diff --git a/include/grpcpp/opencensus.h b/include/grpcpp/opencensus.h
index 7e5d1dfeb41..29b221f7674 100644
--- a/include/grpcpp/opencensus.h
+++ b/include/grpcpp/opencensus.h
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@
 #ifndef GRPCPP_OPENCENSUS_H
 #define GRPCPP_OPENCENSUS_H
 
+#include "opencensus/trace/span.h"
+
 namespace grpc {
 // These symbols in this file will not be included in the binary unless
 // grpc_opencensus_plugin build target was added as a dependency. At the moment
@@ -36,6 +38,11 @@ void RegisterOpenCensusPlugin();
 // ViewDescriptors below.
 void RegisterOpenCensusViewsForExport();
 
+class ServerContext;
+
+// Returns the tracing Span for the current RPC.
+::opencensus::trace::Span GetSpanFromServerContext(ServerContext* context);
+
 }  // namespace grpc
 
 #endif  // GRPCPP_OPENCENSUS_H
diff --git a/src/cpp/ext/filters/census/grpc_plugin.h b/src/cpp/ext/filters/census/grpc_plugin.h
index 7ff2e7a8b8c..9e319cb994e 100644
--- a/src/cpp/ext/filters/census/grpc_plugin.h
+++ b/src/cpp/ext/filters/census/grpc_plugin.h
@@ -24,15 +24,11 @@
 #include "absl/strings/string_view.h"
 #include "include/grpcpp/opencensus.h"
 #include "opencensus/stats/stats.h"
-#include "opencensus/trace/span.h"
 
 namespace grpc {
 
 class ServerContext;
 
-// Returns the tracing Span for the current RPC.
-::opencensus::trace::Span GetSpanFromServerContext(ServerContext* context);
-
 // The tag keys set when recording RPC stats.
 ::opencensus::stats::TagKey ClientMethodTagKey();
 ::opencensus::stats::TagKey ClientStatusTagKey();