diff --git a/hyperactor/src/channel/net/client.rs b/hyperactor/src/channel/net/client.rs
index 52f80ef93..bd59d5dea 100644
--- a/hyperactor/src/channel/net/client.rs
+++ b/hyperactor/src/channel/net/client.rs
@@ -793,6 +793,8 @@ where
         .as_ref()
         .map(|acked_seq| AckedSeqValue(acked_seq.clone()));
 
+    use hyperactor_telemetry::skip_record;
+
     tracing::span!(
         Level::ERROR,
         "net i/o loop",
@@ -802,6 +804,7 @@ where
         largest_acked = largest_acked.as_value(),
         outbox = QueueValue::from(&deliveries.outbox.deque).as_value(),
         unacked = QueueValue::from(&deliveries.unacked.deque).as_value(),
+        skip_record,
     )
 }
 
diff --git a/hyperactor_mesh/examples/dining_philosophers.rs b/hyperactor_mesh/examples/dining_philosophers.rs
index 2106d6b68..7e30c3321 100644
--- a/hyperactor_mesh/examples/dining_philosophers.rs
+++ b/hyperactor_mesh/examples/dining_philosophers.rs
@@ -232,7 +232,7 @@ impl Waiter {
 
 #[tokio::main]
 async fn main() -> Result<ExitCode> {
-    hyperactor_telemetry::initialize_logging_for_test();
+    hyperactor::initialize_with_current_runtime();
 
     // Option: run as a local process mesh
     // let host_mesh = HostMesh::process(extent!(hosts = 1), BootstrapCommand::current().unwrap())
diff --git a/hyperactor_telemetry/src/lib.rs b/hyperactor_telemetry/src/lib.rs
index 0210e0a5e..a3cb80a35 100644
--- a/hyperactor_telemetry/src/lib.rs
+++ b/hyperactor_telemetry/src/lib.rs
@@ -53,6 +53,21 @@ const ENV_VALUE_TEST: &str = "test";
 #[allow(dead_code)]
 const ENV_VALUE_LOCAL_MAST_SIMULATOR: &str = "local_mast_simulator";
 
+/// A marker field used to indicate that a span should not be recorded as
+/// individual start/end span events; rather the span is purely used to
+/// provide context for child events.
+///
+/// Note that the mechanism for skipping span recording uses the precise
+/// name "skip_record", thus it must be used as a naked identifier:
+/// ```ignore
+/// use hyperactor_telemetry::skip_record;
+///
+/// tracing::span!(..., skip_record);
+/// ```
+#[allow(non_upper_case_globals)]
+// pub const skip_record: tracing::field::Empty = tracing::field::Empty;
+pub const skip_record: bool = true;
+
 pub mod in_memory_reader;
 #[cfg(fbcode_build)]
 mod meta;