diff --git a/ddtrace/internal/encoding.py b/ddtrace/internal/encoding.py
index 13084cea1fc..0cf31f9f7ed 100644
--- a/ddtrace/internal/encoding.py
+++ b/ddtrace/internal/encoding.py
@@ -83,6 +83,9 @@ def _span_to_dict(span):
         if span.span_type:
             d["type"] = span.span_type
 
+        if span._links:
+            d["span_links"] = [link.to_dict() for link in span._links]
+
         return d
 
 
diff --git a/tests/integration/test_encoding.py b/tests/integration/test_encoding.py
index f5efc03d163..43c47ac4840 100644
--- a/tests/integration/test_encoding.py
+++ b/tests/integration/test_encoding.py
@@ -63,3 +63,22 @@ def test_trace_with_metrics_accepted_by_agent(self, metrics):
             tracer.shutdown()
         log.warning.assert_not_called()
         log.error.assert_not_called()
+
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize(
+        "span_links_kwargs",
+        [
+            {"trace_id": 12345, "span_id": 67890},
+        ],
+    )
+    def test_trace_with_links_accepted_by_agent(self, span_links_kwargs):
+        """Links should not break things."""
+        tracer = Tracer()
+        with mock.patch("ddtrace.internal.writer.writer.log") as log:
+            with tracer.trace("root", service="test_encoding", resource="test_resource") as root:
+                root.set_link(**span_links_kwargs)
+                for _ in range(10):
+                    with tracer.trace("child") as child:
+                        child.set_link(**span_links_kwargs)
+            tracer.shutdown()
+        log.warning.assert_not_called()
+        log.error.assert_not_called()
diff --git a/tests/tracer/test_encoders.py b/tests/tracer/test_encoders.py
index cd14c439e89..213027a7103 100644
--- a/tests/tracer/test_encoders.py
+++ b/tests/tracer/test_encoders.py
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ def test_encode_traces_json(self):
         # test encoding for JSON format
         traces = [
             [
-                Span(name="client.testing"),
+                Span(name="client.testing", links=[SpanLink(trace_id=12345, span_id=678990)]),
                 Span(name="client.testing"),
             ],
             [
@@ -184,6 +184,7 @@ def test_encode_traces_json(self):
         assert isinstance(spans, str)
         assert len(items) == 3
         assert len(items[0]) == 2
+        assert len(items[0][0]["span_links"]) == 1
         assert len(items[1]) == 2
         assert len(items[2]) == 2
         for i in range(3):
@@ -194,7 +195,7 @@ def test_encode_traces_json_v2(self):
         # test encoding for JSON format
         traces = [
             [
-                Span(name="client.testing", span_id=0xAAAAAA),
+                Span(name="client.testing", span_id=0xAAAAAA, links=[SpanLink(trace_id=12345, span_id=67890)]),
                 Span(name="client.testing", span_id=0xAAAAAA),
             ],
             [
@@ -215,6 +216,7 @@ def test_encode_traces_json_v2(self):
         assert isinstance(spans, str)
         assert len(items) == 3
         assert len(items[0]) == 2
+        assert len(items[0][0]["span_links"]) == 1
         assert len(items[1]) == 2
         assert len(items[2]) == 2
         for i in range(3):