diff --git a/sentry_sdk/api.py b/sentry_sdk/api.py
index 0b88ea3274..36cefb9a57 100644
--- a/sentry_sdk/api.py
+++ b/sentry_sdk/api.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import inspect
+from contextlib import contextmanager
 
 from sentry_sdk import tracing_utils, Client
 from sentry_sdk._init_implementation import init
@@ -23,6 +24,7 @@
     from typing import Callable
     from typing import TypeVar
     from typing import Union
+    from typing import Generator
 
     from typing_extensions import Unpack
 
@@ -336,11 +338,11 @@ def get_baggage():
     return None
 
 
-def continue_trace(environ_or_headers, op=None, name=None, source=None, origin=None):
-    # type: (Dict[str, Any], Optional[str], Optional[str], Optional[str], Optional[str]) -> Transaction
+@contextmanager
+def continue_trace(environ_or_headers):
+    # type: (Dict[str, Any]) -> Generator[None, None, None]
     """
-    Sets the propagation context from environment or headers and returns a transaction.
+    Sets the propagation context from environment or headers to continue an incoming trace.
     """
-    return get_isolation_scope().continue_trace(
-        environ_or_headers, op, name, source, origin
-    )
+    with get_isolation_scope().continue_trace(environ_or_headers):
+        yield
diff --git a/sentry_sdk/integrations/opentelemetry/scope.py b/sentry_sdk/integrations/opentelemetry/scope.py
index 6d6f8f6acf..c1eacc3852 100644
--- a/sentry_sdk/integrations/opentelemetry/scope.py
+++ b/sentry_sdk/integrations/opentelemetry/scope.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 from sentry_sdk._types import TYPE_CHECKING
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
-    from typing import Tuple, Optional, Generator
+    from typing import Tuple, Optional, Generator, Dict, Any
 
 
 class PotelScope(Scope):
@@ -58,6 +58,14 @@ def _get_isolation_scope(cls):
         scopes = cls._get_scopes()
         return scopes[1] if scopes else None
 
+    @contextmanager
+    def continue_trace(self, environ_or_headers):
+        # type: (Dict[str, Any]) -> Generator[None, None, None]
+        with new_scope() as scope:
+            scope.generate_propagation_context(environ_or_headers)
+            # TODO-neel-potel add remote span on context
+            yield
+
 
 _INITIAL_CURRENT_SCOPE = PotelScope(ty=ScopeType.CURRENT)
 _INITIAL_ISOLATION_SCOPE = PotelScope(ty=ScopeType.ISOLATION)
diff --git a/sentry_sdk/integrations/wsgi.py b/sentry_sdk/integrations/wsgi.py
index 9ea83a629c..cd3b53e805 100644
--- a/sentry_sdk/integrations/wsgi.py
+++ b/sentry_sdk/integrations/wsgi.py
@@ -91,26 +91,25 @@ def __call__(self, environ, start_response):
                             )
                         )
 
-                    transaction = continue_trace(
-                        environ,
-                        op=OP.HTTP_SERVER,
-                        name="generic WSGI request",
-                        source=TRANSACTION_SOURCE_ROUTE,
-                        origin=self.span_origin,
-                    )
-
-                    with sentry_sdk.start_transaction(
-                        transaction, custom_sampling_context={"wsgi_environ": environ}
-                    ):
-                        try:
-                            response = self.app(
-                                environ,
-                                partial(
-                                    _sentry_start_response, start_response, transaction
-                                ),
-                            )
-                        except BaseException:
-                            reraise(*_capture_exception())
+                    with continue_trace(environ):
+                        with sentry_sdk.start_transaction(
+                            op=OP.HTTP_SERVER,
+                            name="generic WSGI request",
+                            source=TRANSACTION_SOURCE_ROUTE,
+                            origin=self.span_origin,
+                            custom_sampling_context={"wsgi_environ": environ},
+                        ) as transaction:
+                            try:
+                                response = self.app(
+                                    environ,
+                                    partial(
+                                        _sentry_start_response,
+                                        start_response,
+                                        transaction,
+                                    ),
+                                )
+                            except BaseException:
+                                reraise(*_capture_exception())
         finally:
             _wsgi_middleware_applied.set(False)
 
diff --git a/sentry_sdk/tracing.py b/sentry_sdk/tracing.py
index c5812c9864..c04b51a344 100644
--- a/sentry_sdk/tracing.py
+++ b/sentry_sdk/tracing.py
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ class SpanKwargs(TypedDict, total=False):
         scope: "sentry_sdk.Scope"
         """The scope to use for this span. If not provided, we use the current scope."""
 
-        origin: str
+        origin: Optional[str]
         """
         The origin of the span.
         See https://develop.sentry.dev/sdk/performance/trace-origin/
@@ -1401,6 +1401,32 @@ def source(self, value):
         # type: (str) -> None
         pass
 
+    @property
+    def start_timestamp(self):
+        # type: () -> Optional[datetime]
+        start_time = self._otel_span.start_time
+        if start_time is None:
+            return None
+
+        from sentry_sdk.integrations.opentelemetry.utils import (
+            convert_from_otel_timestamp,
+        )
+
+        return convert_from_otel_timestamp(start_time)
+
+    @property
+    def timestamp(self):
+        # type: () -> Optional[datetime]
+        end_time = self._otel_span.end_time
+        if end_time is None:
+            return None
+
+        from sentry_sdk.integrations.opentelemetry.utils import (
+            convert_from_otel_timestamp,
+        )
+
+        return convert_from_otel_timestamp(end_time)
+
     def start_child(self, **kwargs):
         # type: (str, **Any) -> POTelSpan
         kwargs.setdefault("sampled", self.sampled)
@@ -1485,7 +1511,7 @@ def set_status(self, status):
             otel_description = None
         else:
             otel_status = StatusCode.ERROR
-            otel_description = status.value
+            otel_description = status
 
         self._otel_span.set_status(otel_status, otel_description)