diff --git a/src/everos/component/embedding/openai_provider.py b/src/everos/component/embedding/openai_provider.py
index 1e0f436..b26b89e 100644
--- a/src/everos/component/embedding/openai_provider.py
+++ b/src/everos/component/embedding/openai_provider.py
@@ -90,8 +90,11 @@ class OpenAIEmbeddingProvider:
         """One ``/embeddings`` call, semaphore-guarded."""
         # Wrap in an EMBEDDING-typed span so token usage lands on an embedding
         # observation (which Langfuse can price) rather than the enclosing
-        # retriever span. No-op when tracing is off.
-        with memory_span("everos.embedding", observation_type="embedding"):
+        # retriever span. nested_only: skip when there is no active trace (e.g.
+        # cascade-time indexing) so we don't spawn one root trace per chunk.
+        with memory_span(
+            "everos.embedding", observation_type="embedding", nested_only=True
+        ):
             async with self._semaphore:
                 try:
                     response = await self._client.embeddings.create(
diff --git a/src/everos/core/observability/tracing/attributes.py b/src/everos/core/observability/tracing/attributes.py
index d12d167..d184cf7 100644
--- a/src/everos/core/observability/tracing/attributes.py
+++ b/src/everos/core/observability/tracing/attributes.py
@@ -85,6 +85,13 @@ except ImportError:  # pragma: no cover - only without the [otel] extra
     _OTEL_AVAILABLE = False
 
 
+def _has_active_span() -> bool:
+    """True when a valid span context is currently active (a parent exists)."""
+    if not _OTEL_AVAILABLE:
+        return False
+    return _otel_trace.get_current_span().get_span_context().is_valid
+
+
 @contextmanager
 def memory_span(
     name: str,
@@ -94,6 +101,7 @@ def memory_span(
     user_id: str | None = None,
     metadata: Mapping[str, Any] | None = None,
     tags: Sequence[str] = DEFAULT_TAGS,
+    nested_only: bool = False,
 ) -> Iterator[Any]:
     """Open a span named ``name`` and stamp the langfuse.* attributes.
 
@@ -105,7 +113,14 @@ def memory_span(
         metadata: Flat mapping → ``langfuse.trace.metadata.<key>``; None
             values are dropped rather than emitted as the string "None".
         tags: ``langfuse.trace.tags`` list.
+        nested_only: When True, only open a span if one is already active.
+            Calls that run outside any request trace (e.g. cascade-time
+            embedding during indexing) would otherwise each start a NEW root
+            trace — a per-chunk trace explosion — so they no-op instead.
     """
+    if nested_only and not _has_active_span():
+        yield _otel_trace.get_current_span() if _OTEL_AVAILABLE else None
+        return
     tracer = get_tracer("everos")
     with tracer.start_as_current_span(name) as span:
         span.set_attribute(LF_OBSERVATION_TYPE, observation_type)
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_core/test_observability/test_span_attributes.py b/tests/unit/test_core/test_observability/test_span_attributes.py
index dafe74d..fe8970c 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_core/test_observability/test_span_attributes.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_core/test_observability/test_span_attributes.py
@@ -97,6 +97,34 @@ def test_set_generation_usage_accumulates_across_calls(
     assert attrs["gen_ai.usage.output_tokens"] == 12
 
 
+def test_nested_only_span_skips_when_no_active_parent(
+    captured: InMemorySpanExporter,
+) -> None:
+    # A nested_only span with no active parent must NOT start a new root trace
+    # (this is what prevented cascade-time embeddings from exploding into one
+    # orphan trace per chunk).
+    with memory_span(
+        "everos.embedding", observation_type="embedding", nested_only=True
+    ):
+        pass
+    force_flush()
+    assert captured.get_finished_spans() == ()
+
+
+def test_nested_only_span_opens_under_active_parent(
+    captured: InMemorySpanExporter,
+) -> None:
+    with (
+        memory_span("everos.memory.search", observation_type="retriever"),
+        memory_span("everos.embedding", observation_type="embedding", nested_only=True),
+    ):
+        pass
+    force_flush()
+    names = {s.name for s in captured.get_finished_spans()}
+    assert "everos.embedding" in names
+    assert "everos.memory.search" in names
+
+
 def test_set_generation_usage_outside_span_is_noop() -> None:
     # No active span → must not raise (and nothing to record).
     set_generation_usage(model="x", input_tokens=1, output_tokens=2)