diff --git a/client/hijack.go b/client/hijack.go
index d1ad96fcfec16..573fe157fbcd3 100644
--- a/client/hijack.go
+++ b/client/hijack.go
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ import (
 	"go.opentelemetry.io/otel"
 	"go.opentelemetry.io/otel/codes"
 	"go.opentelemetry.io/otel/propagation"
-	"go.opentelemetry.io/otel/semconv/v1.17.0/httpconv"
 	"go.opentelemetry.io/otel/trace"
 )
 
@@ -66,7 +65,8 @@ func (cli *Client) setupHijackConn(req *http.Request, proto string) (_ net.Conn,
 	}
 
 	ctx, span := tp.Tracer("").Start(ctx, req.Method+" "+req.URL.Path, trace.WithSpanKind(trace.SpanKindClient))
-	span.SetAttributes(httpconv.ClientRequest(req)...)
+	// FIXME(thaJeztah): httpconv.ClientRequest is now an internal package; replace this with alternative for semconv v1.21
+	// span.SetAttributes(httpconv.ClientRequest(req)...)
 	defer func() {
 		if retErr != nil {
 			span.RecordError(retErr)
@@ -98,7 +98,27 @@ func (cli *Client) setupHijackConn(req *http.Request, proto string) (_ net.Conn,
 	// Server hijacks the connection, error 'connection closed' expected
 	resp, err := clientconn.Do(req)
 	if resp != nil {
-		span.SetStatus(httpconv.ClientStatus(resp.StatusCode))
+		// This is a simplified variant of "httpconv.ClientStatus(resp.StatusCode))";
+		//
+		// The main purpose of httpconv.ClientStatus() is to detect whether the
+		// status was successful (1xx, 2xx, 3xx) or non-successful (4xx/5xx).
+		//
+		// It also provides complex logic to *validate* status-codes against
+		// a hard-coded list meant to exclude "bogus" status codes in "success"
+		// ranges (1xx, 2xx) and convert them into an error status. That code
+		// seemed over-reaching (and not accounting for potential future valid
+		// status codes). We assume we only get valid status codes, and only
+		// look at status-code ranges.
+		//
+		// For reference, see:
+		// https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-go/blob/v1.21.0/semconv/v1.17.0/httpconv/http.go#L85-L89
+		// https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-go/blob/v1.21.0/semconv/internal/v2/http.go#L322-L330
+		// https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-go/blob/v1.21.0/semconv/internal/v2/http.go#L356-L404
+		code := codes.Unset
+		if resp.StatusCode >= http.StatusBadRequest {
+			code = codes.Error
+		}
+		span.SetStatus(code, "")
 	}
 
 	//nolint:staticcheck // ignore SA1019 for connecting to old (pre go1.8) daemons
diff --git a/cmd/dockerd/daemon.go b/cmd/dockerd/daemon.go
index 5a9b1325575ef..d356566c2f40a 100644
--- a/cmd/dockerd/daemon.go
+++ b/cmd/dockerd/daemon.go
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/spf13/pflag"
 	"go.opentelemetry.io/otel"
 	"go.opentelemetry.io/otel/propagation"
+	"go.opentelemetry.io/otel/sdk/resource"
 	"tags.cncf.io/container-device-interface/pkg/cdi"
 )
 
@@ -238,6 +239,10 @@ func (cli *DaemonCli) start(opts *daemonOptions) (err error) {
 
 	setOTLPProtoDefault()
 	otel.SetTextMapPropagator(propagation.NewCompositeTextMapPropagator(propagation.TraceContext{}, propagation.Baggage{}))
+
+	// Override BuildKit's default Resource so that it matches the semconv
+	// version that is used in our code.
+	detect.Resource = resource.Default()
 	detect.Recorder = detect.NewTraceRecorder()
 
 	tp, err := detect.TracerProvider()
diff --git a/testutil/helpers.go b/testutil/helpers.go
index b149142592de4..f31ad27944900 100644
--- a/testutil/helpers.go
+++ b/testutil/helpers.go
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ import (
 	"go.opentelemetry.io/otel/propagation"
 	"go.opentelemetry.io/otel/sdk/resource"
 	"go.opentelemetry.io/otel/sdk/trace"
-	semconv "go.opentelemetry.io/otel/semconv/v1.17.0"
+	semconv "go.opentelemetry.io/otel/semconv/v1.21.0"
 	"gotest.tools/v3/icmd"
 )
 
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ func (d devZero) Read(p []byte) (n int, err error) {
 
 var tracingOnce sync.Once
 
-// configureTracing sets up an OTLP tracing exporter for use in tests.
+// ConfigureTracing sets up an OTLP tracing exporter for use in tests.
 func ConfigureTracing() func(context.Context) {
 	if os.Getenv("OTEL_EXPORTER_OTLP_ENDPOINT") == "" {
 		// No OTLP endpoint configured, so don't bother setting up tracing.
@@ -52,9 +52,7 @@ func ConfigureTracing() func(context.Context) {
 		tp = trace.NewTracerProvider(
 			trace.WithSpanProcessor(sp),
 			trace.WithSampler(trace.AlwaysSample()),
-			trace.WithResource(resource.NewSchemaless(
-				attribute.KeyValue{Key: semconv.ServiceNameKey, Value: attribute.StringValue("integration-test-client")},
-			)),
+			trace.WithResource(resource.NewSchemaless(semconv.ServiceName("integration-test-client"))),
 		)
 		otel.SetTracerProvider(tp)