diff --git a/packages/node/src/integrations/requestdata.ts b/packages/node/src/integrations/requestdata.ts
index 0d9d7d92662e..9f00d1bb4fe4 100644
--- a/packages/node/src/integrations/requestdata.ts
+++ b/packages/node/src/integrations/requestdata.ts
@@ -108,7 +108,9 @@ export class RequestData implements Integration {
     addGlobalEventProcessor(event => {
       const hub = getCurrentHub();
       const self = hub.getIntegration(RequestData);
-      const req = event.sdkProcessingMetadata && event.sdkProcessingMetadata.request;
+
+      const { sdkProcessingMetadata = {} } = event;
+      const req = sdkProcessingMetadata.request;
 
       // If the globally installed instance of this integration isn't associated with the current hub, `self` will be
       // undefined
@@ -116,7 +118,12 @@ export class RequestData implements Integration {
         return event;
       }
 
-      const addRequestDataOptions = convertReqDataIntegrationOptsToAddReqDataOpts(this._options);
+      // The Express request handler takes a similar `include` option to that which can be passed to this integration.
+      // If passed there, we store it in `sdkProcessingMetadata`. TODO(v8): Force express people to use this
+      // integration, so that all of this passing and conversion isn't necessary
+      const addRequestDataOptions =
+        sdkProcessingMetadata.requestDataOptionsFromExpressHandler ||
+        convertReqDataIntegrationOptsToAddReqDataOpts(this._options);
 
       const processedEvent = this._addRequestData(event, req, addRequestDataOptions);