diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/kubelet.go b/pkg/kubelet/kubelet.go
index 34b38a9d780..d1dc6298030 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/kubelet.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/kubelet.go
@@ -2127,19 +2127,28 @@ func (kl *Kubelet) SyncPod(ctx context.Context, updateType kubetypes.SyncPodType
 // during eviction). This method is not guaranteed to be called if a pod is force deleted from the
 // configuration and the kubelet is restarted - SyncTerminatingRuntimePod handles those orphaned
 // pods.
-func (kl *Kubelet) SyncTerminatingPod(_ context.Context, pod *v1.Pod, podStatus *kubecontainer.PodStatus, gracePeriod *int64, podStatusFn func(*v1.PodStatus)) error {
+func (kl *Kubelet) SyncTerminatingPod(_ context.Context, pod *v1.Pod, podStatus *kubecontainer.PodStatus, gracePeriod *int64, podStatusFn func(*v1.PodStatus)) (err error) {
 	// TODO(#113606): connect this with the incoming context parameter, which comes from the pod worker.
 	// Currently, using that context causes test failures.
-	ctx, otelSpan := kl.tracer.Start(context.Background(), "syncTerminatingPod", trace.WithAttributes(
+	ctx := context.Background()
+
+	logger := klog.FromContext(ctx)
+	klog.V(4).InfoS("SyncTerminatingPod enter", "pod", klog.KObj(pod), "podUID", pod.UID)
+
+	ctx, otelSpan := kl.tracer.Start(ctx, "syncTerminatingPod", trace.WithAttributes(
 		semconv.K8SPodUIDKey.String(string(pod.UID)),
 		attribute.String("k8s.pod", klog.KObj(pod).String()),
 		semconv.K8SPodNameKey.String(pod.Name),
 		semconv.K8SNamespaceNameKey.String(pod.Namespace),
 	))
-	logger := klog.FromContext(ctx)
-	defer otelSpan.End()
-	klog.V(4).InfoS("SyncTerminatingPod enter", "pod", klog.KObj(pod), "podUID", pod.UID)
-	defer klog.V(4).InfoS("SyncTerminatingPod exit", "pod", klog.KObj(pod), "podUID", pod.UID)
+	defer func() {
+		if err != nil {
+			otelSpan.RecordError(err)
+			otelSpan.SetStatus(codes.Error, err.Error())
+		}
+		otelSpan.End()
+		klog.V(4).InfoS("SyncTerminatingPod exit", "pod", klog.KObj(pod), "podUID", pod.UID)
+	}()
 
 	apiPodStatus := kl.generateAPIPodStatus(pod, podStatus, false)
 	if podStatusFn != nil {