diff --git a/test/core/channel/channel_tracer_test.cc b/test/core/channel/channel_tracer_test.cc
index 7f0efb34b18..564fbf3ed94 100644
--- a/test/core/channel/channel_tracer_test.cc
+++ b/test/core/channel/channel_tracer_test.cc
@@ -30,15 +30,17 @@
 #include "test/core/util/test_config.h"
 
 using grpc_core::ChannelTracer;
+using grpc_core::MakeRefCounted;
+using grpc_core::RefCountedPtr;
 
-static void add_simple_trace(ChannelTracer* tracer) {
+static void add_simple_trace(RefCountedPtr<ChannelTracer> tracer) {
   tracer->AddTrace(grpc_slice_from_static_string("simple trace"),
                    GRPC_ERROR_CREATE_FROM_STATIC_STRING("Error"),
-                   GRPC_CHANNEL_READY, nullptr);
+                   GRPC_CHANNEL_READY);
 }
 
 // checks for the existence of all the required members of the tracer.
-static void validate_tracer(ChannelTracer* tracer,
+static void validate_tracer(RefCountedPtr<ChannelTracer> tracer,
                             size_t expected_num_nodes_logged,
                             size_t max_nodes) {
   if (!max_nodes) return;
@@ -50,7 +52,8 @@ static void validate_tracer(ChannelTracer* tracer,
   gpr_free(json_str);
 }
 
-static void validate_tracer_data_matches_uuid_lookup(ChannelTracer* tracer) {
+static void validate_tracer_data_matches_uuid_lookup(
+    RefCountedPtr<ChannelTracer> tracer) {
   intptr_t uuid = tracer->GetUuid();
   if (uuid == -1) return;  // Doesn't make sense to lookup if tracing disabled
   char* tracer_json_str = tracer->RenderTrace(true);
@@ -62,7 +65,7 @@ static void validate_tracer_data_matches_uuid_lookup(ChannelTracer* tracer) {
 }
 
 // ensures the tracer has the correct number of children tracers.
-static void validate_children(ChannelTracer* tracer,
+static void validate_children(RefCountedPtr<ChannelTracer> tracer,
                               size_t expected_num_children) {
   char* json_str = tracer->RenderTrace(true);
   grpc_json* json = grpc_json_parse_string(json_str);
@@ -75,28 +78,28 @@ static void validate_children(ChannelTracer* tracer,
 // lookups by uuid.
 static void test_basic_channel_tracing(size_t max_nodes) {
   grpc_core::ExecCtx exec_ctx;
-  ChannelTracer tracer(max_nodes);
-  add_simple_trace(&tracer);
-  add_simple_trace(&tracer);
-  validate_tracer_data_matches_uuid_lookup(&tracer);
-  tracer.AddTrace(
+  RefCountedPtr<ChannelTracer> tracer =
+      MakeRefCounted<ChannelTracer>(max_nodes);
+  add_simple_trace(tracer);
+  add_simple_trace(tracer);
+  validate_tracer_data_matches_uuid_lookup(tracer);
+  tracer->AddTrace(
       grpc_slice_from_static_string("trace three"),
       grpc_error_set_int(GRPC_ERROR_CREATE_FROM_STATIC_STRING("Error"),
                          GRPC_ERROR_INT_HTTP2_ERROR, 2),
-      GRPC_CHANNEL_IDLE, nullptr);
-  tracer.AddTrace(grpc_slice_from_static_string("trace four"), GRPC_ERROR_NONE,
-                  GRPC_CHANNEL_SHUTDOWN, nullptr);
-  validate_tracer(&tracer, 4, max_nodes);
-  add_simple_trace(&tracer);
-  add_simple_trace(&tracer);
-  validate_tracer(&tracer, 6, max_nodes);
-  add_simple_trace(&tracer);
-  add_simple_trace(&tracer);
-  add_simple_trace(&tracer);
-  add_simple_trace(&tracer);
-  validate_tracer(&tracer, 10, max_nodes);
-  validate_tracer_data_matches_uuid_lookup(&tracer);
-  tracer.Unref();
+      GRPC_CHANNEL_IDLE);
+  tracer->AddTrace(grpc_slice_from_static_string("trace four"), GRPC_ERROR_NONE,
+                   GRPC_CHANNEL_SHUTDOWN);
+  validate_tracer(tracer, 4, max_nodes);
+  add_simple_trace(tracer);
+  add_simple_trace(tracer);
+  validate_tracer(tracer, 6, max_nodes);
+  add_simple_trace(tracer);
+  add_simple_trace(tracer);
+  add_simple_trace(tracer);
+  add_simple_trace(tracer);
+  validate_tracer(tracer, 10, max_nodes);
+  validate_tracer_data_matches_uuid_lookup(tracer);
 }
 
