diff --git a/dd-java-agent/instrumentation/netty-4.0/src/main/java/datadog/trace/instrumentation/netty40/ChannelFutureListenerInstrumentation.java b/dd-java-agent/instrumentation/netty-4.0/src/main/java/datadog/trace/instrumentation/netty40/ChannelFutureListenerInstrumentation.java
index d62653f02f..36215bdebd 100644
--- a/dd-java-agent/instrumentation/netty-4.0/src/main/java/datadog/trace/instrumentation/netty40/ChannelFutureListenerInstrumentation.java
+++ b/dd-java-agent/instrumentation/netty-4.0/src/main/java/datadog/trace/instrumentation/netty40/ChannelFutureListenerInstrumentation.java
@@ -62,32 +62,39 @@ public class ChannelFutureListenerInstrumentation extends Instrumenter.Default {
   public static class OperationCompleteAdvice {
     @Advice.OnMethodEnter
     public static TraceScope activateScope(@Advice.Argument(0) final ChannelFuture future) {
+      /*
+      Idea here is:
+       - To return scope only if we have captured it.
+       - To capture scope only in case of error.
+       */
+      final Throwable cause = future.cause();
+      if (cause == null) {
+        return null;
+      }
       final TraceScope.Continuation continuation =
-          future.channel().attr(AttributeKeys.PARENT_CONNECT_CONTINUATION_ATTRIBUTE_KEY).get();
-
+          future
+              .channel()
+              .attr(AttributeKeys.PARENT_CONNECT_CONTINUATION_ATTRIBUTE_KEY)
+              .getAndRemove();
       if (continuation == null) {
         return null;
       }
       final TraceScope scope = continuation.activate();
 
-      final Throwable cause = future.cause();
-      if (cause != null) {
-        final Span errorSpan =
-            GlobalTracer.get()
-                .buildSpan("netty.connect")
-                .withTag(Tags.COMPONENT.getKey(), "netty")
-                .start();
-        Tags.ERROR.set(errorSpan, true);
-        errorSpan.log(Collections.singletonMap(ERROR_OBJECT, cause));
-        errorSpan.finish();
-      }
+      final Span errorSpan =
+          GlobalTracer.get()
+              .buildSpan("netty.connect")
+              .withTag(Tags.COMPONENT.getKey(), "netty")
+              .start();
+      Tags.ERROR.set(errorSpan, true);
+      errorSpan.log(Collections.singletonMap(ERROR_OBJECT, cause));
+      errorSpan.finish();
 
