diff --git a/baseplate/__init__.py b/baseplate/__init__.py
index 4fe8ccbac..1230fb160 100644
--- a/baseplate/__init__.py
+++ b/baseplate/__init__.py
@@ -124,8 +124,9 @@ def new(cls) -> "TraceInfo":
         with any upstream requests.
 
         """
-        trace_id = str(random.getrandbits(64))
-        return cls(trace_id=trace_id, parent_id=None, span_id=trace_id, sampled=None, flags=None)
+        trace_id = "{0:0{1}x}".format(random.getrandbits(128), 32)
+        span_id = "{0:0{1}x}".format(random.getrandbits(64), 16)
+        return cls(trace_id=trace_id, parent_id=None, span_id=span_id, sampled=None, flags=None)
 
     @classmethod
     def from_upstream(
diff --git a/baseplate/observers/tracing.py b/baseplate/observers/tracing.py
index 7a3021270..594c18530 100644
--- a/baseplate/observers/tracing.py
+++ b/baseplate/observers/tracing.py
@@ -279,7 +279,9 @@ def _to_span_obj(
             "binaryAnnotations": binary_annotations,
         }
 
-        span["parentId"] = self.span.parent_id or 0
+        if self.span.parent_id:
+            span["parentId"] = self.span.parent_id
+
         return span
 
     def _serialize(self) -> Dict[str, Any]: