diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index b0baa53..58f47e3 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ dependencies = [
     "requests",
     "pydantic>=2,<3",
     "workflows>=3.0",
+    "opentelemetry-api==1.20"
 ]
 
 [dependency-groups]
diff --git a/src/zocalo/service/dispatcher.py b/src/zocalo/service/dispatcher.py
index d6a30ee..bbc3c32 100644
--- a/src/zocalo/service/dispatcher.py
+++ b/src/zocalo/service/dispatcher.py
@@ -11,9 +11,23 @@
 from importlib.metadata import entry_points
 
 import workflows.recipe
+from opentelemetry import trace
 from workflows.services.common_service import CommonService
 
 
+# Helper method to get dcid. Used for injecting it into current span
+def _extract_dcid(params: dict) -> int | None:
+    if not isinstance(params, dict):
+        return None
+
+    if dcid := params.get("ispyb_dcid"):
+        return dcid
+    if dcid := params.get("dcid"):
+        return dcid
+
+    return None
+
+
 class Dispatcher(CommonService):
     """
     Single point of contact service that takes in job meta-information
@@ -205,6 +219,18 @@ def process(self, rw, header, message):
         recipe_id = parameters.get("guid") or str(uuid.uuid4())
         parameters["guid"] = recipe_id
 
+        # Extract DCID and set on trace span if OpenTelemetry is available
+        if trace is not None:
+            try:
+                span = trace.get_current_span()
+                if span and span.is_recording():
+                    dcid = _extract_dcid(parameters)
+                    if dcid:
+                        span.set_attribute("dcid", dcid)
+                        self.log.debug(f"Set DCID {dcid} on trace span")
+            except Exception as e:
+                self.log.warning(f"Failed to set DCID on trace span: {e}")
+
         if rw:
             # If we received a recipe wrapper then we already have a recipe_ID
             # attached to logs. Make a note of the downstream recipe ID so that