diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index f827e315853..bc1fa62cd7c 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ For experimental package changes, see the [experimental CHANGELOG](experimental/
 
 ### :bug: (Bug Fix)
 
+* fix(sdk-trace-web): add secureConnectionStart to https only [#3879](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-js/pull/3879) @Abinet18
 * fix(http-instrumentation): stop listening to `request`'s `close` event once it has emitted `response` [#3625](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-js/pull/3625) @SimenB
 * fix(sdk-node): fix initialization in bundled environments by not loading @opentelemetry/exporter-jaeger [#3739](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-js/pull/3739) @pichlermarc
 
diff --git a/experimental/packages/opentelemetry-instrumentation-fetch/test/fetch.test.ts b/experimental/packages/opentelemetry-instrumentation-fetch/test/fetch.test.ts
index 318e0f98c3e..14dcec9978f 100644
--- a/experimental/packages/opentelemetry-instrumentation-fetch/test/fetch.test.ts
+++ b/experimental/packages/opentelemetry-instrumentation-fetch/test/fetch.test.ts
@@ -139,6 +139,19 @@ function createFakePerformanceObs(url: string) {
   return FakePerfObs;
 }
 
+function testForCorrectEvents(
+  events: tracing.TimedEvent[],
+  eventNames: string[]
+) {
+  for (let i = 0; i < events.length; i++) {
+    assert.strictEqual(
+      events[i].name,
+      eventNames[i],
+      `event ${eventNames[i]} is not defined`
+    );
+  }
+}
+
 describe('fetch', () => {
   let contextManager: ZoneContextManager;
   let lastResponse: any | undefined;
@@ -152,6 +165,7 @@ describe('fetch', () => {
   let fetchInstrumentation: FetchInstrumentation;
 
   const url = 'http://localhost:8090/get';
+  const secureUrl = 'https://localhost:8090/get';
   const badUrl = 'http://foo.bar.com/get';
 
   const clearData = () => {
@@ -399,53 +413,17 @@ describe('fetch', () => {
     it('span should have correct events', () => {
       const span: tracing.ReadableSpan = exportSpy.args[1][0][0];
       const events = span.events;
-      assert.strictEqual(events.length, 9, 'number of events is wrong');
-
-      assert.strictEqual(
-        events[0].name,
+      assert.strictEqual(events.length, 8, 'number of events is wrong');
+      testForCorrectEvents(events, [
         PTN.FETCH_START,
-        `event ${PTN.FETCH_START} is not defined`
-      );
-      assert.strictEqual(
-        events[1].name,
         PTN.DOMAIN_LOOKUP_START,
-        `event ${PTN.DOMAIN_LOOKUP_START} is not defined`
-      );
-      assert.strictEqual(
-        events[2].name,
         PTN.DOMAIN_LOOKUP_END,
-        `event ${PTN.DOMAIN_LOOKUP_END} is not defined`
-      );
-      assert.strictEqual(
-        events[3].name,
         PTN.CONNECT_START,
-        `event ${PTN.CONNECT_START} is not defined`
-      );
-      assert.strictEqual(
-        events[4].name,
-        PTN.SECURE_CONNECTION_START,
-        `event ${PTN.SECURE_CONNECTION_START} is not defined`
-      );
-      assert.strictEqual(
-        events[5].name,
         PTN.CONNECT_END,
-        `event ${PTN.CONNECT_END} is not defined`
-      );
-      assert.strictEqual(
-        events[6].name,
         PTN.REQUEST_START,
-        `event ${PTN.REQUEST_START} is not defined`
-      );
-      assert.strictEqual(
-        events[7].name,
         PTN.RESPONSE_START,
-        `event ${PTN.RESPONSE_START} is not defined`
-      );
-      assert.strictEqual(
-        events[8].name,
         PTN.RESPONSE_END,
-        `event ${PTN.RESPONSE_END} is not defined`
-      );
+      ]);
     });
 
