diff --git a/tinker_cookbook/checkpoint_utils.py b/tinker_cookbook/checkpoint_utils.py
index 091e8f7b..e0cc7d8a 100644
--- a/tinker_cookbook/checkpoint_utils.py
+++ b/tinker_cookbook/checkpoint_utils.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 import tinker
 
 from tinker_cookbook.utils.file_utils import read_jsonl
-from tinker_cookbook.utils.trace import get_scope_context, scope
+from tinker_cookbook.utils.trace import scope, update_scope_context
 
 CHECKPOINTS_BASE_NAME = "checkpoints.jsonl"
 
@@ -22,8 +22,7 @@ def load_checkpoints_file(log_dir: str) -> list[dict[str, Any]]:
         return []
 
     logger.info(f"Reading checkpoints from {checkpoint_path}")
-    context = get_scope_context()
-    context.attributes["checkpoint_path"] = checkpoint_path
+    update_scope_context({"checkpoint_path": checkpoint_path})
     return read_jsonl(checkpoint_path)
 
 
@@ -78,8 +77,7 @@ async def save_checkpoint_async(
 
     results = {k: await v.result_async() for k, v in futures.items()}
     paths = {k + "_path": v.path for k, v in results.items()}
-    context = get_scope_context()
-    context.attributes.update(paths)
+    update_scope_context(paths)
     logger.info(f"Saved checkpoints: {paths}")
     full_dict = {"name": name, **loop_state, **paths}
     with open(os.path.join(log_path, "checkpoints.jsonl"), "a") as f:
diff --git a/tinker_cookbook/distillation/train_on_policy.py b/tinker_cookbook/distillation/train_on_policy.py
index 8e9943f6..4ae7d254 100644
--- a/tinker_cookbook/distillation/train_on_policy.py
+++ b/tinker_cookbook/distillation/train_on_policy.py
@@ -7,13 +7,18 @@
 import logging
 import os
 import time
-from typing import Any, List, Literal, Sequence, Dict, cast
+from typing import Any, Dict, List, Literal, Sequence, cast
 
 import chz
 import tinker
 import torch
+
 from tinker_cookbook import checkpoint_utils
 from tinker_cookbook.display import colorize_example
+from tinker_cookbook.distillation.datasets import (
+    CompositeDataset,
+    DistillationDatasetConfig,
+)
 from tinker_cookbook.eval.evaluators import SamplingClientEvaluator, SamplingClientEvaluatorBuilder
 from tinker_cookbook.rl.data_processing import (
     assemble_training_data,
@@ -21,6 +26,12 @@
 )
 from tinker_cookbook.rl.metric_util import RLTestSetEvaluator, compute_trajectory_metrics
 from tinker_cookbook.rl.metrics import discounted_future_sum_vectorized
+from tinker_cookbook.rl.train import (
+    compute_full_batch_metrics_and_get_sampling_client,
+    do_group_rollout_and_filter_constant_reward,
+    save_checkpoint_and_get_sampling_client,
+    train_step,
+)
 from tinker_cookbook.rl.types import (
     EnvGroupBuilder,
     TrajectoryGroup,
@@ -28,21 +39,7 @@
 from tinker_cookbook.tokenizer_utils import Tokenizer
 from tinker_cookbook.utils import ml_log
 from tinker_cookbook.utils.misc_utils import safezip, timed
-from tinker_cookbook.utils.trace import scope, get_scope_context, trace_init
-
-# Dataset configuration classes
-from tinker_cookbook.distillation.datasets import (
-    CompositeDataset,
-    DistillationDatasetConfig,
-)
-
-# We re-use these methods from the RL training recipe
-from tinker_cookbook.rl.train import (
-    save_checkpoint_and_get_sampling_client,
-    train_step,
-    compute_full_batch_metrics_and_get_sampling_client,
-    do_group_rollout_and_filter_constant_reward,
-)
+from tinker_cookbook.utils.trace import scope, update_scope_context, trace_init
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -228,8 +225,7 @@ async def do_train_step_and_get_sampling_client(
     dataset_indices_P: List[int],
     teacher_clients: List[tinker.SamplingClient],
 ) -> tuple[tinker.SamplingClient, dict[str, Any]]:
-    context = get_scope_context()
-    context.attributes["step"] = i_batch
+    update_scope_context({"step": i_batch})
 
     metrics = {}
     data_D, prepare_minibatch_metrics = await prepare_minibatch(
diff --git a/tinker_cookbook/rl/train.py b/tinker_cookbook/rl/train.py
index 4e01fddc..d4e5163d 100644
--- a/tinker_cookbook/rl/train.py
+++ b/tinker_cookbook/rl/train.py
@@ -7,12 +7,14 @@
 import logging
 import os
 import time
-from typing import Any, Callable, List, Literal, Sequence, Iterator
+from contextlib import contextmanager
+from typing import Any, Callable, Iterator, List, Literal, Sequence
 
 import chz
 import numpy as np
 import tinker
 import torch
+
 from tinker_cookbook import checkpoint_utils
 from tinker_cookbook.completers import TinkerTokenCompleter
 from tinker_cookbook.display import colorize_example
@@ -39,9 +41,7 @@
 from tinker_cookbook.tokenizer_utils import Tokenizer
 from tinker_cookbook.utils import logtree, ml_log
 from tinker_cookbook.utils.misc_utils import safezip, split_list, timed
-from tinker_cookbook.utils.trace import scope, trace_init, get_scope_context
-from contextlib import contextmanager
-
+from tinker_cookbook.utils.trace import scope, update_scope_context, trace_init
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -809,8 +809,7 @@ async def do_train_step_streaming_and_get_sampling_client(
     # Number of groups per minibatch in each optimizer substep
     groups_per_minibatch = groups_per_substep // cfg.stream_minibatch_config.num_minibatches
 
