diff --git a/context/context.go b/context/context.go
index 7cfb1e9..ade8897 100644
--- a/context/context.go
+++ b/context/context.go
@@ -27,3 +27,12 @@ func ActorFromContext(ctx context.Context) *Actor {
 
 	return a
 }
+
+// ActorIDFromContext safely extracts the actor ID from the context.
+// Returns an empty string if no actor is found.
+func ActorIDFromContext(ctx context.Context) string {
+	if actor := ActorFromContext(ctx); actor != nil {
+		return actor.ID
+	}
+	return ""
+}
diff --git a/context/context_test.go b/context/context_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..22e4d56
--- /dev/null
+++ b/context/context_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,88 @@
+package context
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+
+	"github.com/coder/aibridge/recorder"
+)
+
+func TestAsActor(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	// Given: a metadata map
+	metadata := recorder.Metadata{"key": "value"}
+
+	// When: storing an actor in the context
+	ctx := AsActor(context.Background(), "actor-123", metadata)
+
+	// Then: the actor should be retrievable with correct ID and metadata
+	actor := ActorFromContext(ctx)
+	require.NotNil(t, actor)
+	assert.Equal(t, "actor-123", actor.ID)
+	assert.Equal(t, "value", actor.Metadata["key"])
+}
+
+func TestActorFromContext(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	t.Run("returns actor when present", func(t *testing.T) {
+		t.Parallel()
+
+		// Given: a context with an actor
+		ctx := AsActor(context.Background(), "test-id", recorder.Metadata{})
+
+		// When: extracting the actor from context
+		actor := ActorFromContext(ctx)
+
+		// Then: the actor should be returned with correct ID
+		require.NotNil(t, actor)
+		assert.Equal(t, "test-id", actor.ID)
+	})
+
+	t.Run("returns nil when no actor", func(t *testing.T) {
+		t.Parallel()
+
+		// Given: a context without an actor
+		ctx := context.Background()
+
+		// When: extracting the actor from context
+		actor := ActorFromContext(ctx)
+
+		// Then: nil should be returned
+		assert.Nil(t, actor)
+	})
+}
+
+func TestActorIDFromContext(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	t.Run("returns actor ID when present", func(t *testing.T) {
+		t.Parallel()
+
+		// Given: a context with an actor
+		ctx := AsActor(context.Background(), "test-actor-id", recorder.Metadata{})
+
+		// When: extracting the actor ID from context
+		got := ActorIDFromContext(ctx)
+
+		// Then: the actor ID should be returned
+		assert.Equal(t, "test-actor-id", got)
+	})
+
+	t.Run("returns empty string when no actor", func(t *testing.T) {
+		t.Parallel()
+
+		// Given: a context without an actor
+		ctx := context.Background()
+
+		// When: extracting the actor ID from context
+		got := ActorIDFromContext(ctx)
+
+		// Then: an empty string should be returned
+		assert.Empty(t, got)
+	})
+}
diff --git a/intercept/chatcompletions/base.go b/intercept/chatcompletions/base.go
index 2610b3e..02e7f7b 100644
--- a/intercept/chatcompletions/base.go
+++ b/intercept/chatcompletions/base.go
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ func (s *interceptionBase) baseTraceAttributes(r *http.Request, streaming bool)
 	return []attribute.KeyValue{
 		attribute.String(tracing.RequestPath, r.URL.Path),
 		attribute.String(tracing.InterceptionID, s.id.String()),
-		attribute.String(tracing.InitiatorID, aibcontext.ActorFromContext(r.Context()).ID),
+		attribute.String(tracing.InitiatorID, aibcontext.ActorIDFromContext(r.Context())),
 		attribute.String(tracing.Provider, config.ProviderOpenAI),
 		attribute.String(tracing.Model, s.Model()),
 		attribute.Bool(tracing.Streaming, streaming),
diff --git a/intercept/messages/base.go b/intercept/messages/base.go
index ba37067..6db64fa 100644
--- a/intercept/messages/base.go
+++ b/intercept/messages/base.go
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ func (s *interceptionBase) baseTraceAttributes(r *http.Request, streaming bool)
 	return []attribute.KeyValue{
 		attribute.String(tracing.RequestPath, r.URL.Path),
 		attribute.String(tracing.InterceptionID, s.id.String()),
-		attribute.String(tracing.InitiatorID, aibcontext.ActorFromContext(r.Context()).ID),
+		attribute.String(tracing.InitiatorID, aibcontext.ActorIDFromContext(r.Context())),
 		attribute.String(tracing.Provider, aibconfig.ProviderAnthropic),
 		attribute.String(tracing.Model, s.Model()),
 		attribute.Bool(tracing.Streaming, streaming),
diff --git a/intercept/responses/base.go b/intercept/responses/base.go
index 78c09d0..f43dd79 100644
--- a/intercept/responses/base.go
+++ b/intercept/responses/base.go
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ func (i *responsesInterceptionBase) baseTraceAttributes(r *http.Request, streami
 	return []attribute.KeyValue{
 		attribute.String(tracing.RequestPath, r.URL.Path),
 		attribute.String(tracing.InterceptionID, i.id.String()),
-		attribute.String(tracing.InitiatorID, aibcontext.ActorFromContext(r.Context()).ID),
+		attribute.String(tracing.InitiatorID, aibcontext.ActorIDFromContext(r.Context())),
 		attribute.String(tracing.Provider, config.ProviderOpenAI),
 		attribute.String(tracing.Model, i.Model()),
 		attribute.Bool(tracing.Streaming, streaming),