diff --git a/tracetypes/org.eclipse.tracecompass.incubator.opentracing.core/src/org/eclipse/tracecompass/incubator/internal/opentracing/core/analysis/spanlife/SpanLifeStateProvider.java b/tracetypes/org.eclipse.tracecompass.incubator.opentracing.core/src/org/eclipse/tracecompass/incubator/internal/opentracing/core/analysis/spanlife/SpanLifeStateProvider.java
index 02c05c9b9..db2f4c652 100644
--- a/tracetypes/org.eclipse.tracecompass.incubator.opentracing.core/src/org/eclipse/tracecompass/incubator/internal/opentracing/core/analysis/spanlife/SpanLifeStateProvider.java
+++ b/tracetypes/org.eclipse.tracecompass.incubator.opentracing.core/src/org/eclipse/tracecompass/incubator/internal/opentracing/core/analysis/spanlife/SpanLifeStateProvider.java
@@ -109,7 +109,8 @@ private void handleSpan(ITmfEvent event, ITmfStateSystemBuilder ss) {
         } else {
             Integer parentQuark = fSpanMap.get(refId);
             if (parentQuark == null) {
-                return;
+                // We don't have the parent span, just start this span at root
+                parentQuark = openTracingSpansQuark;
             }
             spanQuark = ss.getQuarkRelativeAndAdd(parentQuark, name + '/' + spanId + '/' + errorTag + '/' + processName);
         }