     it('should create a span for preflight request', () => {
@@ -479,53 +457,17 @@ describe('fetch', () => {
     it('preflight request span should have correct events', () => {
       const span: tracing.ReadableSpan = exportSpy.args[0][0][0];
       const events = span.events;
-      assert.strictEqual(events.length, 9, 'number of events is wrong');
-
-      assert.strictEqual(
-        events[0].name,
+      assert.strictEqual(events.length, 8, 'number of events is wrong');
+      testForCorrectEvents(events, [
         PTN.FETCH_START,
-        `event ${PTN.FETCH_START} is not defined`
-      );
-      assert.strictEqual(
-        events[1].name,
         PTN.DOMAIN_LOOKUP_START,
-        `event ${PTN.DOMAIN_LOOKUP_START} is not defined`
-      );
-      assert.strictEqual(
-        events[2].name,
         PTN.DOMAIN_LOOKUP_END,
-        `event ${PTN.DOMAIN_LOOKUP_END} is not defined`
-      );
-      assert.strictEqual(
-        events[3].name,
         PTN.CONNECT_START,
-        `event ${PTN.CONNECT_START} is not defined`
-      );
-      assert.strictEqual(
-        events[4].name,
-        PTN.SECURE_CONNECTION_START,
-        `event ${PTN.SECURE_CONNECTION_START} is not defined`
-      );
-      assert.strictEqual(
-        events[5].name,
         PTN.CONNECT_END,
-        `event ${PTN.CONNECT_END} is not defined`
-      );
-      assert.strictEqual(
-        events[6].name,
         PTN.REQUEST_START,
-        `event ${PTN.REQUEST_START} is not defined`
-      );
-      assert.strictEqual(
-        events[7].name,
         PTN.RESPONSE_START,
-        `event ${PTN.RESPONSE_START} is not defined`
-      );
-      assert.strictEqual(
-        events[8].name,
         PTN.RESPONSE_END,
-        `event ${PTN.RESPONSE_END} is not defined`
-      );
+      ]);
     });
 
     it('should set trace headers', () => {
@@ -639,6 +581,51 @@ describe('fetch', () => {
     });
   });
 
+  describe('when request is secure and successful', () => {
+    beforeEach(async () => {
+      const propagateTraceHeaderCorsUrls = [secureUrl];
+      await prepareData(secureUrl, { propagateTraceHeaderCorsUrls });
+    });
+
+    afterEach(() => {
+      clearData();
+    });
+
+    it('span should have correct events', () => {
+      const span: tracing.ReadableSpan = exportSpy.args[1][0][0];
+      const events = span.events;
+      assert.strictEqual(events.length, 9, 'number of events is wrong');
+      testForCorrectEvents(events, [
+        PTN.FETCH_START,
+        PTN.DOMAIN_LOOKUP_START,
+        PTN.DOMAIN_LOOKUP_END,
+        PTN.CONNECT_START,
+        PTN.SECURE_CONNECTION_START,
+        PTN.CONNECT_END,
+        PTN.REQUEST_START,
+        PTN.RESPONSE_START,
+        PTN.RESPONSE_END,
+      ]);
+    });
+
+    it('preflight request span should have correct events', () => {
+      const span: tracing.ReadableSpan = exportSpy.args[0][0][0];
+      const events = span.events;
+      assert.strictEqual(events.length, 9, 'number of events is wrong');
+      testForCorrectEvents(events, [
+        PTN.FETCH_START,
+        PTN.DOMAIN_LOOKUP_START,
+        PTN.DOMAIN_LOOKUP_END,
+        PTN.CONNECT_START,
+        PTN.SECURE_CONNECTION_START,
+        PTN.CONNECT_END,
+        PTN.REQUEST_START,
+        PTN.RESPONSE_START,
+        PTN.RESPONSE_END,
+      ]);
+    });
+  });
+
   describe('applyCustomAttributesOnSpan option', () => {
     const prepare = async (
       url: string,
@@ -815,13 +802,18 @@ describe('fetch', () => {
         `Wrong number of spans: ${exportSpy.args.length}`
       );
 
-      assert.strictEqual(events.length, 9, 'number of events is wrong');
+      assert.strictEqual(events.length, 8, 'number of events is wrong');
 
-      assert.strictEqual(
-        events[6].name,
+      testForCorrectEvents(events, [
+        PTN.FETCH_START,
+        PTN.DOMAIN_LOOKUP_START,
+        PTN.DOMAIN_LOOKUP_END,
+        PTN.CONNECT_START,
+        PTN.CONNECT_END,
         PTN.REQUEST_START,
-        `event ${PTN.REQUEST_START} is not defined`
-      );
+        PTN.RESPONSE_START,
+        PTN.RESPONSE_END,
+      ]);
     });
   });
 
@@ -844,12 +836,17 @@ describe('fetch', () => {
         `Wrong number of spans: ${exportSpy.args.length}`
       );
 
