diff --git a/metaflow/mflog/save_logs_periodically.py b/metaflow/mflog/save_logs_periodically.py
index 359963cca7f..51d3444d85f 100644
--- a/metaflow/mflog/save_logs_periodically.py
+++ b/metaflow/mflog/save_logs_periodically.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 from threading import Thread
 
 from metaflow.sidecar import MessageTypes
+from metaflow.tracing import traced
 from metaflow.util import to_unicode
 from . import update_delay, BASH_SAVE_LOGS_ARGS, TASK_LOG_SOURCE
 from .mflog import decorate
@@ -109,8 +110,31 @@ def _file_size(path):
                             "current_size=%d delta=%d elapsed_seconds=%.3f"
                             % (path, previous, current, current - previous, elapsed),
                         )
+                
+                upload_start_time = time.time()
+                returncode = None
+                exception = None
                 try:
-                    self._call_save_logs()
-                except:
+                    returncode = self._call_save_logs()
+                except Exception as e:
+                    exception = e
+                
+                upload_elapsed = time.time() - upload_start_time
+                total_bytes = sum(new_sizes)
+                attrs = {
+                    "elapsed_seconds": "%.3f" % upload_elapsed,
+                    "total_bytes": str(total_bytes),
+                    "files_changed": str(len([s for s, ps in zip(new_sizes, previous_sizes) if s != ps])),
+                }
+                if returncode is not None:
+                    attrs["returncode"] = str(returncode)
+                    attrs["success"] = str(returncode == 0)
+                if exception is not None:
+                    attrs["exception"] = str(type(exception).__name__)
+                
+                with traced("save_logs_periodically.upload", attrs=attrs):
+                    pass
+                
+                if exception is not None:
                     pass
             time.sleep(update_delay(time.time() - start_time))
diff --git a/test/unit/test_save_logs_periodically.py b/test/unit/test_save_logs_periodically.py
index d299b2e77f1..7ed0c53d9a3 100644
--- a/test/unit/test_save_logs_periodically.py
+++ b/test/unit/test_save_logs_periodically.py
@@ -271,3 +271,66 @@ def test_call_save_logs_confirms_absence_of_logs_when_child_crashes(
     assert returncode == -9
     assert _read_uploader_messages(uploader_log) == []
     process.communicate.assert_called_once_with()
+
+
+def test_tracing_does_not_interfere_when_disabled(monkeypatch, mocker, tmp_path):
+    """Verify tracing is opt-in and doesn't affect normal upload when tracing is disabled."""
+    stdout = tmp_path / "stdout"
+    stderr = tmp_path / "stderr"
+    stdout.write_bytes(b"out\n")
+    stderr.write_bytes(b"err\n")
+    monkeypatch.setenv("MFLOG_STDOUT", str(stdout))
+    monkeypatch.setenv("MFLOG_STDERR", str(stderr))
+    monkeypatch.setenv("DISABLE_TRACING", "1")
+    sidecar = _new_sidecar(False)
+    sidecar.is_alive = True
+    mocker.patch(
+        "metaflow.mflog.save_logs_periodically.time.sleep",
+        side_effect=lambda _: setattr(sidecar, "is_alive", False),
+    )
+    mocker.patch("metaflow.mflog.save_logs_periodically.time.time", return_value=100)
+    call_mock = mocker.patch(
+        "metaflow.mflog.save_logs_periodically.subprocess.call",
+        return_value=0,
+    )
+
+    sidecar._update_loop()
+
+    call_mock.assert_called_once()
+
+
+def test_tracing_records_upload_attributes_when_enabled(monkeypatch, mocker, tmp_path):
+    """Verify tracing captures upload attributes when tracing is enabled."""
+    stdout = tmp_path / "stdout"
+    stderr = tmp_path / "stderr"
+    stdout.write_bytes(b"out\n")
+    stderr.write_bytes(b"err\n")
+    monkeypatch.setenv("MFLOG_STDOUT", str(stdout))
+    monkeypatch.setenv("MFLOG_STDERR", str(stderr))
+    monkeypatch.delenv("DISABLE_TRACING", raising=False)
+    monkeypatch.setenv("OTEL_ENDPOINT", "http://localhost:4318")
+    sidecar = _new_sidecar(False)
+    sidecar.is_alive = True
+    mocker.patch(
+        "metaflow.mflog.save_logs_periodically.time.sleep",
+        side_effect=lambda _: setattr(sidecar, "is_alive", False),
+    )
+    mocker.patch("metaflow.mflog.save_logs_periodically.time.time", return_value=100)
+    call_mock = mocker.patch(
+        "metaflow.mflog.save_logs_periodically.subprocess.call",
+        return_value=0,
+    )
+    traced_mock = mocker.patch("metaflow.mflog.save_logs_periodically.traced")
+
+    sidecar._update_loop()
+
+    call_mock.assert_called_once()
+    traced_mock.assert_called_once()
+    call_args = traced_mock.call_args
+    assert call_args[0][0] == "save_logs_periodically.upload"
+    attrs = call_args[1]["attrs"]
+    assert "elapsed_seconds" in attrs
+    assert "total_bytes" in attrs
+    assert "files_changed" in attrs
+    assert "returncode" in attrs
+    assert "success" in attrs