       return scope;
     }
 
     @Advice.OnMethodExit(onThrowable = Throwable.class, suppress = Throwable.class)
-    public static void deactivateScope(
-        @Advice.Enter final TraceScope scope, @Advice.Thrown final Throwable throwable) {
+    public static void deactivateScope(@Advice.Enter final TraceScope scope) {
       if (scope != null) {
         ((Scope) scope).close();
       }
diff --git a/dd-java-agent/instrumentation/netty-4.0/src/main/java/datadog/trace/instrumentation/netty40/NettyChannelPipelineInstrumentation.java b/dd-java-agent/instrumentation/netty-4.0/src/main/java/datadog/trace/instrumentation/netty40/NettyChannelPipelineInstrumentation.java
index e56be39144..7bb1ed8ba5 100644
--- a/dd-java-agent/instrumentation/netty-4.0/src/main/java/datadog/trace/instrumentation/netty40/NettyChannelPipelineInstrumentation.java
+++ b/dd-java-agent/instrumentation/netty-4.0/src/main/java/datadog/trace/instrumentation/netty40/NettyChannelPipelineInstrumentation.java
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import io.netty.handler.codec.http.HttpRequestEncoder;
 import io.netty.handler.codec.http.HttpResponseDecoder;
 import io.netty.handler.codec.http.HttpResponseEncoder;
 import io.netty.handler.codec.http.HttpServerCodec;
+import io.netty.util.Attribute;
 import io.opentracing.Scope;
 import io.opentracing.util.GlobalTracer;
 import java.util.HashMap;
@@ -137,12 +138,15 @@ public class NettyChannelPipelineInstrumentation extends Instrumenter.Default {
     @Advice.OnMethodEnter
     public static void addParentSpan(@Advice.This final ChannelPipeline pipeline) {
       final Scope scope = GlobalTracer.get().scopeManager().active();
-
       if (scope instanceof TraceScope) {
-        pipeline
-            .channel()
-            .attr(AttributeKeys.PARENT_CONNECT_CONTINUATION_ATTRIBUTE_KEY)
-            .set(((TraceScope) scope).capture());
+        final TraceScope.Continuation continuation = ((TraceScope) scope).capture();
+        if (null != continuation) {
+          final Attribute<TraceScope.Continuation> attribute =
+              pipeline.channel().attr(AttributeKeys.PARENT_CONNECT_CONTINUATION_ATTRIBUTE_KEY);
+          if (!attribute.compareAndSet(null, continuation)) {
+            continuation.close();
+          }
+        }
       }
     }
   }
diff --git a/dd-java-agent/instrumentation/netty-4.0/src/main/java/datadog/trace/instrumentation/netty40/client/HttpClientRequestTracingHandler.java b/dd-java-agent/instrumentation/netty-4.0/src/main/java/datadog/trace/instrumentation/netty40/client/HttpClientRequestTracingHandler.java
index ffcad1a1b0..529e56773a 100644
--- a/dd-java-agent/instrumentation/netty-4.0/src/main/java/datadog/trace/instrumentation/netty40/client/HttpClientRequestTracingHandler.java
+++ b/dd-java-agent/instrumentation/netty-4.0/src/main/java/datadog/trace/instrumentation/netty40/client/HttpClientRequestTracingHandler.java
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import static io.opentracing.log.Fields.ERROR_OBJECT;
 
 import datadog.trace.api.DDSpanTypes;
 import datadog.trace.api.DDTags;
+import datadog.trace.context.TraceScope;
 import datadog.trace.instrumentation.netty40.AttributeKeys;
 import io.netty.channel.ChannelHandlerContext;
 import io.netty.channel.ChannelOutboundHandlerAdapter;
@@ -25,6 +26,14 @@ public class HttpClientRequestTracingHandler extends ChannelOutboundHandlerAdapt
       ctx.write(msg, prm);
       return;
     }
+
+    TraceScope scope = null;
+    final TraceScope.Continuation continuation =
+        ctx.channel().attr(AttributeKeys.PARENT_CONNECT_CONTINUATION_ATTRIBUTE_KEY).getAndRemove();
+    if (continuation != null) {
+      scope = continuation.activate();
+    }
+
     final HttpRequest request = (HttpRequest) msg;
     final InetSocketAddress remoteAddress = (InetSocketAddress) ctx.channel().remoteAddress();
 
@@ -58,5 +67,9 @@ public class HttpClientRequestTracingHandler extends ChannelOutboundHandlerAdapt
       span.finish(); // Finish the span manually since finishSpanOnClose was false
       throw throwable;
     }
+
+    if (null != scope) {
+      scope.close();
+    }
   }
 }
diff --git a/dd-java-agent/instrumentation/netty-4.0/src/main/java/datadog/trace/instrumentation/netty40/client/HttpClientResponseTracingHandler.java b/dd-java-agent/instrumentation/netty-4.0/src/main/java/datadog/trace/instrumentation/netty40/client/HttpClientResponseTracingHandler.java
index bcd8ce633d..a428b5a551 100644
--- a/dd-java-agent/instrumentation/netty-4.0/src/main/java/datadog/trace/instrumentation/netty40/client/HttpClientResponseTracingHandler.java
+++ b/dd-java-agent/instrumentation/netty-4.0/src/main/java/datadog/trace/instrumentation/netty40/client/HttpClientResponseTracingHandler.java
@@ -41,10 +41,6 @@ public class HttpClientResponseTracingHandler extends ChannelInboundHandlerAdapt
         }
       }
 
