diff --git a/src/ping.rs b/src/ping.rs
index 551dd47..f065715 100644
--- a/src/ping.rs
+++ b/src/ping.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 use serde::Deserialize;
 use tracing_batteries::prelude::*;
 
+use crate::telemetry::TracePropagationExt;
+
 /// Configuration for an HTTP-based cron monitoring solution (such as
 /// [Sentry Cron Monitors](https://docs.sentry.io/product/crons/) or
 /// [healthchecks.io](https://healthchecks.io)).
@@ -71,6 +73,7 @@ impl Pinger {
             .client
             .get(url)
             .header("User-Agent", "SierraSoftworks/github-backup")
+            .with_trace_context()
             .send()
             .await
         {
diff --git a/src/telemetry/mod.rs b/src/telemetry/mod.rs
index c194b39..c60608e 100644
--- a/src/telemetry/mod.rs
+++ b/src/telemetry/mod.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+mod trace_propagation;
 mod traced_stream;
 
+pub use trace_propagation::*;
 pub use traced_stream::*;
diff --git a/src/telemetry/trace_propagation.rs b/src/telemetry/trace_propagation.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d3eca6a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/telemetry/trace_propagation.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+use tracing_batteries::prelude::*;
+
+/// An [`OpenTelemetryPropagationInjector`] which writes the fields emitted by
+/// the global text map propagator (such as the W3C `traceparent` header) into a
+/// [`reqwest`] header map, silently skipping anything that is not a valid HTTP
+/// header.
+struct HeaderInjector<'a>(&'a mut reqwest::header::HeaderMap);
+
+impl OpenTelemetryPropagationInjector for HeaderInjector<'_> {
+    fn set(&mut self, key: &str, value: String) {
+        if let Ok(name) = reqwest::header::HeaderName::from_bytes(key.as_bytes())
+            && let Ok(value) = reqwest::header::HeaderValue::from_str(&value)
+        {
+            self.0.insert(name, value);
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/// Builds the set of trace propagation headers for the provided OpenTelemetry
+/// [`context`](opentelemetry::Context) using the globally configured text map
+/// propagator.
+///
+/// When the context does not carry a valid span (for example because telemetry
+/// export is disabled) no headers are produced, leaving the request untouched.
+fn trace_context_headers(context: &opentelemetry::Context) -> reqwest::header::HeaderMap {
+    let mut headers = reqwest::header::HeaderMap::new();
+    get_text_map_propagator(|propagator| {
+        propagator.inject_context(context, &mut HeaderInjector(&mut headers));
+    });
+    headers
+}
+
+/// Extension trait for [`reqwest::RequestBuilder`] which attaches the current
+/// span's trace context to an outgoing request, allowing downstream services to
+/// correlate their telemetry with the backup run that issued the request.
+pub trait TracePropagationExt {
+    /// Injects the current span's trace context (for example the W3C
+    /// `traceparent` header) into the request so that it can be tied back to the
+    /// originating trace when investigating cross-service failures.
+    fn with_trace_context(self) -> Self;
+}
+
+impl TracePropagationExt for reqwest::RequestBuilder {
+    fn with_trace_context(self) -> Self {
+        let headers = trace_context_headers(&Span::current().context());
+        self.headers(headers)
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+    use opentelemetry::trace::{SpanContext, SpanId, TraceFlags, TraceId, TraceState};
+
+    #[test]
+    fn injects_traceparent_for_valid_context() {
+        set_text_map_propagator(TraceContextPropagator::new());
+
+        let span_context = SpanContext::new(
+            TraceId::from_hex("0af7651916cd43dd8448eb211c80319c").unwrap(),
+            SpanId::from_hex("b7ad6b7169203331").unwrap(),
+            TraceFlags::SAMPLED,
+            true,
+            TraceState::default(),
+        );
+        let context = opentelemetry::Context::new().with_remote_span_context(span_context);
+
+        let headers = trace_context_headers(&context);
+
+        assert_eq!(
+            headers.get("traceparent").and_then(|v| v.to_str().ok()),
+            Some("00-0af7651916cd43dd8448eb211c80319c-b7ad6b7169203331-01"),
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn no_headers_for_empty_context() {
+        set_text_map_propagator(TraceContextPropagator::new());
+
+        let headers = trace_context_headers(&opentelemetry::Context::new());
+
+        assert!(headers.get("traceparent").is_none());
+    }
+}