diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/kubelet.go b/pkg/kubelet/kubelet.go
index b9530aefa43..89ef0d76f9e 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/kubelet.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/kubelet.go
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/google/go-cmp/cmp"
 	"github.com/opencontainers/selinux/go-selinux"
 	"go.opentelemetry.io/otel/attribute"
+	"go.opentelemetry.io/otel/codes"
 	semconv "go.opentelemetry.io/otel/semconv/v1.12.0"
 	"go.opentelemetry.io/otel/trace"
 	"k8s.io/client-go/informers"
@@ -1734,6 +1735,10 @@ func (kl *Kubelet) SyncPod(ctx context.Context, updateType kubetypes.SyncPodType
 	))
 	klog.V(4).InfoS("SyncPod enter", "pod", klog.KObj(pod), "podUID", pod.UID)
 	defer func() {
+		if err != nil {
+			otelSpan.RecordError(err)
+			otelSpan.SetStatus(codes.Error, err.Error())
+		}
 		klog.V(4).InfoS("SyncPod exit", "pod", klog.KObj(pod), "podUID", pod.UID, "isTerminal", isTerminal)
 		otelSpan.End()
 	}()