diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index de9cfafe977..53a457352d4 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ This project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.htm
 - Added `Marshler` config option to `otlphttp` to enable otlp over json or protobufs. (#1586)
 - A `ForceFlush` method to the `"go.opentelemetry.io/otel/sdk/trace".TracerProvider` to flush all registered `SpanProcessor`s. (#1608)
 
+
 ### Changed
 
 - Update the `ForceFlush` method signature to the `"go.opentelemetry.io/otel/sdk/trace".SpanProcessor` to accept a `context.Context` and return an error. (#1608)
@@ -26,6 +27,8 @@ This project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.htm
 
 - Removed the exported `SimpleSpanProcessor` and `BatchSpanProcessor` structs.
    These are now returned as a SpanProcessor interface from their respective constructors. (#1638)
+- Removed setting status to `Error` while recording an error as a span event in `RecordError`. (#1663)
+
 
 ### Fixed
 
diff --git a/sdk/trace/span.go b/sdk/trace/span.go
index e6a1927a7d2..a747c82be83 100644
--- a/sdk/trace/span.go
+++ b/sdk/trace/span.go
@@ -258,14 +258,15 @@ func (s *span) End(options ...trace.SpanOption) {
 	}
 }
 
-// RecordError will record err as a span event for this span. If this span is
-// not being recorded or err is nil than this method does nothing.
+// RecordError will record err as a span event for this span. An additional call to
+// SetStatus is required if the Status of the Span should be set to Error, this method
+// does not change the Span status. If this span is not being recorded or err is nil
+// than this method does nothing.
 func (s *span) RecordError(err error, opts ...trace.EventOption) {
 	if s == nil || err == nil || !s.IsRecording() {
 		return
 	}
 
-	s.SetStatus(codes.Error, "")
 	opts = append(opts, trace.WithAttributes(
 		errorTypeKey.String(typeStr(err)),
 		errorMessageKey.String(err.Error()),
diff --git a/sdk/trace/trace_test.go b/sdk/trace/trace_test.go
index a50cc927a90..0d7b7a3b095 100644
--- a/sdk/trace/trace_test.go
+++ b/sdk/trace/trace_test.go
@@ -1167,7 +1167,7 @@ func TestRecordError(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 			ParentSpanID:    sid,
 			Name:            "span0",
-			StatusCode:      codes.Error,
+			StatusCode:      codes.Unset,
 			SpanKind:        trace.SpanKindInternal,
 			HasRemoteParent: true,
 			MessageEvents: []trace.Event{