diff --git a/instrumentation/opentelemetry-instrumentation-boto/src/opentelemetry/instrumentation/boto/__init__.py b/instrumentation/opentelemetry-instrumentation-boto/src/opentelemetry/instrumentation/boto/__init__.py
index 8e03cd6e7499..3bef955d1481 100644
--- a/instrumentation/opentelemetry-instrumentation-boto/src/opentelemetry/instrumentation/boto/__init__.py
+++ b/instrumentation/opentelemetry-instrumentation-boto/src/opentelemetry/instrumentation/boto/__init__.py
@@ -136,27 +136,31 @@ def _common_request(  # pylint: disable=too-many-locals
                     attributes={"endpoint": endpoint_name}
                 )
 
-            add_span_arg_tags(
-                span, endpoint_name, args, args_name, traced_args,
-            )
+            # Original func returns a boto.connection.HTTPResponse object
+            result = original_func(*args, **kwargs)
 
-            # Obtaining region name
-            region_name = _get_instance_region_name(instance)
+            if span.is_recording():
+                add_span_arg_tags(
+                    span, endpoint_name, args, args_name, traced_args,
+                )
 
-            meta = {
-                "aws.agent": "boto",
-                "aws.operation": operation_name,
-            }
-            if region_name:
-                meta["aws.region"] = region_name
+                # Obtaining region name
+                region_name = _get_instance_region_name(instance)
 
-            for key, value in meta.items():
-                span.set_attribute(key, value)
+                meta = {
+                    "aws.agent": "boto",
+                    "aws.operation": operation_name,
+                }
+                if region_name:
+                    meta["aws.region"] = region_name
 
-            # Original func returns a boto.connection.HTTPResponse object
-            result = original_func(*args, **kwargs)
-            span.set_attribute("http.status_code", getattr(result, "status"))
-            span.set_attribute("http.method", getattr(result, "_method"))
+                for key, value in meta.items():
+                    span.set_attribute(key, value)
+
+                span.set_attribute(
+                    "http.status_code", getattr(result, "status")
+                )
+                span.set_attribute("http.method", getattr(result, "_method"))
 
             return result
 
diff --git a/instrumentation/opentelemetry-instrumentation-boto/tests/test_boto_instrumentation.py b/instrumentation/opentelemetry-instrumentation-boto/tests/test_boto_instrumentation.py
index 0a4a4b8869a0..1a8cc2b387fc 100644
--- a/instrumentation/opentelemetry-instrumentation-boto/tests/test_boto_instrumentation.py
+++ b/instrumentation/opentelemetry-instrumentation-boto/tests/test_boto_instrumentation.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 
 from unittest import skipUnless
+from unittest.mock import Mock, patch
 
 import boto.awslambda
 import boto.ec2
@@ -80,6 +81,23 @@ def test_ec2_client(self):
         self.assertEqual(span.attributes["aws.region"], "us-west-2")
         self.assertEqual(span.name, "ec2.command")
 
+    @mock_ec2_deprecated
+    def test_not_recording(self):
+        mock_tracer = Mock()
+        mock_span = Mock()
+        mock_span.is_recording.return_value = False
+        mock_tracer.start_span.return_value = mock_span
+        mock_tracer.use_span.return_value.__enter__ = mock_span
+        mock_tracer.use_span.return_value.__exit__ = mock_span
+        with patch("opentelemetry.trace.get_tracer") as tracer:
+            tracer.return_value = mock_tracer
+            ec2 = boto.ec2.connect_to_region("us-west-2")
+            ec2.get_all_instances()
+            self.assertFalse(mock_span.is_recording())
+            self.assertTrue(mock_span.is_recording.called)
+            self.assertFalse(mock_span.set_attribute.called)
+            self.assertFalse(mock_span.set_status.called)
+
     @mock_ec2_deprecated
     def test_analytics_enabled_with_rate(self):
         ec2 = boto.ec2.connect_to_region("us-west-2")