diff --git a/changelog.d/10113.feature b/changelog.d/10113.feature
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2658ab891
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/10113.feature
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Report OpenTracing spans for database activity.
diff --git a/synapse/logging/opentracing.py b/synapse/logging/opentracing.py
index f64845b80..68f0c0015 100644
--- a/synapse/logging/opentracing.py
+++ b/synapse/logging/opentracing.py
@@ -271,6 +271,12 @@ class SynapseTags:
     # HTTP request tag (used to distinguish full vs incremental syncs, etc)
     REQUEST_TAG = "request_tag"
 
+    # Text description of a database transaction
+    DB_TXN_DESC = "db.txn_desc"
+
+    # Uniqueish ID of a database transaction
+    DB_TXN_ID = "db.txn_id"
+
 
 # Block everything by default
 # A regex which matches the server_names to expose traces for.
diff --git a/synapse/storage/database.py b/synapse/storage/database.py
index a761ad603..974703d13 100644
--- a/synapse/storage/database.py
+++ b/synapse/storage/database.py
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ from twisted.enterprise import adbapi
 
 from synapse.api.errors import StoreError
 from synapse.config.database import DatabaseConnectionConfig
+from synapse.logging import opentracing
 from synapse.logging.context import (
     LoggingContext,
     current_context,
@@ -313,7 +314,14 @@ class LoggingTransaction:
         start = time.time()
 
         try:
-            return func(sql, *args)
+            with opentracing.start_active_span(
+                "db.query",
+                tags={
+                    opentracing.tags.DATABASE_TYPE: "sql",
+                    opentracing.tags.DATABASE_STATEMENT: sql,
+                },
+            ):
+                return func(sql, *args)
         except Exception as e:
             sql_logger.debug("[SQL FAIL] {%s} %s", self.name, e)
             raise
@@ -525,9 +533,16 @@ class DatabasePool:
                     exception_callbacks=exception_callbacks,
                 )
                 try:
-                    r = func(cursor, *args, **kwargs)
-                    conn.commit()
-                    return r
+                    with opentracing.start_active_span(
+                        "db.txn",
+                        tags={
+                            opentracing.SynapseTags.DB_TXN_DESC: desc,
+                            opentracing.SynapseTags.DB_TXN_ID: name,
+                        },
+                    ):
+                        r = func(cursor, *args, **kwargs)
+                        conn.commit()
+                        return r
                 except self.engine.module.OperationalError as e:
                     # This can happen if the database disappears mid
                     # transaction.
@@ -653,16 +668,17 @@ class DatabasePool:
             logger.warning("Starting db txn '%s' from sentinel context", desc)
 
         try:
-            result = await self.runWithConnection(
-                self.new_transaction,
-                desc,
-                after_callbacks,
-                exception_callbacks,
-                func,
-                *args,
-                db_autocommit=db_autocommit,
-                **kwargs,
-            )
+            with opentracing.start_active_span(f"db.{desc}"):
+                result = await self.runWithConnection(
+                    self.new_transaction,
+                    desc,
+                    after_callbacks,
+                    exception_callbacks,
+                    func,
+                    *args,
+                    db_autocommit=db_autocommit,
+                    **kwargs,
+                )
 
             for after_callback, after_args, after_kwargs in after_callbacks:
                 after_callback(*after_args, **after_kwargs)
@@ -718,25 +734,29 @@ class DatabasePool:
             with LoggingContext(
                 str(curr_context), parent_context=parent_context
             ) as context:
-                sched_duration_sec = monotonic_time() - start_time
-                sql_scheduling_timer.observe(sched_duration_sec)
-                context.add_database_scheduled(sched_duration_sec)
+                with opentracing.start_active_span(
+                    operation_name="db.connection",
+                ):
+                    sched_duration_sec = monotonic_time() - start_time
+                    sql_scheduling_timer.observe(sched_duration_sec)
+                    context.add_database_scheduled(sched_duration_sec)
 
-                if self.engine.is_connection_closed(conn):
-                    logger.debug("Reconnecting closed database connection")
-                    conn.reconnect()
+                    if self.engine.is_connection_closed(conn):
+                        logger.debug("Reconnecting closed database connection")
+                        conn.reconnect()
+                        opentracing.log_kv({"message": "reconnected"})
 
-                try:
-                    if db_autocommit:
-                        self.engine.attempt_to_set_autocommit(conn, True)
+                    try:
+                        if db_autocommit:
+                            self.engine.attempt_to_set_autocommit(conn, True)
 
-                    db_conn = LoggingDatabaseConnection(
-                        conn, self.engine, "runWithConnection"
-                    )
-                    return func(db_conn, *args, **kwargs)
-                finally:
-                    if db_autocommit:
-                        self.engine.attempt_to_set_autocommit(conn, False)
+                        db_conn = LoggingDatabaseConnection(
+                            conn, self.engine, "runWithConnection"
+                        )
+                        return func(db_conn, *args, **kwargs)
+                    finally:
+                        if db_autocommit:
+                            self.engine.attempt_to_set_autocommit(conn, False)
 
         return await make_deferred_yieldable(
             self._db_pool.runWithConnection(inner_func, *args, **kwargs)