def attach(self, context):
+        # type: (Context) -> object
+        # TODO-neel-potel do scope management
+        return super().attach(context)
+
+    def detach(self, token):
+        # type: (object) -> None
+        # TODO-neel-potel not sure if we need anything here, see later
+        super().detach(token)
diff --git a/sentry_sdk/integrations/opentelemetry/integration.py b/sentry_sdk/integrations/opentelemetry/integration.py
index 9e62d1feca..3a33c7f2d0 100644
--- a/sentry_sdk/integrations/opentelemetry/integration.py
+++ b/sentry_sdk/integrations/opentelemetry/integration.py
@@ -8,7 +8,12 @@
 from importlib import import_module
 
 from sentry_sdk.integrations import DidNotEnable, Integration
-from sentry_sdk.integrations.opentelemetry.span_processor import SentrySpanProcessor
+from sentry_sdk.integrations.opentelemetry.potel_span_processor import (
+    PotelSentrySpanProcessor,
+)
+from sentry_sdk.integrations.opentelemetry.contextvars_context import (
+    SentryContextVarsRuntimeContext,
+)
 from sentry_sdk.integrations.opentelemetry.propagator import SentryPropagator
 from sentry_sdk.utils import logger, _get_installed_modules
 from sentry_sdk._types import TYPE_CHECKING
@@ -21,6 +26,7 @@
     )
     from opentelemetry.propagate import set_global_textmap  # type: ignore
     from opentelemetry.sdk.trace import TracerProvider  # type: ignore
+    from opentelemetry import context
 except ImportError:
     raise DidNotEnable("opentelemetry not installed")
 
@@ -165,9 +171,14 @@ def _import_by_path(path):
 
 def _setup_sentry_tracing():
     # type: () -> None
+
+    # TODO-neel-potel make sure lifecycle is correct
+    # TODO-neel-potel contribute upstream so this is not necessary
+    context._RUNTIME_CONTEXT = SentryContextVarsRuntimeContext()
+
     provider = TracerProvider()
 
-    provider.add_span_processor(SentrySpanProcessor())
+    provider.add_span_processor(PotelSentrySpanProcessor())
 
     trace.set_tracer_provider(provider)
 
diff --git a/sentry_sdk/integrations/opentelemetry/potel_span_processor.py b/sentry_sdk/integrations/opentelemetry/potel_span_processor.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..795068033e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sentry_sdk/integrations/opentelemetry/potel_span_processor.py
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+from opentelemetry.sdk.trace import SpanProcessor  # type: ignore
+from opentelemetry.context import Context  # type: ignore
+from opentelemetry.trace import Span  # type: ignore
+
+from sentry_sdk._types import TYPE_CHECKING
+
+if TYPE_CHECKING:
+    from typing import Optional
+
+
+class PotelSentrySpanProcessor(SpanProcessor):  # type: ignore
+    """
+    Converts OTel spans into Sentry spans so they can be sent to the Sentry backend.
+    """
+
+    def __new__(cls):
+        # type: () -> PotelSentrySpanProcessor
+        if not hasattr(cls, "instance"):
+            cls.instance = super().__new__(cls)
+
+        return cls.instance
+
+    def __init__(self):
+        # type: () -> None
+        pass
+
+    def on_start(self, span, parent_context=None):
+        # type: (Span, Optional[Context]) -> None
+        pass
+
+    def on_end(self, span):
+        # type: (Span) -> None
+        pass
+
+    # TODO-neel-potel not sure we need a clear like JS
+    def shutdown(self):
+        # type: () -> None
+        pass
+
+    # TODO-neel-potel change default? this is 30 sec
+    # TODO-neel-potel call this in client.flush
+    def force_flush(self, timeout_millis=30000):
+        # type: (int) -> bool
+        return True