diff --git a/cmd/config.go b/cmd/config.go
index 5093a6a7b..255e064f1 100644
--- a/cmd/config.go
+++ b/cmd/config.go
@@ -6,7 +6,9 @@ import (
 	"encoding/json"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
+	"hash/fnv"
 	"io/ioutil"
+	"math"
 	"os"
 	"path"
 	"strings"
@@ -272,12 +274,36 @@ type BeelineConfig struct {
 	Dataset string
 	// SampleRate is the (positive integer) denominator of the sample rate.
 	// Default: 1 (meaning all traces are sent). Set higher to send fewer traces.
-	SampleRate uint
+	SampleRate uint32
 	// Mute disables honeycomb entirely; useful in test environments.
 	Mute bool
 	// Many other fields of beeline.Config are omitted as they are not yet used.
 }
 
+// makeSampler constructs a SamplerHook which will deterministically decide if
+// any given span should be sampled based on its TraceID, which is shared by all
+// spans within a trace. If a trace_id can't be found, the span will be sampled.
+// A sample rate of 0 defaults to a sample rate of 1 (i.e. all events are sent).
+func makeSampler(rate uint32) func(fields map[string]interface{}) (bool, int) {
+	if rate == 0 {
+		rate = 1
+	}
+	upperBound := math.MaxUint32 / rate
+
+	return func(fields map[string]interface{}) (bool, int) {
+		id, ok := fields["trace.trace_id"].(string)
+		if !ok {
+			return true, 0
+		}
+		h := fnv.New32()
+		_, err := h.Write([]byte(id))
+		if err != nil {
+			return true, 0
+		}
+		return h.Sum32() < upperBound, int(rate)
+	}
+}
+
 // Load converts a BeelineConfig to a beeline.Config, loading the api WriteKey
 // and setting the ServiceName automatically.
 func (bc *BeelineConfig) Load() (beeline.Config, error) {
@@ -291,16 +317,11 @@ func (bc *BeelineConfig) Load() (beeline.Config, error) {
 		return beeline.Config{}, fmt.Errorf("failed to get write key: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	samplerate := uint(1)
-	if bc.SampleRate > 1 {
-		samplerate = bc.SampleRate
-	}
-
 	return beeline.Config{
 		WriteKey:    writekey,
 		Dataset:     bc.Dataset,
 		ServiceName: path.Base(exec),
-		SampleRate:  samplerate,
+		SamplerHook: makeSampler(bc.SampleRate),
 		Mute:        bc.Mute,
 	}, nil
 }
diff --git a/cmd/config_test.go b/cmd/config_test.go
index 6988e1e77..68db60a03 100644
--- a/cmd/config_test.go
+++ b/cmd/config_test.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package cmd
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
 	"regexp"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
@@ -96,3 +97,54 @@ func TestTLSConfigLoad(t *testing.T) {
 		})
 	}
 }
+
+func TestSampler(t *testing.T) {
+	type subcase struct {
+		span    map[string]interface{}
+		sampled bool
+		rate    int
+	}
+	testCases := []struct {
+		rate  uint32
+		cases []subcase
+	}{
+		// At sample rate 1, both of the well-formed spans should get sampled.
+		{1, []subcase{
+			{map[string]interface{}{"trace.trace_id": "foo"}, true, 1},
+			{map[string]interface{}{"trace.trace_id": ""}, true, 1},
+			{map[string]interface{}{"trace.trace_id": 1}, true, 0},
+			{map[string]interface{}{}, true, 0},
+		}},
+		// At sample rate 0, it should behave the same as sample rate 1.
+		{0, []subcase{
+			{map[string]interface{}{"trace.trace_id": "foo"}, true, 1},
+			{map[string]interface{}{"trace.trace_id": ""}, true, 1},
+			{map[string]interface{}{"trace.trace_id": 1}, true, 0},
+			{map[string]interface{}{}, true, 0},
+		}},
+		// At sample rate 2, only one of the well-formed spans should be sampled.
+		{2, []subcase{
+			{map[string]interface{}{"trace.trace_id": "foo"}, true, 2},
+			{map[string]interface{}{"trace.trace_id": ""}, false, 2},
+			{map[string]interface{}{"trace.trace_id": 1}, true, 0},
+			{map[string]interface{}{}, true, 0},
+		}},
+		// At sample rate 100, neither of the well-formed spans should be sampled.
+		{100, []subcase{
+			{map[string]interface{}{"trace.trace_id": "foo"}, false, 100},
+			{map[string]interface{}{"trace.trace_id": ""}, false, 100},
+			{map[string]interface{}{"trace.trace_id": 1}, true, 0},
+			{map[string]interface{}{}, true, 0},
+		}},
+	}
+	for _, tc := range testCases {
+		s := makeSampler(tc.rate)
+		for _, c := range tc.cases {
+			t.Run(fmt.Sprintf("Rate(%d) Id(%s)", tc.rate, c.span["trace.trace_id"]), func(t *testing.T) {
+				b, i := s(c.span)
+				test.AssertEquals(t, b, c.sampled)
+				test.AssertEquals(t, i, c.rate)
+			})
+		}
+	}
+}