diff --git a/sdk/include/opentelemetry/sdk/trace/sampler.h b/sdk/include/opentelemetry/sdk/trace/sampler.h
index 452ba924b4..799d490e8b 100644
--- a/sdk/include/opentelemetry/sdk/trace/sampler.h
+++ b/sdk/include/opentelemetry/sdk/trace/sampler.h
@@ -45,6 +45,12 @@ struct SamplingResult
   std::unique_ptr<const std::map<std::string, opentelemetry::common::AttributeValue>> attributes;
   //  The tracestate used by the span.
   nostd::shared_ptr<opentelemetry::trace::TraceState> trace_state;
+
+  inline bool IsRecording()
+  {
+    return decision == Decision::RECORD_ONLY || decision == Decision::RECORD_AND_SAMPLE;
+  }
+  inline bool IsSampled() { return decision == Decision::RECORD_AND_SAMPLE; }
 };
 
 /**
diff --git a/sdk/src/trace/tracer.cc b/sdk/src/trace/tracer.cc
index be5e5f7d96..370eda49cb 100644
--- a/sdk/src/trace/tracer.cc
+++ b/sdk/src/trace/tracer.cc
@@ -64,9 +64,9 @@ nostd::shared_ptr<trace_api::Span> Tracer::StartSpan(
 
   auto sampling_result = context_->GetSampler().ShouldSample(parent_context, trace_id, name,
                                                              options.kind, attributes, links);
-  auto trace_flags     = sampling_result.decision == Decision::DROP
-                         ? trace_api::TraceFlags{}
-                         : trace_api::TraceFlags{trace_api::TraceFlags::kIsSampled};
+  auto trace_flags     = sampling_result.IsSampled()
+                         ? trace_api::TraceFlags{trace_api::TraceFlags::kIsSampled}
+                         : trace_api::TraceFlags{};
 
   auto span_context = std::unique_ptr<trace_api::SpanContext>(new trace_api::SpanContext(
       trace_id, span_id, trace_flags, false,
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ nostd::shared_ptr<trace_api::Span> Tracer::StartSpan(
                                   : is_parent_span_valid ? parent_context.trace_state()
                                                          : trace_api::TraceState::GetDefault()));
 
-  if (sampling_result.decision == Decision::DROP)
+  if (!sampling_result.IsRecording())
   {
     // create no-op span with valid span-context.