diff --git a/spring-cloud-sleuth-api/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/sleuth/TraceContext.java b/spring-cloud-sleuth-api/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/sleuth/TraceContext.java
index 788d73f78..ad1025434 100644
--- a/spring-cloud-sleuth-api/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/sleuth/TraceContext.java
+++ b/spring-cloud-sleuth-api/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/sleuth/TraceContext.java
@@ -46,8 +46,8 @@ public interface TraceContext {
 	String spanId();
 
 	/**
-	 * @return {@code true} when sampled
+	 * @return {@code true} when sampled, {@code false} when not sampled and {@code null} when sampling decision should be deferred
 	 */
-	boolean isSampled();
+	Boolean isSampled();
 
 }
diff --git a/spring-cloud-sleuth-autoconfigure/src/test/java/org/springframework/cloud/sleuth/autoconfig/NoOpTraceContext.java b/spring-cloud-sleuth-autoconfigure/src/test/java/org/springframework/cloud/sleuth/autoconfig/NoOpTraceContext.java
index d52136e44..3b6c45bb3 100644
--- a/spring-cloud-sleuth-autoconfigure/src/test/java/org/springframework/cloud/sleuth/autoconfig/NoOpTraceContext.java
+++ b/spring-cloud-sleuth-autoconfigure/src/test/java/org/springframework/cloud/sleuth/autoconfig/NoOpTraceContext.java
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ class NoOpTraceContext implements TraceContext {
 	}
 
 	@Override
-	public boolean isSampled() {
+	public Boolean isSampled() {
 		return false;
 	}
 
diff --git a/spring-cloud-sleuth-brave/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/sleuth/brave/bridge/BraveTraceContext.java b/spring-cloud-sleuth-brave/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/sleuth/brave/bridge/BraveTraceContext.java
index 41878fdfe..cebdcf851 100644
--- a/spring-cloud-sleuth-brave/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/sleuth/brave/bridge/BraveTraceContext.java
+++ b/spring-cloud-sleuth-brave/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/sleuth/brave/bridge/BraveTraceContext.java
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ class BraveTraceContext implements TraceContext {
 	}
 
 	@Override
-	public boolean isSampled() {
+	public Boolean isSampled() {
 		return this.traceContext.sampled();
 	}
 
diff --git a/spring-cloud-sleuth-otel/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/sleuth/otel/bridge/OtelTraceContext.java b/spring-cloud-sleuth-otel/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/sleuth/otel/bridge/OtelTraceContext.java
index 4abf6152c..3bfb522b2 100644
--- a/spring-cloud-sleuth-otel/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/sleuth/otel/bridge/OtelTraceContext.java
+++ b/spring-cloud-sleuth-otel/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/sleuth/otel/bridge/OtelTraceContext.java
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ class OtelTraceContext implements TraceContext {
 	}
 
 	@Override
-	public boolean isSampled() {
+	public Boolean isSampled() {
 		return this.delegate.isSampled();
 	}