diff --git a/synapse/util/logcontext.py b/synapse/util/logcontext.py
index 62ffc36f60..e40e2825e0 100644
--- a/synapse/util/logcontext.py
+++ b/synapse/util/logcontext.py
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ class LoggingContext(object):
         "usage_start",
         "main_thread", "alive",
         "request", "tag",
-        "active_scope"
+        "scope"
     ]
 
     thread_local = threading.local()
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ class LoggingContext(object):
         self.request = None
         self.tag = ""
         self.alive = True
-        self.active_scope = None
+        self.scope = None
 
         self.parent_context = parent_context
 
@@ -304,8 +304,8 @@ class LoggingContext(object):
         # we track the current request
         record.request = self.request
 
-        # we also track the current active_scope:
-        record.active_scope = self.active_scope
+        # we also track the current scope:
+        record.scope = self.scope
 
     def start(self):
         if threading.current_thread() is not self.main_thread:
diff --git a/synapse/util/scopecontextmanager.py b/synapse/util/scopecontextmanager.py
index 370210eb44..2b5b491f30 100644
--- a/synapse/util/scopecontextmanager.py
+++ b/synapse/util/scopecontextmanager.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-from .logcontext import LoggingContext
+from .logcontext import LoggingContext, nested_logging_context
 from opentracing import ScopeManager, Scope
 import logging
 
@@ -29,10 +29,10 @@ class LogContextScopeManager(ScopeManager):
             available.
         """
         ctx = LoggingContext.current_context()
-        if ctx is LoggingContext.sentinel or ctx.active_scope is None:
+        if ctx is LoggingContext.sentinel:
             return None
         else:
-            return ctx.active_scope
+            return ctx.scope
 
     def activate(self, span, finish_on_close):
         """
@@ -47,23 +47,20 @@ class LogContextScopeManager(ScopeManager):
             *span*. It is a programming error to neglect to call
             Scope.close() on the returned instance.
         """
-        logger.info("activating scope")
+
+        enter_logcontext = False
         ctx = LoggingContext.current_context()
         if ctx is LoggingContext.sentinel:
             # We don't want this scope to affect.
             logger.warning("Tried to activate scope outside of loggingcontext")
             return Scope(None, span)
-
-        scope = _LogContextScope(self, span, finish_on_close)
-        self._set_logcontext_scope(scope, ctx)
+        elif ctx.scope is not None:
+            ctx = nested_logging_context("scope")
+            enter_logcontext = True
+        scope = _LogContextScope(self, span, ctx, enter_logcontext, finish_on_close)
+        ctx.scope = scope
         return scope
 
-    def _set_logcontext_scope(self, scope, ctx=None):
-        if ctx is None:
-            ctx = LoggingContext.current_context()
-
-        ctx.active_scope = scope
-
     def request_from_whitelisted_homeserver(self, request):
         pass
 
@@ -71,17 +68,25 @@ class LogContextScopeManager(ScopeManager):
         pass
 
 class _LogContextScope(Scope):
-    def __init__(self, manager, span, finish_on_close):
+    def __init__(self, manager, span, logcontext, enter_logcontext, finish_on_close):
         super(_LogContextScope, self).__init__(manager, span)
+        self.logcontext = logcontext
         self._finish_on_close = finish_on_close
-        self._to_restore = manager.active
+        self._enter_logcontext = enter_logcontext
+
+    def __enter__(self):
+        if self._enter_logcontext:
+            self.logcontext.__enter__()
+
+    def __exit__(self, type, value, traceback):
+        super(_LogContextScope, self).__exit__(type, value, traceback)
+        if self._enter_logcontext:
+            self.logcontext.__exit__(type, value, traceback)
 
     def close(self):
         if self.manager.active is not self:
             logger.warning("Tried to close a none active scope!")
             return
 
-        self.manager._set_logcontext_scope(self._to_restore)
-
         if self._finish_on_close:
             self.span.finish()
\ No newline at end of file