diff --git a/docs/user-guide/nginx-configuration/configmap.md b/docs/user-guide/nginx-configuration/configmap.md
index cb3b6798c..afe3c8782 100755
--- a/docs/user-guide/nginx-configuration/configmap.md
+++ b/docs/user-guide/nginx-configuration/configmap.md
@@ -115,6 +115,8 @@ The following table shows a configuration option's name, type, and the default v
 |[proxy-add-original-uri-header](#proxy-add-original-uri-header)|bool|"true"|
 |[generate-request-id](#generate-request-id)|bool|"true"|
 |[enable-opentracing](#enable-opentracing)|bool|"false"|
+|[opentracing-operation-name](#opentracing-operation-name)|string|""|
+|[opentracing-location-operation-name](#opentracing-location-operation-name)|string|""|
 |[zipkin-collector-host](#zipkin-collector-host)|string|""|
 |[zipkin-collector-port](#zipkin-collector-port)|int|9411|
 |[zipkin-service-name](#zipkin-service-name)|string|"nginx"|
@@ -700,6 +702,18 @@ Enables the nginx Opentracing extension. _**default:**_ is disabled
 _References:_
 [https://github.com/opentracing-contrib/nginx-opentracing](https://github.com/opentracing-contrib/nginx-opentracing)
 
+## opentracing-operation-name
+
+Specifies a custom name for the server span. _**default:**_ is empty
+
+For example, set to "HTTP $request_method $uri".
+
+## opentracing-location-operation-name
+
+Specifies a custom name for the location span. _**default:**_ is empty
+
+For example, set to "HTTP $request_method $uri".
+
 ## zipkin-collector-host
 
 Specifies the host to use when uploading traces. It must be a valid URL.
diff --git a/docs/user-guide/third-party-addons/opentracing.md b/docs/user-guide/third-party-addons/opentracing.md
index 18b41b00c..458068c3e 100644
--- a/docs/user-guide/third-party-addons/opentracing.md
+++ b/docs/user-guide/third-party-addons/opentracing.md
@@ -30,6 +30,12 @@ have been tested.
 
