diff --git a/changelog.d/13439.misc b/changelog.d/13439.misc
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4aa73d707
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/13439.misc
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Add some tracing to give more insight into local room joins.
diff --git a/synapse/handlers/message.py b/synapse/handlers/message.py
index ee0773988..6b0360359 100644
--- a/synapse/handlers/message.py
+++ b/synapse/handlers/message.py
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ from synapse.events.builder import EventBuilder
 from synapse.events.snapshot import EventContext
 from synapse.events.validator import EventValidator
 from synapse.handlers.directory import DirectoryHandler
+from synapse.logging import opentracing
 from synapse.logging.context import make_deferred_yieldable, run_in_background
 from synapse.metrics.background_process_metrics import run_as_background_process
 from synapse.replication.http.send_event import ReplicationSendEventRestServlet
@@ -1374,9 +1375,10 @@ class EventCreationHandler:
         # and `state_groups` because they have `prev_events` that aren't persisted yet
         # (historical messages persisted in reverse-chronological order).
         if not event.internal_metadata.is_historical():
-            await self._bulk_push_rule_evaluator.action_for_event_by_user(
-                event, context
-            )
+            with opentracing.start_active_span("calculate_push_actions"):
+                await self._bulk_push_rule_evaluator.action_for_event_by_user(
+                    event, context
+                )
 
         try:
             # If we're a worker we need to hit out to the master.
@@ -1463,9 +1465,10 @@ class EventCreationHandler:
             state = await state_entry.get_state(
                 self._storage_controllers.state, StateFilter.all()
             )
-            joined_hosts = await self.store.get_joined_hosts(
-                event.room_id, state, state_entry
-            )
+            with opentracing.start_active_span("get_joined_hosts"):
+                joined_hosts = await self.store.get_joined_hosts(
+                    event.room_id, state, state_entry
+                )
 
             # Note that the expiry times must be larger than the expiry time in
             # _external_cache_joined_hosts_updates.
diff --git a/synapse/handlers/room_member.py b/synapse/handlers/room_member.py
index 520c52e01..70dc69c80 100644
--- a/synapse/handlers/room_member.py
+++ b/synapse/handlers/room_member.py
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ from synapse.event_auth import get_named_level, get_power_level_event
 from synapse.events import EventBase
 from synapse.events.snapshot import EventContext
 from synapse.handlers.profile import MAX_AVATAR_URL_LEN, MAX_DISPLAYNAME_LEN
+from synapse.logging import opentracing
 from synapse.module_api import NOT_SPAM
 from synapse.storage.state import StateFilter
 from synapse.types import (
@@ -428,14 +429,14 @@ class RoomMemberHandler(metaclass=abc.ABCMeta):
                 await self._join_rate_per_room_limiter.ratelimit(
                     requester, key=room_id, update=False
                 )
-
-        result_event = await self.event_creation_handler.handle_new_client_event(
-            requester,
-            event,
-            context,
-            extra_users=[target],
-            ratelimit=ratelimit,
-        )
+        with opentracing.start_active_span("handle_new_client_event"):
+            result_event = await self.event_creation_handler.handle_new_client_event(
+                requester,
+                event,
+                context,
+                extra_users=[target],
+                ratelimit=ratelimit,
+            )
 
         if event.membership == Membership.LEAVE:
             if prev_member_event_id:
@@ -564,25 +565,26 @@ class RoomMemberHandler(metaclass=abc.ABCMeta):
         # by application services), and then by room ID.
         async with self.member_as_limiter.queue(as_id):
             async with self.member_linearizer.queue(key):
-                result = await self.update_membership_locked(
-                    requester,
-                    target,
-                    room_id,
-                    action,
-                    txn_id=txn_id,
-                    remote_room_hosts=remote_room_hosts,
-                    third_party_signed=third_party_signed,
-                    ratelimit=ratelimit,
-                    content=content,
-                    new_room=new_room,
-                    require_consent=require_consent,
-                    outlier=outlier,
-                    historical=historical,
-                    allow_no_prev_events=allow_no_prev_events,
-                    prev_event_ids=prev_event_ids,
-                    state_event_ids=state_event_ids,
-                    depth=depth,
-                )
+                with opentracing.start_active_span("update_membership_locked"):
+                    result = await self.update_membership_locked(
+                        requester,
+                        target,
+                        room_id,
+                        action,
+                        txn_id=txn_id,
+                        remote_room_hosts=remote_room_hosts,
+                        third_party_signed=third_party_signed,
+                        ratelimit=ratelimit,
+                        content=content,
+                        new_room=new_room,
+                        require_consent=require_consent,
+                        outlier=outlier,
+                        historical=historical,
+                        allow_no_prev_events=allow_no_prev_events,
+                        prev_event_ids=prev_event_ids,
+                        state_event_ids=state_event_ids,
+                        depth=depth,
+                    )
 
         return result
 
@@ -649,6 +651,7 @@ class RoomMemberHandler(metaclass=abc.ABCMeta):
         Returns:
             A tuple of the new event ID and stream ID.
         """
+
         content_specified = bool(content)
         if content is None:
             content = {}