diff --git a/lib/datadog/ci.rb b/lib/datadog/ci.rb
index 4912cda8..9893cc88 100644
--- a/lib/datadog/ci.rb
+++ b/lib/datadog/ci.rb
@@ -10,10 +10,18 @@ module Datadog
   # @public_api
   module CI
     class << self
+      # Trace a test run
+      # @public_api
       def trace_test(test_name, service_name: nil, operation_name: "test", tags: {}, &block)
         recorder.trace_test(test_name, service_name: service_name, operation_name: operation_name, tags: tags, &block)
       end
 
+      # Start a test run trace.
+      # @public_api
+      def start_test(test_name, service_name: nil, operation_name: "test", tags: {})
+        recorder.trace_test(test_name, service_name: service_name, operation_name: operation_name, tags: tags)
+      end
+
       def trace(span_type, span_name, tags: {}, &block)
         recorder.trace(span_type, span_name, tags: tags, &block)
       end
diff --git a/lib/datadog/ci/contrib/cucumber/formatter.rb b/lib/datadog/ci/contrib/cucumber/formatter.rb
index 01d0b5ba..634de76b 100644
--- a/lib/datadog/ci/contrib/cucumber/formatter.rb
+++ b/lib/datadog/ci/contrib/cucumber/formatter.rb
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ def bind_events(config)
           end
 
           def on_test_case_started(event)
-            @current_feature_span = CI.trace_test(
+            @current_feature_span = CI.start_test(
               event.test_case.name,
               tags: {
                 CI::Ext::Test::TAG_FRAMEWORK => Ext::FRAMEWORK,
diff --git a/lib/datadog/ci/contrib/minitest/hooks.rb b/lib/datadog/ci/contrib/minitest/hooks.rb
index 0ec5be15..a49ef648 100644
--- a/lib/datadog/ci/contrib/minitest/hooks.rb
+++ b/lib/datadog/ci/contrib/minitest/hooks.rb
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ def before_setup
             path, = method(name).source_location
             test_suite = Pathname.new(path.to_s).relative_path_from(Pathname.pwd).to_s
 
-            test_span = CI.trace_test(
+            test_span = CI.start_test(
               test_name,
               tags: {
                 CI::Ext::Test::TAG_FRAMEWORK => Ext::FRAMEWORK,
diff --git a/sig/datadog/ci.rbs b/sig/datadog/ci.rbs
index 18f8f592..560eea99 100644
--- a/sig/datadog/ci.rbs
+++ b/sig/datadog/ci.rbs
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ module Datadog
   module CI
     def self.trace_test: (String span_name, ?service_name: String?, ?operation_name: String, ?tags: Hash[untyped, untyped]) ?{ (Datadog::CI::Span span) -> untyped } -> untyped
 
+    def self.start_test: (String span_name, ?service_name: String?, ?operation_name: String, ?tags: Hash[untyped, untyped]) -> Datadog::CI::Span
+
     def self.trace: (String span_type, String span_name, ?tags: Hash[untyped, untyped]) ?{ (Datadog::CI::Span span) -> untyped } -> untyped
 
     def self.components: () -> Datadog::CI::Configuration::Components
diff --git a/spec/datadog/ci_spec.rb b/spec/datadog/ci_spec.rb
index cf944c99..c298f55e 100644
--- a/spec/datadog/ci_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/datadog/ci_spec.rb
@@ -24,6 +24,30 @@
     it { is_expected.to be(ci_test) }
   end
 
+  describe "#start_test" do
+    subject(:start_test) { described_class.start_test(test_name, **options) }
+
+    let(:test_name) { "test name" }
+    let(:options) do
+      {
+        service_name: "my-serivce",
+        operation_name: "rspec.example",
+        tags: {"foo" => "bar"}
+      }
+    end
+
+    let(:recorder) { instance_double(Datadog::CI::Recorder) }
+    let(:ci_test) { instance_double(Datadog::CI::Span) }
+
+    before do
+      allow(Datadog::CI).to receive(:recorder).and_return(recorder)
+
+      allow(recorder).to receive(:trace_test).with(test_name, **options).and_return(ci_test)
+    end
+
+    it { is_expected.to be(ci_test) }
+  end
+
   describe "::trace" do
     subject(:trace) { described_class.trace(span_type, span_name, **options, &block) }