diff --git a/apisix/plugins/zipkin.lua b/apisix/plugins/zipkin.lua
index efebd5115035..0b9efa8f2732 100644
--- a/apisix/plugins/zipkin.lua
+++ b/apisix/plugins/zipkin.lua
@@ -283,6 +283,15 @@ end
 
 
 function _M.log(conf, ctx)
+    if ctx.zipkin then
+        core.tablepool.release("zipkin_ctx", ctx.zipkin)
+        ctx.zipkin = nil
+    end
+
+    if not ctx.opentracing_sample then
+        return
+    end
+
     local opentracing = ctx.opentracing
 
     local log_end_time = opentracing.tracer:time()
@@ -302,11 +311,6 @@ function _M.log(conf, ctx)
     opentracing.request_span:set_tag("http.status_code", upstream_status)
 
     opentracing.request_span:finish(log_end_time)
-
-    if ctx.zipkin then
-        core.tablepool.release("zipkin_ctx", ctx.zipkin)
-        ctx.zipkin = nil
-    end
 end
 
 return _M
diff --git a/t/plugin/zipkin.t b/t/plugin/zipkin.t
index 39f7884d39e0..a227f35c9e36 100644
--- a/t/plugin/zipkin.t
+++ b/t/plugin/zipkin.t
@@ -467,3 +467,18 @@ GET /t
 --- response_body
 1
 0
+
+
+
+=== TEST 23: no error in log phase while b3 header invalid
+--- request
+GET /echo
+--- more_headers
+b3: 80f198ee56343ba864fe8b2a57d3eff7
+--- response_headers
+x-b3-sampled:
+--- error_code: 400
+--- error_log
+invalid b3 header
+--- no_error_log
+attempt to index local 'opentracing' (a nil value)