diff --git a/packages/node-experimental/src/index.ts b/packages/node-experimental/src/index.ts
index 3c246bdf2b97..c55a01641da7 100644
--- a/packages/node-experimental/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/node-experimental/src/index.ts
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ export { init } from './sdk/init';
 export { INTEGRATIONS as Integrations };
 export { getAutoPerformanceIntegrations } from './integrations/getAutoPerformanceIntegrations';
 export * as Handlers from './sdk/handlers';
+export * from './sdk/trace';
 
 export {
   makeNodeTransport,
diff --git a/packages/node-experimental/src/sdk/trace.ts b/packages/node-experimental/src/sdk/trace.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..8585c0fa8597
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/node-experimental/src/sdk/trace.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,119 @@
+import type { Span as OtelSpan, Tracer } from '@opentelemetry/api';
+import { trace } from '@opentelemetry/api';
+import { getCurrentHub, hasTracingEnabled, Transaction } from '@sentry/core';
+import { _INTERNAL_getSentrySpan } from '@sentry/opentelemetry-node';
+import type { Span, TransactionContext } from '@sentry/types';
+import { isThenable } from '@sentry/utils';
+
+import type { NodeExperimentalClient } from './client';
+
+/**
+ * Wraps a function with a transaction/span and finishes the span after the function is done.
+ * The created span is the active span and will be used as parent by other spans created inside the function
+ * and can be accessed via `Sentry.getSpan()`, as long as the function is executed while the scope is active.
+ *
+ * If you want to create a span that is not set as active, use {@link startSpan}.
+ *
+ * Note that if you have not enabled tracing extensions via `addTracingExtensions`
+ * or you didn't set `tracesSampleRate`, this function will not generate spans
+ * and the `span` returned from the callback will be undefined.
+ */
+export function startActiveSpan<T>(context: TransactionContext, callback: (span: Span | undefined) => T): T {
+  const tracer = getTracer();
+  if (!tracer) {
+    return callback(undefined);
+  }
+
+  const name = context.description || context.op || '<unknown>';
+
+  return tracer.startActiveSpan(name, (span: OtelSpan): T => {
+    const otelSpanId = span.spanContext().spanId;
+
+    const sentrySpan = _INTERNAL_getSentrySpan(otelSpanId);
+
+    if (sentrySpan && isTransaction(sentrySpan) && context.metadata) {
+      sentrySpan.setMetadata(context.metadata);
+    }
+
+    function finishSpan(): void {
+      span.end();
+    }
+
+    let maybePromiseResult: T;
+    try {
+      maybePromiseResult = callback(sentrySpan);
+    } catch (e) {
+      sentrySpan && sentrySpan.setStatus('internal_error');
+      finishSpan();
+      throw e;
+    }
+
+    if (isThenable(maybePromiseResult)) {
+      Promise.resolve(maybePromiseResult).then(
+        () => {
+          finishSpan();
+        },
+        () => {
+          sentrySpan && sentrySpan.setStatus('internal_error');
+          finishSpan();
+        },
+      );
+    } else {
+      finishSpan();
+    }
+
+    return maybePromiseResult;
+  });
+}
+
+/**
+ * Creates a span. This span is not set as active, so will not get automatic instrumentation spans
+ * as children or be able to be accessed via `Sentry.getSpan()`.
+ *
+ * If you want to create a span that is set as active, use {@link startActiveSpan}.
+ *
+ * Note that if you have not enabled tracing extensions via `addTracingExtensions`
+ * or you didn't set `tracesSampleRate` or `tracesSampler`, this function will not generate spans
+ * and the `span` returned from the callback will be undefined.
+ */
+export function startSpan(context: TransactionContext): Span | undefined {
+  const tracer = getTracer();
+  if (!tracer) {
+    return undefined;
+  }
+
+  const name = context.description || context.op || '<unknown>';
+  const otelSpan = tracer.startSpan(name);
+
+  const otelSpanId = otelSpan.spanContext().spanId;
+
+  const sentrySpan = _INTERNAL_getSentrySpan(otelSpanId);
+
+  if (sentrySpan && isTransaction(sentrySpan) && context.metadata) {
+    sentrySpan.setMetadata(context.metadata);
+  }
+
+  return sentrySpan;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Returns the currently active span.
+ */
+export function getActiveSpan(): Span | undefined {
+  const otelSpan = trace.getActiveSpan();
+  const spanId = otelSpan && otelSpan.spanContext().spanId;
+  return spanId ? _INTERNAL_getSentrySpan(spanId) : undefined;
+}
+
+function getTracer(): Tracer | undefined {
+  if (!hasTracingEnabled()) {
+    return undefined;
+  }
+
+  const client = getCurrentHub().getClient<NodeExperimentalClient>();
+  return client && client.tracer;
+}
+
+function isTransaction(span: Span): span is Transaction {
+  return span instanceof Transaction;
+}
diff --git a/packages/opentelemetry-node/src/spanprocessor.ts b/packages/opentelemetry-node/src/spanprocessor.ts
index 40757160663f..7c5873069dbe 100644
--- a/packages/opentelemetry-node/src/spanprocessor.ts
+++ b/packages/opentelemetry-node/src/spanprocessor.ts
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ export class SentrySpanProcessor implements OtelSpanProcessor {
    */
   public onEnd(otelSpan: OtelSpan): void {
     const otelSpanId = otelSpan.spanContext().spanId;
-    const sentrySpan = SENTRY_SPAN_PROCESSOR_MAP.get(otelSpanId);
+    const sentrySpan = getSentrySpan(otelSpanId);
 
     if (!sentrySpan) {
       __DEBUG_BUILD__ &&