diff --git a/src/cmd/go/internal/trace/trace.go b/src/cmd/go/internal/trace/trace.go
index 32ce0408f5..24130d9d72 100644
--- a/src/cmd/go/internal/trace/trace.go
+++ b/src/cmd/go/internal/trace/trace.go
@@ -45,10 +45,10 @@ func StartSpan(ctx context.Context, name string) (context.Context, *Span) {
 	return ctx, childSpan
 }
 
-// Goroutine associates the context with a new Thread ID. The Chrome trace viewer associates each
+// StartGoroutine associates the context with a new Thread ID. The Chrome trace viewer associates each
 // trace event with a thread, and doesn't expect events with the same thread id to happen at the
 // same time.
-func Goroutine(ctx context.Context) context.Context {
+func StartGoroutine(ctx context.Context) context.Context {
 	tc, ok := getTraceContext(ctx)
 	if !ok {
 		return ctx
diff --git a/src/cmd/go/internal/work/exec.go b/src/cmd/go/internal/work/exec.go
index 3ea3293ae1..56a127f36f 100644
--- a/src/cmd/go/internal/work/exec.go
+++ b/src/cmd/go/internal/work/exec.go
@@ -115,13 +115,21 @@ func (b *Builder) Do(ctx context.Context, root *Action) {
 
 	// Handle runs a single action and takes care of triggering
 	// any actions that are runnable as a result.
-	handle := func(a *Action) {
+	handle := func(ctx context.Context, a *Action) {
 		if a.json != nil {
 			a.json.TimeStart = time.Now()
 		}
 		var err error
 		if a.Func != nil && (!a.Failed || a.IgnoreFail) {
+			// TODO(matloob): Better action descriptions
+			desc := "Executing action "
+			if a.Package != nil {
+				desc += "(" + a.Mode + " " + a.Package.Desc() + ")"
+			}
+			ctx, span := trace.StartSpan(ctx, desc)
+			_ = ctx
 			err = a.Func(b, a)
+			span.Done()
 		}
 		if a.json != nil {
 			a.json.TimeDone = time.Now()
@@ -169,6 +177,7 @@ func (b *Builder) Do(ctx context.Context, root *Action) {
 	for i := 0; i < par; i++ {
 		wg.Add(1)
 		go func() {
+			ctx := trace.StartGoroutine(ctx)
 			defer wg.Done()
 			for {
 				select {
@@ -181,7 +190,7 @@ func (b *Builder) Do(ctx context.Context, root *Action) {
 					b.exec.Lock()
 					a := b.ready.pop()
 					b.exec.Unlock()
-					handle(a)
+					handle(ctx, a)
 				case <-base.Interrupted:
 					base.SetExitStatus(1)
 					return