diff --git a/bookwyrm/apps.py b/bookwyrm/apps.py
index 786f86e1c..7f684722d 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/apps.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/apps.py
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ class BookwyrmConfig(AppConfig):
     # pylint: disable=no-self-use
     def ready(self):
         """set up OTLP and preview image files, if desired"""
-        if settings.OTEL_EXPORTER_OTLP_ENDPOINT:
+        if settings.OTEL_EXPORTER_OTLP_ENDPOINT or settings.OTEL_EXPORTER_CONSOLE:
             # pylint: disable=import-outside-toplevel
             from bookwyrm.telemetry import open_telemetry
 
diff --git a/bookwyrm/settings.py b/bookwyrm/settings.py
index 3f14daf1b..4ac828a0d 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/settings.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/settings.py
@@ -377,6 +377,7 @@ CSP_INCLUDE_NONCE_IN = ["script-src"]
 OTEL_EXPORTER_OTLP_ENDPOINT = env("OTEL_EXPORTER_OTLP_ENDPOINT", None)
 OTEL_EXPORTER_OTLP_HEADERS = env("OTEL_EXPORTER_OTLP_HEADERS", None)
 OTEL_SERVICE_NAME = env("OTEL_SERVICE_NAME", None)
+OTEL_EXPORTER_CONSOLE = env.bool("OTEL_EXPORTER_CONSOLE", False)
 
 TWO_FACTOR_LOGIN_MAX_SECONDS = env.int("TWO_FACTOR_LOGIN_MAX_SECONDS", 60)
 TWO_FACTOR_LOGIN_VALIDITY_WINDOW = env.int("TWO_FACTOR_LOGIN_VALIDITY_WINDOW", 2)
diff --git a/bookwyrm/telemetry/open_telemetry.py b/bookwyrm/telemetry/open_telemetry.py
index 0b38a04b1..aff68a8b3 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/telemetry/open_telemetry.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/telemetry/open_telemetry.py
@@ -1,10 +1,19 @@
 from opentelemetry import trace
 from opentelemetry.exporter.otlp.proto.grpc.trace_exporter import OTLPSpanExporter
 from opentelemetry.sdk.trace import TracerProvider
-from opentelemetry.sdk.trace.export import BatchSpanProcessor
+from opentelemetry.sdk.trace.export import BatchSpanProcessor, ConsoleSpanExporter
+
+from bookwyrm import settings
 
 trace.set_tracer_provider(TracerProvider())
-trace.get_tracer_provider().add_span_processor(BatchSpanProcessor(OTLPSpanExporter()))
+if settings.OTEL_EXPORTER_CONSOLE:
+    trace.get_tracer_provider().add_span_processor(
+        BatchSpanProcessor(ConsoleSpanExporter())
+    )
+else:
+    trace.get_tracer_provider().add_span_processor(
+        BatchSpanProcessor(OTLPSpanExporter())
+    )
 
 
 def instrumentDjango():
diff --git a/celerywyrm/apps.py b/celerywyrm/apps.py
index 6aae849cd..bb2d27edd 100644
--- a/celerywyrm/apps.py
+++ b/celerywyrm/apps.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ class CelerywyrmConfig(AppConfig):
     verbose_name = "BookWyrm Celery"
 
     def ready(self):
-        if settings.OTEL_EXPORTER_OTLP_ENDPOINT:
+        if settings.OTEL_EXPORTER_OTLP_ENDPOINT or settings.OTEL_EXPORTER_CONSOLE:
             from bookwyrm.telemetry import open_telemetry
 
             open_telemetry.instrumentCelery()