diff --git a/sdk/trace/sampling.go b/sdk/trace/sampling.go
index 25f0377c..c40994a8 100644
--- a/sdk/trace/sampling.go
+++ b/sdk/trace/sampling.go
@@ -128,13 +128,29 @@ func NeverSample() Sampler {
 	return alwaysOffSampler{}
 }
 
-// AlwaysParentSample returns a Sampler that samples a trace only
-// if the parent span is sampled.
-// This Sampler is a passthrough to the ProbabilitySampler with
-// a fraction of value 0.
-func AlwaysParentSample() Sampler {
-	return &probabilitySampler{
-		traceIDUpperBound: 0,
-		description:       "AlwaysParentSampler",
+// ParentSample returns a Sampler that samples a trace only
+// if the the span has a parent span and it is sampled. If the span has
+// parent span but it is not sampled, neither will this span. If the span
+// does not have a parent the fallback Sampler is used to determine if the
+// span should be sampled.
+func ParentSample(fallback Sampler) Sampler {
+	return parentSampler{fallback}
+}
+
+type parentSampler struct {
+	fallback Sampler
+}
+
+func (ps parentSampler) ShouldSample(p SamplingParameters) SamplingResult {
+	if p.ParentContext.IsValid() {
+		if p.ParentContext.IsSampled() {
+			return SamplingResult{Decision: RecordAndSampled}
+		}
+		return SamplingResult{Decision: NotRecord}
 	}
+	return ps.fallback.ShouldSample(p)
+}
+
+func (ps parentSampler) Description() string {
+	return fmt.Sprintf("ParentOrElse{%s}", ps.fallback.Description())
 }
diff --git a/sdk/trace/sampling_test.go b/sdk/trace/sampling_test.go
index ff89c451..fe9ae080 100644
--- a/sdk/trace/sampling_test.go
+++ b/sdk/trace/sampling_test.go
@@ -23,7 +23,21 @@ import (
 )
 
 func TestAlwaysParentSampleWithParentSampled(t *testing.T) {
-	sampler := sdktrace.AlwaysParentSample()
+	sampler := sdktrace.ParentSample(sdktrace.AlwaysSample())
+	traceID, _ := trace.IDFromHex("4bf92f3577b34da6a3ce929d0e0e4736")
+	spanID, _ := trace.SpanIDFromHex("00f067aa0ba902b7")
+	parentCtx := trace.SpanContext{
+		TraceID:    traceID,
+		SpanID:     spanID,
+		TraceFlags: trace.FlagsSampled,
+	}
+	if sampler.ShouldSample(sdktrace.SamplingParameters{ParentContext: parentCtx}).Decision != sdktrace.RecordAndSampled {
+		t.Error("Sampling decision should be RecordAndSampled")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestNeverParentSampleWithParentSampled(t *testing.T) {
+	sampler := sdktrace.ParentSample(sdktrace.NeverSample())
 	traceID, _ := trace.IDFromHex("4bf92f3577b34da6a3ce929d0e0e4736")
 	spanID, _ := trace.SpanIDFromHex("00f067aa0ba902b7")
 	parentCtx := trace.SpanContext{
@@ -37,7 +51,7 @@ func TestAlwaysParentSampleWithParentSampled(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestAlwaysParentSampleWithParentNotSampled(t *testing.T) {
-	sampler := sdktrace.AlwaysParentSample()
+	sampler := sdktrace.ParentSample(sdktrace.AlwaysSample())
 	traceID, _ := trace.IDFromHex("4bf92f3577b34da6a3ce929d0e0e4736")
 	spanID, _ := trace.SpanIDFromHex("00f067aa0ba902b7")
 	parentCtx := trace.SpanContext{
@@ -48,3 +62,17 @@ func TestAlwaysParentSampleWithParentNotSampled(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Error("Sampling decision should be NotRecord")
 	}
 }
+
+func TestParentSampleWithNoParent(t *testing.T) {
+	params := sdktrace.SamplingParameters{}
+
+	sampler := sdktrace.ParentSample(sdktrace.AlwaysSample())
+	if sampler.ShouldSample(params).Decision != sdktrace.RecordAndSampled {
+		t.Error("Sampling decision should be RecordAndSampled")
+	}
+
+	sampler = sdktrace.ParentSample(sdktrace.NeverSample())
+	if sampler.ShouldSample(params).Decision != sdktrace.NotRecord {
+		t.Error("Sampling decision should be NotRecord")
+	}
+}