diff --git a/lib/datadog/tracing/trace_operation.rb b/lib/datadog/tracing/trace_operation.rb
index 599c949f83..548ca5918d 100644
--- a/lib/datadog/tracing/trace_operation.rb
+++ b/lib/datadog/tracing/trace_operation.rb
@@ -137,13 +137,12 @@ def priority_sampled?
       end
 
       def keep!
-        self.sampled = true
         self.sampling_priority = Sampling::Ext::Priority::USER_KEEP
         set_tag(Tracing::Metadata::Ext::Distributed::TAG_DECISION_MAKER, Tracing::Sampling::Ext::Decision::MANUAL)
+        self.sampled = true # Just in case the in-app sampler had decided to drop this span, we revert that decision.
       end
 
       def reject!
-        self.sampled = false
         self.sampling_priority = Sampling::Ext::Priority::USER_REJECT
         set_tag(Tracing::Metadata::Ext::Distributed::TAG_DECISION_MAKER, Tracing::Sampling::Ext::Decision::MANUAL)
       end
diff --git a/spec/datadog/tracing/integration_spec.rb b/spec/datadog/tracing/integration_spec.rb
index 7451845926..1822f7eb18 100644
--- a/spec/datadog/tracing/integration_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/datadog/tracing/integration_spec.rb
@@ -775,7 +775,10 @@ def sample!(trace)
       it 'drops trace at application side' do
         expect(tracer.writer).to_not receive(:write)
 
-        tracer.trace('span') { |_, trace| trace.reject! }
+        tracer.trace('span') do |_, trace|
+          trace.reject!
+          trace.sampled = false
+        end
       end
     end
 
diff --git a/spec/datadog/tracing/trace_operation_spec.rb b/spec/datadog/tracing/trace_operation_spec.rb
index 68a4039cef..a8c4933c9d 100644
--- a/spec/datadog/tracing/trace_operation_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/datadog/tracing/trace_operation_spec.rb
@@ -871,18 +871,17 @@
 
     it 'does not modify sampled?' do
       expect { reject! }
-        .to change { trace_op.sampled? }
-        .from(true).to(false)
+        .to_not change { trace_op.sampled? }
+        .from(true)
     end
 
     context 'when #sampled was true' do
       before { trace_op.sampled = true }
 
-      it 'sets sampled? to false' do
+      it 'does not change sampled?' do
         expect { reject! }
-          .to change { trace_op.sampled? }
+          .to_not change { trace_op.sampled? }
           .from(true)
-          .to(false)
       end
     end