 // Calls basic test with various values for max_nodes (including 0, which turns
@@ -115,41 +118,39 @@ static void test_basic_channel_sizing() {
 // and this function will both hold refs to the subchannel.
 static void test_complex_channel_tracing(size_t max_nodes) {
   grpc_core::ExecCtx exec_ctx;
-  ChannelTracer tracer(max_nodes);
-  add_simple_trace(&tracer);
-  add_simple_trace(&tracer);
-  ChannelTracer sc1(max_nodes);
-  tracer.AddTrace(grpc_slice_from_static_string("subchannel one created"),
-                  GRPC_ERROR_NONE, GRPC_CHANNEL_IDLE, &sc1);
-  validate_tracer(&tracer, 3, max_nodes);
-  add_simple_trace(&sc1);
-  add_simple_trace(&sc1);
-  add_simple_trace(&sc1);
-  validate_tracer(&sc1, 3, max_nodes);
-  add_simple_trace(&sc1);
-  add_simple_trace(&sc1);
-  add_simple_trace(&sc1);
-  validate_tracer(&sc1, 6, max_nodes);
-  add_simple_trace(&tracer);
-  add_simple_trace(&tracer);
-  validate_tracer(&tracer, 5, max_nodes);
-  validate_tracer_data_matches_uuid_lookup(&tracer);
-  ChannelTracer sc2(max_nodes);
-  tracer.AddTrace(grpc_slice_from_static_string("subchannel two created"),
-                  GRPC_ERROR_NONE, GRPC_CHANNEL_IDLE, &sc2);
-  tracer.AddTrace(grpc_slice_from_static_string("subchannel one inactive"),
-                  GRPC_ERROR_NONE, GRPC_CHANNEL_IDLE, &sc1);
-  validate_tracer(&tracer, 7, max_nodes);
-  add_simple_trace(&tracer);
-  add_simple_trace(&tracer);
-  add_simple_trace(&tracer);
-  add_simple_trace(&tracer);
-  add_simple_trace(&tracer);
-  add_simple_trace(&tracer);
-  validate_tracer_data_matches_uuid_lookup(&tracer);
-  sc1.Unref();
-  sc2.Unref();
-  tracer.Unref();
+  RefCountedPtr<ChannelTracer> tracer =
+      MakeRefCounted<ChannelTracer>(max_nodes);
+  add_simple_trace(tracer);
+  add_simple_trace(tracer);
+  RefCountedPtr<ChannelTracer> sc1 = MakeRefCounted<ChannelTracer>(max_nodes);
+  tracer->AddTrace(grpc_slice_from_static_string("subchannel one created"),
+                   GRPC_ERROR_NONE, GRPC_CHANNEL_IDLE, sc1);
+  validate_tracer(tracer, 3, max_nodes);
+  add_simple_trace(sc1);
+  add_simple_trace(sc1);
+  add_simple_trace(sc1);
+  validate_tracer(sc1, 3, max_nodes);
+  add_simple_trace(sc1);
+  add_simple_trace(sc1);
+  add_simple_trace(sc1);
+  validate_tracer(sc1, 6, max_nodes);
+  add_simple_trace(tracer);
+  add_simple_trace(tracer);
+  validate_tracer(tracer, 5, max_nodes);
+  validate_tracer_data_matches_uuid_lookup(tracer);
+  RefCountedPtr<ChannelTracer> sc2 = MakeRefCounted<ChannelTracer>(max_nodes);
+  tracer->AddTrace(grpc_slice_from_static_string("subchannel two created"),
+                   GRPC_ERROR_NONE, GRPC_CHANNEL_IDLE, sc2);
+  tracer->AddTrace(grpc_slice_from_static_string("subchannel one inactive"),
+                   GRPC_ERROR_NONE, GRPC_CHANNEL_IDLE, sc1);
+  validate_tracer(tracer, 7, max_nodes);
+  add_simple_trace(tracer);
+  add_simple_trace(tracer);
+  add_simple_trace(tracer);
+  add_simple_trace(tracer);
+  add_simple_trace(tracer);
+  add_simple_trace(tracer);
+  validate_tracer_data_matches_uuid_lookup(tracer);
 }
 
 // Calls the complex test with a sweep of sizes for max_nodes.
@@ -162,59 +163,38 @@ static void test_complex_channel_sizing() {
   test_complex_channel_tracing(15);
 }
 