-    context = get_scope_context()
-    context.attributes["step"] = i_batch
+    update_scope_context({"step": i_batch})
 
     metrics = {}
 
@@ -904,8 +903,7 @@ async def do_train_step_and_get_sampling_client(
     env_group_builders_P: Sequence[EnvGroupBuilder],
     trajectory_groups_P: list[TrajectoryGroup],
 ) -> tuple[tinker.SamplingClient, dict[str, Any]]:
-    context = get_scope_context()
-    context.attributes["step"] = i_batch
+    update_scope_context({"step": i_batch})
 
     metrics = {}
     data_D, prepare_minibatch_metrics = await prepare_minibatch(
diff --git a/tinker_cookbook/supervised/train.py b/tinker_cookbook/supervised/train.py
index f501ce4c..4dd758d3 100644
--- a/tinker_cookbook/supervised/train.py
+++ b/tinker_cookbook/supervised/train.py
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
 from tinker_cookbook.utils import ml_log
 from tinker_cookbook.utils.lr_scheduling import compute_schedule_lr_multiplier
 from tinker_cookbook.utils.misc_utils import timed
-from tinker_cookbook.utils.trace import get_scope_context, scope, trace_init
+from tinker_cookbook.utils.trace import scope, update_scope_context, trace_init
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -107,22 +107,24 @@ async def run_evals(
     checkpoint. Returned metrics are prefixed with ``test/`` so they can be logged next
     to the same-step training metrics.
     """
-    context = get_scope_context()
-    context.attributes["step"] = step
+    update_scope_context({"step": step})
 
     metrics = {}
     sampling_client = None
 
     @scope
     async def run_evaluator(evaluator: Evaluator) -> dict[str, float]:
-        context = get_scope_context()
-        context.attributes["step"] = step
-        context.attributes["evaluator_name"] = type(evaluator).__name__
+        update_scope_context(
+            {
+                "step": step,
+                "evaluator_name": type(evaluator).__name__,
+            }
+        )
         if isinstance(evaluator, TrainingClientEvaluator):
-            context.attributes["evaluator_type"] = "TrainingClientEvaluator"
+            update_scope_context({"evaluator_type": "TrainingClientEvaluator"})
             return await evaluator(training_client)
         elif isinstance(evaluator, SamplingClientEvaluator):
-            context.attributes["evaluator_type"] = "SamplingClientEvaluator"
+            update_scope_context({"evaluator_type": "SamplingClientEvaluator"})
             # Create sampling client lazily, only when needed
             nonlocal sampling_client
             if sampling_client is None:
@@ -225,8 +227,7 @@ async def main(config: Config):
     @scope
     async def submit_batch(epoch_idx: int, batch_idx: int) -> SubmittedBatch:
         step = epoch_idx * n_batches + batch_idx
-        context = get_scope_context()
-        context.attributes["step"] = step
+        update_scope_context({"step": step})
 
         batch_start_time = time.time()
         metrics: dict[str, int | float | str] = {"epoch": epoch_idx}
@@ -286,8 +287,7 @@ async def submit_batch(epoch_idx: int, batch_idx: int) -> SubmittedBatch:
 
     @scope
     async def finish_batch(submitted: SubmittedBatch):
-        context = get_scope_context()
-        context.attributes["step"] = submitted.step
+        update_scope_context({"step": submitted.step})
 
         metrics = submitted.metrics
         metrics["progress"] = min((submitted.step + 1) / progress_denominator, 1.0)
diff --git a/tinker_cookbook/tests/test_trace.py b/tinker_cookbook/tests/test_trace.py
index 50afde4a..a0dd2f89 100644
--- a/tinker_cookbook/tests/test_trace.py
+++ b/tinker_cookbook/tests/test_trace.py
@@ -1,8 +1,15 @@
-import json
-from tinker_cookbook.utils.trace import scope, trace_init, trace_shutdown, get_scope_context
 import asyncio
-import threading
+import json
 import tempfile
+import threading
+
+from tinker_cookbook.utils.trace import (
+    get_scope_context,
+    scope,
+    update_scope_context,
+    trace_init,
+    trace_shutdown,
+)
 
 
 @scope
@@ -30,8 +37,7 @@ def ced():
 @scope
 async def baz():
     await asyncio.sleep(0.02)
-    context = get_scope_context()
-    context.attributes["baz"] = "baz"
+    update_scope_context({"baz": "baz"})
     ced()
 
 
diff --git a/tinker_cookbook/utils/trace.py b/tinker_cookbook/utils/trace.py
index ee9c896b..6e735e5b 100644
--- a/tinker_cookbook/utils/trace.py
+++ b/tinker_cookbook/utils/trace.py
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
+import argparse
 import asyncio
+import atexit
 import functools
 import inspect
 import json
@@ -6,12 +8,10 @@
 import threading
 import time
 from contextvars import ContextVar
-from typing import Any, Callable
 from dataclasses import dataclass, field
 from enum import Enum
-import argparse
 from io import TextIOWrapper
-import atexit
+from typing import Any, Callable
 
 
 class EventType(str, Enum):
@@ -407,6 +407,20 @@ async def foo():
     return result
 
 
+def update_scope_context(values: dict[str, Any]) -> None:
+    """Update the current scope's context. Example usage:
+
+    @scope
+    async def foo(step: int):
+        update_scope_context({"step": step})
+        await bar()
+
+    """
+    result = trace_context.get(ScopeContext())
+    assert result is not None, "Trace context is not set"
+    result.attributes.update(values)
+
+
 def convert_jsonl_to_json_main():
     """Helper script to convert the trace events format into a visualizable format"""
     parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(