diff --git a/plugins/node/opentelemetry-instrumentation-mongodb/README.md b/plugins/node/opentelemetry-instrumentation-mongodb/README.md
index ca43f4e3bd..2aba6a5bd6 100644
--- a/plugins/node/opentelemetry-instrumentation-mongodb/README.md
+++ b/plugins/node/opentelemetry-instrumentation-mongodb/README.md
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ Mongodb instrumentation has few options available to choose from. You can set th
 | [`enhancedDatabaseReporting`](./src/types.ts#L32) | `string` | If true, additional information about query parameters and results will be attached (as `attributes`) to spans representing database operations |
 | `responseHook` | `MongoDBInstrumentationExecutionResponseHook` (function) | Function for adding custom attributes from db response |
 | `dbStatementSerializer` | `DbStatementSerializer` (function) | Custom serializer function for the db.statement tag |
+| `requireParentSpan` | `boolean` | Require a parent span in order to create mongodb spans, default when unset is `true` |
 
 ## Semantic Conventions
 
diff --git a/plugins/node/opentelemetry-instrumentation-mongodb/src/instrumentation.ts b/plugins/node/opentelemetry-instrumentation-mongodb/src/instrumentation.ts
index caaff5c550..b627a3d0be 100644
--- a/plugins/node/opentelemetry-instrumentation-mongodb/src/instrumentation.ts
+++ b/plugins/node/opentelemetry-instrumentation-mongodb/src/instrumentation.ts
@@ -55,13 +55,21 @@ import { V4Connect, V4Session } from './internal-types';
 import { PACKAGE_NAME, PACKAGE_VERSION } from './version';
 import { UpDownCounter } from '@opentelemetry/api';
 
+const DEFAULT_CONFIG: MongoDBInstrumentationConfig = {
+  requireParentSpan: true,
+};
+
 /** mongodb instrumentation plugin for OpenTelemetry */
 export class MongoDBInstrumentation extends InstrumentationBase<MongoDBInstrumentationConfig> {
   private _connectionsUsage!: UpDownCounter;
   private _poolName!: string;
 
   constructor(config: MongoDBInstrumentationConfig = {}) {
-    super(PACKAGE_NAME, PACKAGE_VERSION, config);
+    super(PACKAGE_NAME, PACKAGE_VERSION, { ...DEFAULT_CONFIG, ...config });
+  }
+
+  override setConfig(config: MongoDBInstrumentationConfig = {}) {
+    super.setConfig({ ...DEFAULT_CONFIG, ...config });
   }
 
   override _updateMetricInstruments() {
@@ -438,10 +446,13 @@ export class MongoDBInstrumentation extends InstrumentationBase<MongoDBInstrumen
         callback?: Function
       ) {
         const currentSpan = trace.getSpan(context.active());
+        const skipInstrumentation =
+          instrumentation._checkSkipInstrumentation(currentSpan);
+
         const resultHandler =
           typeof options === 'function' ? options : callback;
         if (
-          !currentSpan ||
+          skipInstrumentation ||
           typeof resultHandler !== 'function' ||
           typeof ops !== 'object'
         ) {
@@ -451,6 +462,7 @@ export class MongoDBInstrumentation extends InstrumentationBase<MongoDBInstrumen
             return original.call(this, server, ns, ops, options, callback);
           }
         }
+
         const span = instrumentation.tracer.startSpan(
           `mongodb.${operationName}`,
           {
@@ -490,10 +502,14 @@ export class MongoDBInstrumentation extends InstrumentationBase<MongoDBInstrumen
         callback?: Function
       ) {
         const currentSpan = trace.getSpan(context.active());
+        const skipInstrumentation =
+          instrumentation._checkSkipInstrumentation(currentSpan);
+
         const resultHandler =
           typeof options === 'function' ? options : callback;
+
         if (
-          !currentSpan ||
+          skipInstrumentation ||
           typeof resultHandler !== 'function' ||
           typeof cmd !== 'object'
         ) {
@@ -503,6 +519,7 @@ export class MongoDBInstrumentation extends InstrumentationBase<MongoDBInstrumen
             return original.call(this, server, ns, cmd, options, callback);
           }
         }
+
         const commandType = MongoDBInstrumentation._getCommandType(cmd);
         const type =
           commandType === MongodbCommandType.UNKNOWN ? 'command' : commandType;
@@ -535,20 +552,17 @@ export class MongoDBInstrumentation extends InstrumentationBase<MongoDBInstrumen
         callback: any
       ) {
         const currentSpan = trace.getSpan(context.active());
+        const skipInstrumentation =
+          instrumentation._checkSkipInstrumentation(currentSpan);
         const resultHandler = callback;
         const commandType = Object.keys(cmd)[0];
 