-// Tests edge case in which the parent channel tracer is destroyed before the
-// subchannel. Not sure if it is a realistic scenario, but the refcounting
-// balance should still hold.
-static void test_delete_parent_first() {
-  grpc_core::ExecCtx exec_ctx;
-  ChannelTracer tracer(3);
-  add_simple_trace(&tracer);
-  add_simple_trace(&tracer);
-  ChannelTracer sc1(3);
-  tracer.AddTrace(grpc_slice_from_static_string("subchannel one created"),
-                  GRPC_ERROR_NONE, GRPC_CHANNEL_IDLE, &sc1);
-  // this will cause the tracer destructor to run.
-  tracer.Unref();
-  sc1.Unref();
-}
-
 // Test a case in which the parent channel has subchannels and the subchannels
 // have connections. Ensures that everything lives as long as it should then
 // gets deleted.
 static void test_nesting() {
   grpc_core::ExecCtx exec_ctx;
-  ChannelTracer tracer(10);
-  add_simple_trace(&tracer);
-  add_simple_trace(&tracer);
-  ChannelTracer sc1(5);
-  tracer.AddTrace(grpc_slice_from_static_string("subchannel one created"),
-                  GRPC_ERROR_NONE, GRPC_CHANNEL_IDLE, &sc1);
+  RefCountedPtr<ChannelTracer> tracer = MakeRefCounted<ChannelTracer>(10);
+  add_simple_trace(tracer);
+  add_simple_trace(tracer);
+  RefCountedPtr<ChannelTracer> sc1 = MakeRefCounted<ChannelTracer>(5);
+  tracer->AddTrace(grpc_slice_from_static_string("subchannel one created"),
+                   GRPC_ERROR_NONE, GRPC_CHANNEL_IDLE, sc1);
   // channel has only one subchannel right here.
-  validate_children(&tracer, 1);
-  add_simple_trace(&sc1);
-  ChannelTracer conn1(5);
+  validate_children(tracer, 1);
+  add_simple_trace(sc1);
+  RefCountedPtr<ChannelTracer> conn1 = MakeRefCounted<ChannelTracer>(5);
   // nesting one level deeper.
-  sc1.AddTrace(grpc_slice_from_static_string("connection one created"),
-               GRPC_ERROR_NONE, GRPC_CHANNEL_IDLE, &conn1);
-  validate_children(&sc1, 1);
-  add_simple_trace(&conn1);
-  add_simple_trace(&tracer);
-  add_simple_trace(&tracer);
-  ChannelTracer sc2(5);
-  tracer.AddTrace(grpc_slice_from_static_string("subchannel two created"),
-                  GRPC_ERROR_NONE, GRPC_CHANNEL_IDLE, &sc2);
-  validate_children(&tracer, 2);
+  sc1->AddTrace(grpc_slice_from_static_string("connection one created"),
+                GRPC_ERROR_NONE, GRPC_CHANNEL_IDLE, conn1);
+  validate_children(sc1, 1);
+  add_simple_trace(conn1);
+  add_simple_trace(tracer);
+  add_simple_trace(tracer);
+  RefCountedPtr<ChannelTracer> sc2 = MakeRefCounted<ChannelTracer>(5);
+  tracer->AddTrace(grpc_slice_from_static_string("subchannel two created"),
+                   GRPC_ERROR_NONE, GRPC_CHANNEL_IDLE, sc2);
+  validate_children(tracer, 2);
   // this trace should not get added to the parents children since it is already
   // present in the tracer.
-  tracer.AddTrace(grpc_slice_from_static_string("subchannel one inactive"),
-                  GRPC_ERROR_NONE, GRPC_CHANNEL_IDLE, &sc1);
-  validate_children(&tracer, 2);
-  add_simple_trace(&tracer);
-
-  conn1.Unref();
-  sc1.Unref();
-  sc2.Unref();
-  tracer.Unref();
+  tracer->AddTrace(grpc_slice_from_static_string("subchannel one inactive"),
+                   GRPC_ERROR_NONE, GRPC_CHANNEL_IDLE, sc1);
+  validate_children(tracer, 2);
+  add_simple_trace(tracer);
 }
 
 int main(int argc, char** argv) {
@@ -224,7 +204,6 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv) {
   test_basic_channel_sizing();
   test_complex_channel_tracing(5);
   test_complex_channel_sizing();
-  test_delete_parent_first();
   test_nesting();
   grpc_shutdown();
   return 0;