diff --git a/compute_tools/src/bin/fast_import.rs b/compute_tools/src/bin/fast_import.rs
index 265bf8112b..47558be7a0 100644
--- a/compute_tools/src/bin/fast_import.rs
+++ b/compute_tools/src/bin/fast_import.rs
@@ -592,7 +592,6 @@ pub(crate) async fn main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
     utils::logging::init(
         utils::logging::LogFormat::Json,
         utils::logging::TracingErrorLayerEnablement::EnableWithRustLogFilter,
-        utils::logging::OtelEnablement::Disabled,
         utils::logging::Output::Stdout,
     )?;
 
diff --git a/libs/desim/tests/reliable_copy_test.rs b/libs/desim/tests/reliable_copy_test.rs
index aa73b276af..1ddf9844de 100644
--- a/libs/desim/tests/reliable_copy_test.rs
+++ b/libs/desim/tests/reliable_copy_test.rs
@@ -158,7 +158,6 @@ mod reliable_copy_test {
         utils::logging::init(
             utils::logging::LogFormat::Test,
             utils::logging::TracingErrorLayerEnablement::Disabled,
-            utils::logging::OtelEnablement::Disabled,
             utils::logging::Output::Stdout,
         )
         .expect("logging init failed");
diff --git a/libs/remote_storage/tests/common/mod.rs b/libs/remote_storage/tests/common/mod.rs
index d720d61dae..daab05d91a 100644
--- a/libs/remote_storage/tests/common/mod.rs
+++ b/libs/remote_storage/tests/common/mod.rs
@@ -208,7 +208,6 @@ pub(crate) fn ensure_logging_ready() {
         utils::logging::init(
             utils::logging::LogFormat::Test,
             utils::logging::TracingErrorLayerEnablement::Disabled,
-            utils::logging::OtelEnablement::Disabled,
             utils::logging::Output::Stdout,
         )
         .expect("logging init failed");
diff --git a/libs/utils/src/logging.rs b/libs/utils/src/logging.rs
index a494985bc0..987a4539e6 100644
--- a/libs/utils/src/logging.rs
+++ b/libs/utils/src/logging.rs
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ use tokio::time::Instant;
 use tracing::Dispatch;
 use tracing::info;
 use tracing::level_filters::LevelFilter;
+use tracing_subscriber::Layer;
+use tracing_subscriber::layer::SubscriberExt;
 
 /// Logs a critical error, similarly to `tracing::error!`. This will:
 ///
@@ -156,9 +158,8 @@ impl Drop for OtelGuard {
 pub fn init(
     log_format: LogFormat,
     tracing_error_layer_enablement: TracingErrorLayerEnablement,
-    otel_enablement: OtelEnablement,
     output: Output,
-) -> anyhow::Result<Option<OtelGuard>> {
+) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
     // We fall back to printing all spans at info-level or above if
     // the RUST_LOG environment variable is not set.
     let rust_log_env_filter = || {
@@ -198,6 +199,10 @@ pub fn init(
         TracingErrorLayerEnablement::Disabled => r.init(),
     }
 
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+pub fn init_otel_tracing(otel_enablement: OtelEnablement) -> anyhow::Result<Option<OtelGuard>> {
     let otel_subscriber = match otel_enablement {
         OtelEnablement::Disabled => None,
         OtelEnablement::Enabled {
diff --git a/pageserver/compaction/tests/tests.rs b/pageserver/compaction/tests/tests.rs
index 7db1e0e2d6..565f66ce1a 100644
--- a/pageserver/compaction/tests/tests.rs
+++ b/pageserver/compaction/tests/tests.rs
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ pub(crate) fn setup_logging() {
         logging::init(
             logging::LogFormat::Test,
             logging::TracingErrorLayerEnablement::EnableWithRustLogFilter,
-            utils::logging::OtelEnablement::Disabled,
             logging::Output::Stdout,
         )
         .expect("Failed to init test logging");
diff --git a/pageserver/ctl/src/main.rs b/pageserver/ctl/src/main.rs
index 957537cc8e..72a120a69b 100644
--- a/pageserver/ctl/src/main.rs
+++ b/pageserver/ctl/src/main.rs
@@ -117,7 +117,6 @@ async fn main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
     logging::init(
         LogFormat::Plain,
         TracingErrorLayerEnablement::EnableWithRustLogFilter,
-        utils::logging::OtelEnablement::Disabled,
         logging::Output::Stdout,
     )?;
 
