diff --git a/changelog.d/6108.misc b/changelog.d/6108.misc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6c3f9460e9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/6108.misc
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Remove `get_user_by_req` opentracing span and add some tags.
diff --git a/synapse/api/auth.py b/synapse/api/auth.py
index 9e445cd808..cb50579fd2 100644
--- a/synapse/api/auth.py
+++ b/synapse/api/auth.py
@@ -179,7 +179,6 @@ class Auth(object):
     def get_public_keys(self, invite_event):
         return event_auth.get_public_keys(invite_event)
 
-    @opentracing.trace
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def get_user_by_req(
         self, request, allow_guest=False, rights="access", allow_expired=False
@@ -212,6 +211,7 @@ class Auth(object):
             if user_id:
                 request.authenticated_entity = user_id
                 opentracing.set_tag("authenticated_entity", user_id)
+                opentracing.set_tag("appservice_id", app_service.id)
 
                 if ip_addr and self.hs.config.track_appservice_user_ips:
                     yield self.store.insert_client_ip(
@@ -263,6 +263,8 @@ class Auth(object):
 
             request.authenticated_entity = user.to_string()
             opentracing.set_tag("authenticated_entity", user.to_string())
+            if device_id:
+                opentracing.set_tag("device_id", device_id)
 
             return synapse.types.create_requester(
                 user, token_id, is_guest, device_id, app_service=app_service
diff --git a/synapse/rest/client/v1/room.py b/synapse/rest/client/v1/room.py
index a6a7b3b57e..6bf924dedc 100644
--- a/synapse/rest/client/v1/room.py
+++ b/synapse/rest/client/v1/room.py
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ from synapse.http.servlet import (
     parse_json_object_from_request,
     parse_string,
 )
+from synapse.logging.opentracing import set_tag
 from synapse.rest.client.transactions import HttpTransactionCache
 from synapse.rest.client.v2_alpha._base import client_patterns
 from synapse.storage.state import StateFilter
@@ -81,6 +82,7 @@ class RoomCreateRestServlet(TransactionRestServlet):
         )
 
     def on_PUT(self, request, txn_id):
+        set_tag("txn_id", txn_id)
         return self.txns.fetch_or_execute_request(request, self.on_POST, request)
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
@@ -181,6 +183,9 @@ class RoomStateEventRestServlet(TransactionRestServlet):
     def on_PUT(self, request, room_id, event_type, state_key, txn_id=None):
         requester = yield self.auth.get_user_by_req(request)
 
+        if txn_id:
+            set_tag("txn_id", txn_id)
+
         content = parse_json_object_from_request(request)
 
         event_dict = {
@@ -209,6 +214,7 @@ class RoomStateEventRestServlet(TransactionRestServlet):
 
         ret = {}
         if event:
+            set_tag("event_id", event.event_id)
             ret = {"event_id": event.event_id}
         return 200, ret
 
@@ -244,12 +250,15 @@ class RoomSendEventRestServlet(TransactionRestServlet):
             requester, event_dict, txn_id=txn_id
         )
 
+        set_tag("event_id", event.event_id)
         return 200, {"event_id": event.event_id}
 
     def on_GET(self, request, room_id, event_type, txn_id):
         return 200, "Not implemented"
 
     def on_PUT(self, request, room_id, event_type, txn_id):
+        set_tag("txn_id", txn_id)
+
         return self.txns.fetch_or_execute_request(
             request, self.on_POST, request, room_id, event_type, txn_id
         )
@@ -310,6 +319,8 @@ class JoinRoomAliasServlet(TransactionRestServlet):
         return 200, {"room_id": room_id}
 
     def on_PUT(self, request, room_identifier, txn_id):
+        set_tag("txn_id", txn_id)
+
         return self.txns.fetch_or_execute_request(
             request, self.on_POST, request, room_identifier, txn_id
         )
@@ -655,6 +666,8 @@ class RoomForgetRestServlet(TransactionRestServlet):
         return 200, {}
 
     def on_PUT(self, request, room_id, txn_id):
+        set_tag("txn_id", txn_id)
+
         return self.txns.fetch_or_execute_request(
             request, self.on_POST, request, room_id, txn_id
         )
@@ -738,6 +751,8 @@ class RoomMembershipRestServlet(TransactionRestServlet):
         return True
 
     def on_PUT(self, request, room_id, membership_action, txn_id):
+        set_tag("txn_id", txn_id)
+
         return self.txns.fetch_or_execute_request(
             request, self.on_POST, request, room_id, membership_action, txn_id
         )
@@ -771,9 +786,12 @@ class RoomRedactEventRestServlet(TransactionRestServlet):
             txn_id=txn_id,
         )
 
+        set_tag("event_id", event.event_id)
         return 200, {"event_id": event.event_id}
 
     def on_PUT(self, request, room_id, event_id, txn_id):
+        set_tag("txn_id", txn_id)
+
         return self.txns.fetch_or_execute_request(
             request, self.on_POST, request, room_id, event_id, txn_id
         )