diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index f487ceb0f74..159751e1d2f 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@ This project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.htm
 
 ### Deprecated
 
+- `WithPublicEndpoint` in `go.opentelemetry.io/contrib/instrumentation/net/http/otelhttp` is deprecated.
+  Use `WithPublicEndpointFn` instead. (#8152)
 - `WithRouteTag` in `go.opentelemetry.io/contrib/instrumentation/net/http/otelhttp` is deprecated.
   The route is already added automatically for spans.
   For metrics, the alternative is to use the `WithMetricAttributesFn` option. (#8117)
diff --git a/instrumentation/net/http/otelhttp/config.go b/instrumentation/net/http/otelhttp/config.go
index 38fb79c0328..6107728d412 100644
--- a/instrumentation/net/http/otelhttp/config.go
+++ b/instrumentation/net/http/otelhttp/config.go
@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@ type config struct {
 	Meter             metric.Meter
 	Propagators       propagation.TextMapPropagator
 	SpanStartOptions  []trace.SpanStartOption
-	PublicEndpoint    bool
 	PublicEndpointFn  func(*http.Request) bool
 	ReadEvent         bool
 	WriteEvent        bool
@@ -96,17 +95,19 @@ func WithMeterProvider(provider metric.MeterProvider) Option {
 // WithPublicEndpoint configures the Handler to link the span with an incoming
 // span context. If this option is not provided, then the association is a child
 // association instead of a link.
+//
+// Deprecated: Use [WithPublicEndpointFn] instead.
+// To migrate, replace WithPublicEndpoint() with:
+//
+//	WithPublicEndpointFn(func(*http.Request) bool { return true })
 func WithPublicEndpoint() Option {
-	return optionFunc(func(c *config) {
-		c.PublicEndpoint = true
-	})
+	return WithPublicEndpointFn(func(*http.Request) bool { return true })
 }
 
 // WithPublicEndpointFn runs with every request, and allows conditionally
 // configuring the Handler to link the span with an incoming span context. If
 // this option is not provided or returns false, then the association is a
 // child association instead of a link.
-// Note: WithPublicEndpoint takes precedence over WithPublicEndpointFn.
 func WithPublicEndpointFn(fn func(*http.Request) bool) Option {
 	return optionFunc(func(c *config) {
 		c.PublicEndpointFn = fn
diff --git a/instrumentation/net/http/otelhttp/handler.go b/instrumentation/net/http/otelhttp/handler.go
index 4fe099b83cb..c1bbf3a3c2d 100644
--- a/instrumentation/net/http/otelhttp/handler.go
+++ b/instrumentation/net/http/otelhttp/handler.go
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@ type middleware struct {
 	writeEvent         bool
 	filters            []Filter
 	spanNameFormatter  func(string, *http.Request) string
-	publicEndpoint     bool
 	publicEndpointFn   func(*http.Request) bool
 	metricAttributesFn func(*http.Request) []attribute.KeyValue
 
@@ -77,7 +76,6 @@ func (h *middleware) configure(c *config) {
 	h.writeEvent = c.WriteEvent
 	h.filters = c.Filters
 	h.spanNameFormatter = c.SpanNameFormatter
-	h.publicEndpoint = c.PublicEndpoint
 	h.publicEndpointFn = c.PublicEndpointFn
 	h.server = c.ServerName
 	h.semconv = semconv.NewHTTPServer(c.Meter)
@@ -102,7 +100,7 @@ func (h *middleware) serveHTTP(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, next http
 	}
 
 	opts = append(opts, h.spanStartOptions...)
-	if h.publicEndpoint || (h.publicEndpointFn != nil && h.publicEndpointFn(r.WithContext(ctx))) {
+	if h.publicEndpointFn != nil && h.publicEndpointFn(r.WithContext(ctx)) {
 		opts = append(opts, trace.WithNewRoot())
 		// Linking incoming span context if any for public endpoint.
 		if s := trace.SpanContextFromContext(ctx); s.IsValid() && s.IsRemote() {