diff --git a/instrumentation/net/http/otelhttp/transport.go b/instrumentation/net/http/otelhttp/transport.go
index b436f6a2a9e..6c32bb1174e 100644
--- a/instrumentation/net/http/otelhttp/transport.go
+++ b/instrumentation/net/http/otelhttp/transport.go
@@ -186,5 +186,8 @@ func (wb *wrappedBody) Read(b []byte) (int, error) {
 
 func (wb *wrappedBody) Close() error {
 	wb.span.End()
-	return wb.body.Close()
+	if wb.body != nil {
+		return wb.body.Close()
+	}
+	return nil
 }
diff --git a/instrumentation/net/http/otelhttp/transport_test.go b/instrumentation/net/http/otelhttp/transport_test.go
index e155d3e088f..e032ba52ad1 100644
--- a/instrumentation/net/http/otelhttp/transport_test.go
+++ b/instrumentation/net/http/otelhttp/transport_test.go
@@ -279,6 +279,10 @@ func TestWrappedBodyClose(t *testing.T) {
 	wb := &wrappedBody{span: trace.Span(s), body: readCloser{}}
 	assert.NoError(t, wb.Close())
 	s.assert(t, true, nil, codes.Unset, "")
+
+	var body io.ReadCloser
+	wb2 := newWrappedBody(s, body)
+	assert.NoError(t, wb2.Close())
 }
 
 func TestWrappedBodyCloseError(t *testing.T) {