-      if (scope instanceof TraceScope) {
-        ((TraceScope) scope).setAsyncPropagation(false);
-      }
-
       if (finishSpan) {
         Tags.HTTP_STATUS.set(span, ((HttpResponse) msg).getStatus().code());
         span.finish(); // Finish the span manually since finishSpanOnClose was false
diff --git a/dd-java-agent/instrumentation/netty-4.1/src/main/java/datadog/trace/instrumentation/netty41/ChannelFutureListenerInstrumentation.java b/dd-java-agent/instrumentation/netty-4.1/src/main/java/datadog/trace/instrumentation/netty41/ChannelFutureListenerInstrumentation.java
index 53519db93c..cae6db8cfb 100644
--- a/dd-java-agent/instrumentation/netty-4.1/src/main/java/datadog/trace/instrumentation/netty41/ChannelFutureListenerInstrumentation.java
+++ b/dd-java-agent/instrumentation/netty-4.1/src/main/java/datadog/trace/instrumentation/netty41/ChannelFutureListenerInstrumentation.java
@@ -62,32 +62,39 @@ public class ChannelFutureListenerInstrumentation extends Instrumenter.Default {
   public static class OperationCompleteAdvice {
     @Advice.OnMethodEnter
     public static TraceScope activateScope(@Advice.Argument(0) final ChannelFuture future) {
+      /*
+      Idea here is:
+       - To return scope only if we have captured it.
+       - To capture scope only in case of error.
+       */
+      final Throwable cause = future.cause();
+      if (cause == null) {
+        return null;
+      }
       final TraceScope.Continuation continuation =
-          future.channel().attr(AttributeKeys.PARENT_CONNECT_CONTINUATION_ATTRIBUTE_KEY).get();
-
+          future
+              .channel()
+              .attr(AttributeKeys.PARENT_CONNECT_CONTINUATION_ATTRIBUTE_KEY)
+              .getAndRemove();
       if (continuation == null) {
         return null;
       }
       final TraceScope scope = continuation.activate();
 
-      final Throwable cause = future.cause();
-      if (cause != null) {
-        final Span errorSpan =
-            GlobalTracer.get()
-                .buildSpan("netty.connect")
-                .withTag(Tags.COMPONENT.getKey(), "netty")
-                .start();
-        Tags.ERROR.set(errorSpan, true);
-        errorSpan.log(Collections.singletonMap(ERROR_OBJECT, cause));
-        errorSpan.finish();
-      }
+      final Span errorSpan =
+          GlobalTracer.get()
+              .buildSpan("netty.connect")
+              .withTag(Tags.COMPONENT.getKey(), "netty")
+              .start();
+      Tags.ERROR.set(errorSpan, true);
+      errorSpan.log(Collections.singletonMap(ERROR_OBJECT, cause));
+      errorSpan.finish();
 