-        if (
-          typeof resultHandler !== 'function' ||
-          typeof cmd !== 'object' ||
-          cmd.ismaster ||
-          cmd.hello
-        ) {
+        if (typeof cmd !== 'object' || cmd.ismaster || cmd.hello) {
           return original.call(this, ns, cmd, options, callback);
         }
 
         let span = undefined;
-        if (currentSpan) {
+        if (!skipInstrumentation) {
           span = instrumentation.tracer.startSpan(`mongodb.${commandType}`, {
             kind: SpanKind.CLIENT,
           });
@@ -581,6 +595,9 @@ export class MongoDBInstrumentation extends InstrumentationBase<MongoDBInstrumen
       ) {
         const [ns, cmd] = args;
         const currentSpan = trace.getSpan(context.active());
+        const skipInstrumentation =
+          instrumentation._checkSkipInstrumentation(currentSpan);
+
         const commandType = Object.keys(cmd)[0];
         const resultHandler = () => undefined;
 
@@ -589,7 +606,7 @@ export class MongoDBInstrumentation extends InstrumentationBase<MongoDBInstrumen
         }
 
         let span = undefined;
-        if (currentSpan) {
+        if (!skipInstrumentation) {
           span = instrumentation.tracer.startSpan(`mongodb.${commandType}`, {
             kind: SpanKind.CLIENT,
           });
@@ -634,10 +651,13 @@ export class MongoDBInstrumentation extends InstrumentationBase<MongoDBInstrumen
         callback?: Function
       ) {
         const currentSpan = trace.getSpan(context.active());
+        const skipInstrumentation =
+          instrumentation._checkSkipInstrumentation(currentSpan);
         const resultHandler =
           typeof options === 'function' ? options : callback;
+
         if (
-          !currentSpan ||
+          skipInstrumentation ||
           typeof resultHandler !== 'function' ||
           typeof cmd !== 'object'
         ) {
@@ -655,6 +675,7 @@ export class MongoDBInstrumentation extends InstrumentationBase<MongoDBInstrumen
             );
           }
         }
+
         const span = instrumentation.tracer.startSpan('mongodb.find', {
           kind: SpanKind.CLIENT,
         });
@@ -699,9 +720,13 @@ export class MongoDBInstrumentation extends InstrumentationBase<MongoDBInstrumen
         callback?: Function
       ) {
         const currentSpan = trace.getSpan(context.active());
+        const skipInstrumentation =
+          instrumentation._checkSkipInstrumentation(currentSpan);
+
         const resultHandler =
           typeof options === 'function' ? options : callback;
-        if (!currentSpan || typeof resultHandler !== 'function') {
+
+        if (skipInstrumentation || typeof resultHandler !== 'function') {
           if (typeof options === 'function') {
             return original.call(
               this,
@@ -723,6 +748,7 @@ export class MongoDBInstrumentation extends InstrumentationBase<MongoDBInstrumen
             );
           }
         }
+
         const span = instrumentation.tracer.startSpan('mongodb.getMore', {
           kind: SpanKind.CLIENT,
         });
@@ -1021,4 +1047,10 @@ export class MongoDBInstrumentation extends InstrumentationBase<MongoDBInstrumen
     const poolName = `mongodb://${host}:${port}/${database}`;
     this._poolName = poolName;
   }
+
+  private _checkSkipInstrumentation(currentSpan: Span | undefined) {
+    const requireParentSpan = this.getConfig().requireParentSpan;
+    const hasNoParentSpan = currentSpan === undefined;
+    return requireParentSpan === true && hasNoParentSpan;
+  }
 }
diff --git a/plugins/node/opentelemetry-instrumentation-mongodb/src/types.ts b/plugins/node/opentelemetry-instrumentation-mongodb/src/types.ts
index e2da034215..da7decf0e5 100644
--- a/plugins/node/opentelemetry-instrumentation-mongodb/src/types.ts
+++ b/plugins/node/opentelemetry-instrumentation-mongodb/src/types.ts
@@ -49,6 +49,11 @@ export interface MongoDBInstrumentationConfig extends InstrumentationConfig {
    * Custom serializer function for the db.statement tag
    */
   dbStatementSerializer?: DbStatementSerializer;
+
+  /**
+   * Require parent to create mongodb span, default when unset is true
+   */
+  requireParentSpan?: boolean;
 }
 
 export interface MongoResponseHookInformation {
diff --git a/plugins/node/opentelemetry-instrumentation-mongodb/test/mongodb-v3.test.ts b/plugins/node/opentelemetry-instrumentation-mongodb/test/mongodb-v3.test.ts
index 4a3bd9a6e0..3f6ee8e44c 100644
--- a/plugins/node/opentelemetry-instrumentation-mongodb/test/mongodb-v3.test.ts
+++ b/plugins/node/opentelemetry-instrumentation-mongodb/test/mongodb-v3.test.ts
@@ -669,6 +669,49 @@ describe('MongoDBInstrumentation-Tracing-v3', () => {
     });
   });
 
