diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 0c0f788197..2483db9db2 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
   ([#3666](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-python-contrib/pull/3666))
 - `opentelemetry-sdk-extension-aws` Add AWS X-Ray Remote Sampler with initial Rules Poller implementation
   ([#3366](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-python-contrib/pull/3366))
+- `opentelemetry-instrumentation`: add support for  `OTEL_PYTHON_AUTO_INSTRUMENTATION_EXPERIMENTAL_GEVENT_PATCH` to inform opentelemetry-instrument about gevent monkeypatching
+  ([#3699](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-python-contrib/pull/3699))
 
 ## Version 1.36.0/0.57b0 (2025-07-29)
 
diff --git a/opentelemetry-instrumentation/README.rst b/opentelemetry-instrumentation/README.rst
index c8731fda2e..a342aa188c 100644
--- a/opentelemetry-instrumentation/README.rst
+++ b/opentelemetry-instrumentation/README.rst
@@ -104,7 +104,13 @@ check `here <https://opentelemetry-python.readthedocs.io/en/stable/index.html#in
 * ``OTEL_PYTHON_DISABLED_INSTRUMENTATIONS``
 
 If set by the user, opentelemetry-instrument will read this environment variable to disable specific instrumentations.
-e.g OTEL_PYTHON_DISABLED_INSTRUMENTATIONS = "requests,django"
+e.g OTEL_PYTHON_DISABLED_INSTRUMENTATIONS="requests,django"
+
+* ``OTEL_PYTHON_AUTO_INSTRUMENTATION_EXPERIMENTAL_GEVENT_PATCH``
+
+If set by the user to `patch_all` , opentelemetry instrument will call the gevent monkeypatching method ``patch_all``.
+This is considered experimental but can be useful to instrument gevent applications.
+e.g OTEL_PYTHON_AUTO_INSTRUMENTATION_EXPERIMENTAL_GEVENT_PATCH=patch_all
 
 
 Examples
diff --git a/opentelemetry-instrumentation/src/opentelemetry/instrumentation/auto_instrumentation/__init__.py b/opentelemetry-instrumentation/src/opentelemetry/instrumentation/auto_instrumentation/__init__.py
index 8571d0e5a2..1c87d2c327 100644
--- a/opentelemetry-instrumentation/src/opentelemetry/instrumentation/auto_instrumentation/__init__.py
+++ b/opentelemetry-instrumentation/src/opentelemetry/instrumentation/auto_instrumentation/__init__.py
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 
+from __future__ import annotations
+
 from argparse import REMAINDER, ArgumentParser
 from logging import getLogger
 from os import environ, execl, getcwd
@@ -24,6 +26,9 @@
     _load_distro,
     _load_instrumentors,
 )
+from opentelemetry.instrumentation.environment_variables import (
+    OTEL_PYTHON_AUTO_INSTRUMENTATION_EXPERIMENTAL_GEVENT_PATCH,
+)
 from opentelemetry.instrumentation.utils import _python_path_without_directory
 from opentelemetry.instrumentation.version import __version__
 from opentelemetry.util._importlib_metadata import entry_points
@@ -130,6 +135,30 @@ def initialize(*, swallow_exceptions: bool = True) -> None:
             environ["PYTHONPATH"], dirname(abspath(__file__)), pathsep
         )
 
+    # handle optional gevent monkey patching. This is done via environment variables so it may be used from the
+    # opentelemetry operator
+    gevent_patch: str | None = environ.get(
+        OTEL_PYTHON_AUTO_INSTRUMENTATION_EXPERIMENTAL_GEVENT_PATCH
+    )
+    if gevent_patch is not None:
+        if gevent_patch != "patch_all":
+            _logger.error(
+                "%s value must be `patch_all`",
+                OTEL_PYTHON_AUTO_INSTRUMENTATION_EXPERIMENTAL_GEVENT_PATCH,
+            )
+        else:
+            try:
+                # pylint: disable=import-outside-toplevel
+                from gevent import monkey
+
+                getattr(monkey, gevent_patch)()
+            except ImportError:
+                _logger.exception(
+                    "Failed to monkey patch with gevent because gevent is not available"
+                )
+                if not swallow_exceptions:
+                    raise
+
     try:
         distro = _load_distro()
         distro.configure()
diff --git a/opentelemetry-instrumentation/src/opentelemetry/instrumentation/environment_variables.py b/opentelemetry-instrumentation/src/opentelemetry/instrumentation/environment_variables.py
index 7886779632..ee95bb3587 100644
--- a/opentelemetry-instrumentation/src/opentelemetry/instrumentation/environment_variables.py
+++ b/opentelemetry-instrumentation/src/opentelemetry/instrumentation/environment_variables.py
@@ -26,3 +26,10 @@
 """
 .. envvar:: OTEL_PYTHON_CONFIGURATOR
 """
+
+OTEL_PYTHON_AUTO_INSTRUMENTATION_EXPERIMENTAL_GEVENT_PATCH = (
+    "OTEL_PYTHON_AUTO_INSTRUMENTATION_EXPERIMENTAL_GEVENT_PATCH"
+)
+"""
+.. envvar:: OTEL_PYTHON_AUTO_INSTRUMENTATION_EXPERIMENTAL_GEVENT_PATCH
+"""
diff --git a/opentelemetry-instrumentation/test-requirements.txt b/opentelemetry-instrumentation/test-requirements.txt
index 943a45c8f4..58c09a950b 100644
--- a/opentelemetry-instrumentation/test-requirements.txt
+++ b/opentelemetry-instrumentation/test-requirements.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 asgiref==3.8.1
 Deprecated==1.2.14
+gevent==25.5.1
 iniconfig==2.0.0
 packaging==24.0
 pluggy==1.5.0
diff --git a/opentelemetry-instrumentation/tests/auto_instrumentation/test_initialize.py b/opentelemetry-instrumentation/tests/auto_instrumentation/test_initialize.py
index 715da0d2f6..c2bf7116d9 100644
--- a/opentelemetry-instrumentation/tests/auto_instrumentation/test_initialize.py
+++ b/opentelemetry-instrumentation/tests/auto_instrumentation/test_initialize.py
@@ -72,3 +72,30 @@ def test_reraises_exceptions(self, load_distro_mock, logger_mock):
             )
 
         self.assertEqual("inner exception", str(em.exception))
+
+    @patch.dict(
+        "os.environ",
+        {
+            "OTEL_PYTHON_AUTO_INSTRUMENTATION_EXPERIMENTAL_GEVENT_PATCH": "patch_foo"
+        },
+    )
+    @patch("opentelemetry.instrumentation.auto_instrumentation._logger")
+    def test_handles_invalid_gevent_monkeypatch(self, logger_mock):
+        # pylint:disable=no-self-use
+        auto_instrumentation.initialize()
+        logger_mock.error.assert_called_once_with(
+            "%s value must be `patch_all`",
+            "OTEL_PYTHON_AUTO_INSTRUMENTATION_EXPERIMENTAL_GEVENT_PATCH",
+        )
+
+    @patch.dict(
+        "os.environ",
+        {
+            "OTEL_PYTHON_AUTO_INSTRUMENTATION_EXPERIMENTAL_GEVENT_PATCH": "patch_all"
+        },
+    )
+    @patch("opentelemetry.instrumentation.auto_instrumentation._logger")
+    def test_handles_patch_all_gevent_monkeypatch(self, logger_mock):
+        # pylint:disable=no-self-use
+        auto_instrumentation.initialize()
+        logger_mock.error.assert_not_called()