diff --git a/ddtrace/contrib/internal/rq/patch.py b/ddtrace/contrib/internal/rq/patch.py
index 899714402e1..00b555200df 100644
--- a/ddtrace/contrib/internal/rq/patch.py
+++ b/ddtrace/contrib/internal/rq/patch.py
@@ -118,6 +118,7 @@ def traced_perform_job(rq, pin, func, instance, args, kwargs):
             resource=job.func_name,
             integration_config=config.rq_worker,
             distributed_headers=job.meta,
+            activate_distributed_headers=True,
             tags={COMPONENT: config.rq.integration_name, SPAN_KIND: SpanKind.CONSUMER, JOB_ID: job.get_id()},
         ) as ctx, ctx.span:
             try:
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/enable-distributed-tracing-rq-4aaa0d4ae84381ee.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/enable-distributed-tracing-rq-4aaa0d4ae84381ee.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..22ea3f602d4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/enable-distributed-tracing-rq-4aaa0d4ae84381ee.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+---
+fixes:
+  - |
+    rq: enable parsing distributed tracing metadata in perform job