+  describe('requireParentSpan', () => {
+    // Resetting the behavior to default to avoid flakes in other tests
+    beforeEach(() => {
+      instrumentation.setConfig();
+    });
+
+    afterEach(() => {
+      instrumentation.setConfig();
+    });
+
+    it('should not create spans without parent span when requireParentSpan is explicitly set to true', done => {
+      context.with(trace.deleteSpan(context.active()), () => {
+        collection
+          .insertOne({ a: 1 })
+          .then(() => {
+            assert.strictEqual(getTestSpans().length, 0);
+            done();
+          })
+          .catch(err => {
+            done(err);
+          });
+      });
+    });
+
+    it('should create spans without parent span when requireParentSpan is false', done => {
+      instrumentation.setConfig({
+        requireParentSpan: false,
+      });
+
+      context.with(trace.deleteSpan(context.active()), () => {
+        collection
+          .insertOne({ a: 1 })
+          .then(() => {
+            assert.strictEqual(getTestSpans().length, 1);
+            done();
+          })
+          .catch(err => {
+            done(err);
+          });
+      });
+    });
+  });
+
   /** Should intercept command */
   describe('Removing Instrumentation', () => {
     it('should unpatch plugin', () => {
diff --git a/plugins/node/opentelemetry-instrumentation-mongodb/test/mongodb-v4.test.ts b/plugins/node/opentelemetry-instrumentation-mongodb/test/mongodb-v4.test.ts
index febd901776..eec56fe5f4 100644
--- a/plugins/node/opentelemetry-instrumentation-mongodb/test/mongodb-v4.test.ts
+++ b/plugins/node/opentelemetry-instrumentation-mongodb/test/mongodb-v4.test.ts
@@ -639,6 +639,49 @@ describe('MongoDBInstrumentation-Tracing-v4', () => {
     });
   });
 
+  describe('requireParentSpan', () => {
+    // Resetting the behavior to default to avoid flakes in other tests
+    beforeEach(() => {
+      instrumentation.setConfig();
+    });
+
+    afterEach(() => {
+      instrumentation.setConfig();
+    });
+
+    it('should not create spans without parent span when requireParentSpan is explicitly set to true', done => {
+      context.with(trace.deleteSpan(context.active()), () => {
+        collection
+          .insertOne({ a: 1 })
+          .then(() => {
+            assert.strictEqual(getTestSpans().length, 0);
+            done();
+          })
+          .catch(err => {
+            done(err);
+          });
+      });
+    });
+
+    it('should create spans without parent span when requireParentSpan is false', done => {
+      instrumentation.setConfig({
+        requireParentSpan: false,
+      });
+
+      context.with(trace.deleteSpan(context.active()), () => {
+        collection
+          .insertOne({ a: 1 })
+          .then(() => {
+            assert.strictEqual(getTestSpans().length, 1);
+            done();
+          })
+          .catch(err => {
+            done(err);
+          });
+      });
+    });
+  });
+
   /** Should intercept command */
   describe('Removing Instrumentation', () => {
     it('should unpatch plugin', () => {
diff --git a/plugins/node/opentelemetry-instrumentation-mongodb/test/mongodb-v5-v6.test.ts b/plugins/node/opentelemetry-instrumentation-mongodb/test/mongodb-v5-v6.test.ts
index debe84dbdc..33ae1e1e5c 100644
--- a/plugins/node/opentelemetry-instrumentation-mongodb/test/mongodb-v5-v6.test.ts
+++ b/plugins/node/opentelemetry-instrumentation-mongodb/test/mongodb-v5-v6.test.ts
@@ -652,6 +652,49 @@ describe('MongoDBInstrumentation-Tracing-v5', () => {
     });
   });
 
+  describe('requireParentSpan', () => {
+    // Resetting the behavior to default to avoid flakes in other tests
+    beforeEach(() => {
+      instrumentation.setConfig();
+    });
+
+    afterEach(() => {
+      instrumentation.setConfig();
+    });
+
+    it('should not create spans without parent span when requireParentSpan is explicitly set to true', done => {
+      context.with(trace.deleteSpan(context.active()), () => {
+        collection
+          .insertOne({ a: 1 })
+          .then(() => {
+            assert.strictEqual(getTestSpans().length, 0);
+            done();
+          })
+          .catch(err => {
+            done(err);
+          });
+      });
+    });
+
+    it('should create spans without parent span when requireParentSpan is false', done => {
+      instrumentation.setConfig({
+        requireParentSpan: false,
+      });
+
+      context.with(trace.deleteSpan(context.active()), () => {
+        collection
+          .insertOne({ a: 1 })
+          .then(() => {
+            assert.strictEqual(getTestSpans().length, 1);
+            done();
+          })
+          .catch(err => {
+            done(err);
+          });
+      });
+    });
+  });
+
   /** Should intercept command */
   describe('Removing Instrumentation', () => {
     it('should unpatch plugin', () => {