diff --git a/getstream/common/telemetry.py b/getstream/common/telemetry.py
index 4e5cac47..1f72e4ff 100644
--- a/getstream/common/telemetry.py
+++ b/getstream/common/telemetry.py
@@ -170,9 +170,11 @@ def span_request(
     """
     include_bodies = INCLUDE_BODIES if include_bodies is None else include_bodies
     if not _HAS_OTEL:  # pragma: no cover
+        yield _NullSpan()
         return
     tracer = _get_tracer()
-    if tracer is None:  # pragma: no cover
+    if tracer is None:
+        yield _NullSpan()  # pragma: no cover
         return
     with tracer.start_as_current_span(name, kind=SpanKind.CLIENT) as span:  # type: ignore[arg-type]
         base_attrs: Dict[str, Any] = dict(attributes or {})
diff --git a/tests/test_client.py b/tests/test_client.py
index f0b4e059..bcbfca31 100644
--- a/tests/test_client.py
+++ b/tests/test_client.py
@@ -38,3 +38,23 @@ def test_incorrect_client_throws_exception(monkeypatch):
 
     with pytest.raises(ValueError):
         Stream(api_key="xxx", api_secret="xxx", base_url="ftp://example.com")
+
+
+def test_client_does_not_raise_exception_without_tracer(client: Stream, monkeypatch):
+    # Monkey patch _get_tracer to always return None
+    from getstream.common import telemetry
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(telemetry, "_get_tracer", lambda: None)
+
+    response = client.get_app()
+    assert response.data is not None
+
+
+def test_client_works_with_no_otel(client: Stream, monkeypatch):
+    # Monkey patch _get_tracer to always return None
+    from getstream.common import telemetry
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(telemetry, "_HAS_OTEL", False)
+
+    response = client.get_app()
+    assert response.data is not None