 Other optional configuration options:
 ```
+# specifies the name to use for the server span
+opentracing-operation-name
+
+# specifies specifies the name to use for the location span
+opentracing-location-operation-name
+
 # specifies the port to use when uploading traces, Default: 9411
 zipkin-collector-port
 
diff --git a/internal/ingress/controller/config/config.go b/internal/ingress/controller/config/config.go
index f4f7897a8..7d58f42e0 100644
--- a/internal/ingress/controller/config/config.go
+++ b/internal/ingress/controller/config/config.go
@@ -460,6 +460,12 @@ type Configuration struct {
 	// By default this is disabled
 	EnableOpentracing bool `json:"enable-opentracing"`
 
+	// OpentracingOperationName specifies a custom name for the server span
+	OpentracingOperationName string `json:"opentracing-operation-name"`
+
+	// OpentracingOperationName specifies a custom name for the location span
+	OpentracingLocationOperationName string `json:"opentracing-location-operation-name"`
+
 	// ZipkinCollectorHost specifies the host to use when uploading traces
 	ZipkinCollectorHost string `json:"zipkin-collector-host"`
 
diff --git a/rootfs/etc/nginx/template/nginx.tmpl b/rootfs/etc/nginx/template/nginx.tmpl
index fccb83cca..fb30623aa 100755
--- a/rootfs/etc/nginx/template/nginx.tmpl
+++ b/rootfs/etc/nginx/template/nginx.tmpl
@@ -225,6 +225,12 @@ http {
 
     {{ if $cfg.EnableOpentracing }}
     opentracing on;
+    {{ if not (empty $cfg.OpentracingOperationName) }}
+    opentracing_operation_name "{{ $cfg.OpentracingOperationName }}";
+    {{ end }}
+    {{ if not (empty $cfg.OpentracingLocationOperationName) }}
+    opentracing_location_operation_name "{{ $cfg.OpentracingLocationOperationName }}";
+    {{ end }}
     {{ end }}
 
     {{ buildOpentracing $cfg }}
diff --git a/test/e2e/settings/opentracing.go b/test/e2e/settings/opentracing.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..10a3c1a55
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/e2e/settings/opentracing.go
@@ -0,0 +1,109 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2018 The Kubernetes Authors.
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+package settings
+
+import (
+	"strings"
+
+	. "github.com/onsi/ginkgo"
+
+	"k8s.io/ingress-nginx/test/e2e/framework"
+)
+
+var _ = framework.IngressNginxDescribe("Configure OpenTracing", func() {
+	f := framework.NewDefaultFramework("enable-opentracing")
+	enableOpentracing := "enable-opentracing"
+	opentracingOperationName := "opentracing-operation-name"
+	opentracingLocationOperationName := "opentracing-location-operation-name"
+
+	BeforeEach(func() {
+		f.NewEchoDeployment()
+	})
+
+	AfterEach(func() {
+	})
+
+	It("should not exists opentracing directive", func() {
+		f.UpdateNginxConfigMapData(enableOpentracing, "false")
+
+		f.EnsureIngress(framework.NewSingleIngress(enableOpentracing, "/", enableOpentracing, f.Namespace, "http-svc", 80, nil))
+
+		f.WaitForNginxConfiguration(
+			func(cfg string) bool {
+				return !strings.Contains(cfg, "opentracing on")
+			})
+	})
+
+	It("should exists opentracing directive when is enabled", func() {
+		f.UpdateNginxConfigMapData(enableOpentracing, "true")
+
+		f.EnsureIngress(framework.NewSingleIngress(enableOpentracing, "/", enableOpentracing, f.Namespace, "http-svc", 80, nil))
+
+		f.WaitForNginxConfiguration(
+			func(cfg string) bool {
+				return strings.Contains(cfg, "opentracing on")
+			})
+	})
+
+	It("should not exists opentracing_operation_name directive when is empty", func() {
+		f.UpdateNginxConfigMapData(enableOpentracing, "true")
+		f.UpdateNginxConfigMapData(opentracingOperationName, "")
+
+		f.EnsureIngress(framework.NewSingleIngress(enableOpentracing, "/", enableOpentracing, f.Namespace, "http-svc", 80, nil))
+
+		f.WaitForNginxConfiguration(
+			func(cfg string) bool {
+				return !strings.Contains(cfg, "opentracing_operation_name")
+			})
+	})
+
+	It("should exists opentracing_operation_name directive when is configured", func() {
+		f.UpdateNginxConfigMapData(enableOpentracing, "true")
+		f.UpdateNginxConfigMapData(opentracingOperationName, "HTTP $request_method $uri")
+
+		f.EnsureIngress(framework.NewSingleIngress(enableOpentracing, "/", enableOpentracing, f.Namespace, "http-svc", 80, nil))
+
+		f.WaitForNginxConfiguration(
+			func(cfg string) bool {
+				return strings.Contains(cfg, "opentracing_operation_name \"HTTP $request_method $uri\"")
+			})
+	})
+
+	It("should not exists opentracing_operation_name directive when is empty", func() {
+		f.UpdateNginxConfigMapData(enableOpentracing, "true")
+		f.UpdateNginxConfigMapData(opentracingLocationOperationName, "")
+
+		f.EnsureIngress(framework.NewSingleIngress(enableOpentracing, "/", enableOpentracing, f.Namespace, "http-svc", 80, nil))
+
+		f.WaitForNginxConfiguration(
+			func(cfg string) bool {
+				return !strings.Contains(cfg, "opentracing_location_operation_name")
+			})
+	})
+
+	It("should exists opentracing_operation_name directive when is configured", func() {
+		f.UpdateNginxConfigMapData(enableOpentracing, "true")
+		f.UpdateNginxConfigMapData(opentracingLocationOperationName, "HTTP $request_method $uri")
+
+		f.EnsureIngress(framework.NewSingleIngress(enableOpentracing, "/", enableOpentracing, f.Namespace, "http-svc", 80, nil))
+
+		f.WaitForNginxConfiguration(
+			func(cfg string) bool {
+				return strings.Contains(cfg, "opentracing_location_operation_name \"HTTP $request_method $uri\"")
+			})
+	})
+})