diff --git a/instrumentation/opentelemetry-instrumentation-genai-openai-agents/src/opentelemetry/instrumentation/genai/openai_agents/span_processor.py b/instrumentation/opentelemetry-instrumentation-genai-openai-agents/src/opentelemetry/instrumentation/genai/openai_agents/span_processor.py
index f78552f1..95fdff87 100644
--- a/instrumentation/opentelemetry-instrumentation-genai-openai-agents/src/opentelemetry/instrumentation/genai/openai_agents/span_processor.py
+++ b/instrumentation/opentelemetry-instrumentation-genai-openai-agents/src/opentelemetry/instrumentation/genai/openai_agents/span_processor.py
@@ -1312,7 +1312,7 @@ def on_trace_start(self, trace: Trace) -> None:
             otel_span = self._tracer.start_span(
                 name=trace.name,
                 attributes=attributes,
-                kind=SpanKind.SERVER,  # Root span is typically server
+                kind=SpanKind.INTERNAL,  # Root span represents local workflow; not a remote server span
             )
             self._root_spans[trace.trace_id] = otel_span
 
diff --git a/instrumentation/opentelemetry-instrumentation-genai-openai-agents/tests/test_z_span_processor_unit.py b/instrumentation/opentelemetry-instrumentation-genai-openai-agents/tests/test_z_span_processor_unit.py
index 0a2d2cda..f1febb5f 100644
--- a/instrumentation/opentelemetry-instrumentation-genai-openai-agents/tests/test_z_span_processor_unit.py
+++ b/instrumentation/opentelemetry-instrumentation-genai-openai-agents/tests/test_z_span_processor_unit.py
@@ -503,6 +503,22 @@ def test_span_lifecycle_and_shutdown(processor_setup):
         == sp.GenAIOperationName.INVOKE_AGENT
     )
 
+def test_root_span_kind_is_internal(processor_setup):
+    """Regression test for #154: root span must be INTERNAL, not SERVER.
+
+    invoke_agent root spans don't represent the server side of a
+    synchronous remote call, so SpanKind.SERVER is incorrect per the
+    OTel semantic conventions for span kinds.
+    """
+    processor, exporter = processor_setup
+
+    trace = FakeTrace(name="workflow", trace_id="trace-root-kind")
+    processor.on_trace_start(trace)
+    processor.on_trace_end(trace)
+
+    finished = exporter.get_finished_spans()
+    assert len(finished) == 1
+    assert finished[0].kind is SpanKind.INTERNAL
 
 def test_chat_span_renamed_with_model(processor_setup):
     processor, exporter = processor_setup