diff --git a/pageserver/pagebench/src/main.rs b/pageserver/pagebench/src/main.rs
index fb017de119..5527557450 100644
--- a/pageserver/pagebench/src/main.rs
+++ b/pageserver/pagebench/src/main.rs
@@ -35,7 +35,6 @@ fn main() {
     logging::init(
         logging::LogFormat::Plain,
         logging::TracingErrorLayerEnablement::Disabled,
-        utils::logging::OtelEnablement::Disabled,
         logging::Output::Stderr,
     )
     .unwrap();
diff --git a/pageserver/src/bin/pageserver.rs b/pageserver/src/bin/pageserver.rs
index baa70f8083..36ca91c04a 100644
--- a/pageserver/src/bin/pageserver.rs
+++ b/pageserver/src/bin/pageserver.rs
@@ -114,7 +114,6 @@ fn main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
     logging::init(
         conf.log_format,
         tracing_error_layer_enablement,
-        utils::logging::OtelEnablement::Disabled,
         logging::Output::Stdout,
     )?;
 
diff --git a/pageserver/src/tenant.rs b/pageserver/src/tenant.rs
index d877d2eb1c..793f112992 100644
--- a/pageserver/src/tenant.rs
+++ b/pageserver/src/tenant.rs
@@ -5718,7 +5718,6 @@ pub(crate) mod harness {
                 // enable it in case the tests exercise code paths that use
                 // debug_assert_current_span_has_tenant_and_timeline_id
                 logging::TracingErrorLayerEnablement::EnableWithRustLogFilter,
-                utils::logging::OtelEnablement::Disabled,
                 logging::Output::Stdout,
             )
             .expect("Failed to init test logging");
diff --git a/safekeeper/src/bin/safekeeper.rs b/safekeeper/src/bin/safekeeper.rs
index 73e8eae57e..10fc4a4b59 100644
--- a/safekeeper/src/bin/safekeeper.rs
+++ b/safekeeper/src/bin/safekeeper.rs
@@ -255,7 +255,6 @@ async fn main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
     logging::init(
         LogFormat::from_config(&args.log_format)?,
         logging::TracingErrorLayerEnablement::Disabled,
-        utils::logging::OtelEnablement::Disabled,
         logging::Output::Stdout,
     )?;
     logging::replace_panic_hook_with_tracing_panic_hook().forget();
diff --git a/storage_broker/src/bin/storage_broker.rs b/storage_broker/src/bin/storage_broker.rs
index 61962e1e94..cc33ec20ff 100644
--- a/storage_broker/src/bin/storage_broker.rs
+++ b/storage_broker/src/bin/storage_broker.rs
@@ -643,7 +643,6 @@ async fn main() -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
     logging::init(
         LogFormat::from_config(&args.log_format)?,
         logging::TracingErrorLayerEnablement::Disabled,
-        utils::logging::OtelEnablement::Disabled,
         logging::Output::Stdout,
     )?;
     logging::replace_panic_hook_with_tracing_panic_hook().forget();
diff --git a/storage_controller/src/main.rs b/storage_controller/src/main.rs
index 5c954b6838..1d49cd85ca 100644
--- a/storage_controller/src/main.rs
+++ b/storage_controller/src/main.rs
@@ -240,7 +240,6 @@ fn main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
     logging::init(
         LogFormat::Plain,
         logging::TracingErrorLayerEnablement::Disabled,
-        utils::logging::OtelEnablement::Disabled,
         logging::Output::Stdout,
     )?;