       return scope;
     }
 
     @Advice.OnMethodExit(onThrowable = Throwable.class, suppress = Throwable.class)
-    public static void deactivateScope(
-        @Advice.Enter final TraceScope scope, @Advice.Thrown final Throwable throwable) {
+    public static void deactivateScope(@Advice.Enter final TraceScope scope) {
       if (scope != null) {
         ((Scope) scope).close();
       }
diff --git a/dd-java-agent/instrumentation/netty-4.1/src/main/java/datadog/trace/instrumentation/netty41/NettyChannelPipelineInstrumentation.java b/dd-java-agent/instrumentation/netty-4.1/src/main/java/datadog/trace/instrumentation/netty41/NettyChannelPipelineInstrumentation.java
index 13bc4c0b1c..77d5847652 100644
--- a/dd-java-agent/instrumentation/netty-4.1/src/main/java/datadog/trace/instrumentation/netty41/NettyChannelPipelineInstrumentation.java
+++ b/dd-java-agent/instrumentation/netty-4.1/src/main/java/datadog/trace/instrumentation/netty41/NettyChannelPipelineInstrumentation.java
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import io.netty.handler.codec.http.HttpRequestEncoder;
 import io.netty.handler.codec.http.HttpResponseDecoder;
 import io.netty.handler.codec.http.HttpResponseEncoder;
 import io.netty.handler.codec.http.HttpServerCodec;
+import io.netty.util.Attribute;
 import io.opentracing.Scope;
 import io.opentracing.util.GlobalTracer;
 import java.util.HashMap;
@@ -137,12 +138,15 @@ public class NettyChannelPipelineInstrumentation extends Instrumenter.Default {
     @Advice.OnMethodEnter
     public static void addParentSpan(@Advice.This final ChannelPipeline pipeline) {
       final Scope scope = GlobalTracer.get().scopeManager().active();
-
       if (scope instanceof TraceScope) {
-        pipeline
-            .channel()
-            .attr(AttributeKeys.PARENT_CONNECT_CONTINUATION_ATTRIBUTE_KEY)
-            .set(((TraceScope) scope).capture());
+        final TraceScope.Continuation continuation = ((TraceScope) scope).capture();
+        if (null != continuation) {
+          final Attribute<TraceScope.Continuation> attribute =
+              pipeline.channel().attr(AttributeKeys.PARENT_CONNECT_CONTINUATION_ATTRIBUTE_KEY);
+          if (!attribute.compareAndSet(null, continuation)) {
+            continuation.close();
+          }
+        }
       }
     }
   }
diff --git a/dd-java-agent/instrumentation/netty-4.1/src/main/java/datadog/trace/instrumentation/netty41/client/HttpClientRequestTracingHandler.java b/dd-java-agent/instrumentation/netty-4.1/src/main/java/datadog/trace/instrumentation/netty41/client/HttpClientRequestTracingHandler.java
index 30e6cf3c98..810450922e 100644
--- a/dd-java-agent/instrumentation/netty-4.1/src/main/java/datadog/trace/instrumentation/netty41/client/HttpClientRequestTracingHandler.java
+++ b/dd-java-agent/instrumentation/netty-4.1/src/main/java/datadog/trace/instrumentation/netty41/client/HttpClientRequestTracingHandler.java
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import static io.opentracing.log.Fields.ERROR_OBJECT;
 
 import datadog.trace.api.DDSpanTypes;
 import datadog.trace.api.DDTags;
+import datadog.trace.context.TraceScope;
 import datadog.trace.instrumentation.netty41.AttributeKeys;
 import io.netty.channel.ChannelHandlerContext;
 import io.netty.channel.ChannelOutboundHandlerAdapter;
@@ -25,6 +26,14 @@ public class HttpClientRequestTracingHandler extends ChannelOutboundHandlerAdapt
       ctx.write(msg, prm);
       return;
     }
+
+    TraceScope scope = null;
+    final TraceScope.Continuation continuation =
+        ctx.channel().attr(AttributeKeys.PARENT_CONNECT_CONTINUATION_ATTRIBUTE_KEY).getAndRemove();
+    if (continuation != null) {
+      scope = continuation.activate();
+    }
+
     final HttpRequest request = (HttpRequest) msg;
     final InetSocketAddress remoteAddress = (InetSocketAddress) ctx.channel().remoteAddress();
 
@@ -58,5 +67,9 @@ public class HttpClientRequestTracingHandler extends ChannelOutboundHandlerAdapt
       span.finish(); // Finish the span manually since finishSpanOnClose was false
       throw throwable;
     }
+
+    if (null != scope) {
+      scope.close();
+    }
   }
 }
diff --git a/dd-java-agent/instrumentation/netty-4.1/src/main/java/datadog/trace/instrumentation/netty41/client/HttpClientResponseTracingHandler.java b/dd-java-agent/instrumentation/netty-4.1/src/main/java/datadog/trace/instrumentation/netty41/client/HttpClientResponseTracingHandler.java
index a7e3549ddd..b95dbfaa5b 100644
--- a/dd-java-agent/instrumentation/netty-4.1/src/main/java/datadog/trace/instrumentation/netty41/client/HttpClientResponseTracingHandler.java
+++ b/dd-java-agent/instrumentation/netty-4.1/src/main/java/datadog/trace/instrumentation/netty41/client/HttpClientResponseTracingHandler.java
@@ -41,10 +41,6 @@ public class HttpClientResponseTracingHandler extends ChannelInboundHandlerAdapt
         }
       }
 
-      if (scope instanceof TraceScope) {
-        ((TraceScope) scope).setAsyncPropagation(false);
-      }
-
       if (finishSpan) {
         Tags.HTTP_STATUS.set(span, ((HttpResponse) msg).status().code());
         span.finish(); // Finish the span manually since finishSpanOnClose was false