-      assert.strictEqual(events.length, 9, 'number of events is wrong');
-      assert.strictEqual(
-        events[6].name,
+      assert.strictEqual(events.length, 8, 'number of events is wrong');
+      testForCorrectEvents(events, [
+        PTN.FETCH_START,
+        PTN.DOMAIN_LOOKUP_START,
+        PTN.DOMAIN_LOOKUP_END,
+        PTN.CONNECT_START,
+        PTN.CONNECT_END,
         PTN.REQUEST_START,
-        `event ${PTN.REQUEST_START} is not defined`
-      );
+        PTN.RESPONSE_START,
+        PTN.RESPONSE_END,
+      ]);
     });
 
     it('should have an absolute http.url attribute', () => {
@@ -882,12 +879,17 @@ describe('fetch', () => {
         2,
         `Wrong number of spans: ${exportSpy.args.length}`
       );
-      assert.strictEqual(events.length, 9, 'number of events is wrong');
-      assert.strictEqual(
-        events[6].name,
+      assert.strictEqual(events.length, 8, 'number of events is wrong');
+      testForCorrectEvents(events, [
+        PTN.FETCH_START,
+        PTN.DOMAIN_LOOKUP_START,
+        PTN.DOMAIN_LOOKUP_END,
+        PTN.CONNECT_START,
+        PTN.CONNECT_END,
         PTN.REQUEST_START,
-        `event ${PTN.REQUEST_START} is not defined`
-      );
+        PTN.RESPONSE_START,
+        PTN.RESPONSE_END,
+      ]);
     });
   });
 
diff --git a/experimental/packages/opentelemetry-instrumentation-xml-http-request/test/xhr.test.ts b/experimental/packages/opentelemetry-instrumentation-xml-http-request/test/xhr.test.ts
index b304bb9c03d..947ec08e64e 100644
--- a/experimental/packages/opentelemetry-instrumentation-xml-http-request/test/xhr.test.ts
+++ b/experimental/packages/opentelemetry-instrumentation-xml-http-request/test/xhr.test.ts
@@ -162,6 +162,19 @@ function createFakePerformanceObs(url: string) {
   return FakePerfObs;
 }
 
+function testForCorrectEvents(
+  events: tracing.TimedEvent[],
+  eventNames: string[]
+) {
+  for (let i = 0; i < events.length; i++) {
+    assert.strictEqual(
+      events[i].name,
+      eventNames[i],
+      `event ${eventNames[i]} is not defined`
+    );
+  }
+}
+
 describe('xhr', () => {
   const asyncTests = [{ async: true }, { async: false }];
   asyncTests.forEach(test => {
@@ -200,6 +213,7 @@ describe('xhr', () => {
         let rootSpan: api.Span;
         let spyEntries: any;
         const url = 'http://localhost:8090/xml-http-request.js';
+        const secureUrl = 'https://localhost:8090/xml-http-request.js';
         let fakeNow = 0;
         let xmlHttpRequestInstrumentation: XMLHttpRequestInstrumentation;
 
@@ -383,69 +397,20 @@ describe('xhr', () => {
         it('span should have correct events', () => {
           const span: tracing.ReadableSpan = exportSpy.args[1][0][0];
           const events = span.events;
-
-          assert.strictEqual(
-            events[0].name,
+          testForCorrectEvents(events, [
             EventNames.METHOD_OPEN,
-            `event ${EventNames.METHOD_OPEN} is not defined`
-          );
-          assert.strictEqual(
-            events[1].name,
             EventNames.METHOD_SEND,
-            `event ${EventNames.METHOD_SEND} is not defined`
-          );
-          assert.strictEqual(
-            events[2].name,
             PTN.FETCH_START,
-            `event ${PTN.FETCH_START} is not defined`
-          );
-          assert.strictEqual(
-            events[3].name,
             PTN.DOMAIN_LOOKUP_START,
-            `event ${PTN.DOMAIN_LOOKUP_START} is not defined`
-          );
-          assert.strictEqual(
-            events[4].name,
             PTN.DOMAIN_LOOKUP_END,
-            `event ${PTN.DOMAIN_LOOKUP_END} is not defined`
-          );
-          assert.strictEqual(
-            events[5].name,
             PTN.CONNECT_START,
-            `event ${PTN.CONNECT_START} is not defined`
-          );
-          assert.strictEqual(
-            events[6].name,
-            PTN.SECURE_CONNECTION_START,
-            `event ${PTN.SECURE_CONNECTION_START} is not defined`
-          );
-          assert.strictEqual(
-            events[7].name,
             PTN.CONNECT_END,
-            `event ${PTN.CONNECT_END} is not defined`
-          );
-          assert.strictEqual(
-            events[8].name,
             PTN.REQUEST_START,
-            `event ${PTN.REQUEST_START} is not defined`
-          );
-          assert.strictEqual(
-            events[9].name,
             PTN.RESPONSE_START,
-            `event ${PTN.RESPONSE_START} is not defined`
-          );
-          assert.strictEqual(
-            events[10].name,
             PTN.RESPONSE_END,
-            `event ${PTN.RESPONSE_END} is not defined`
-          );
-          assert.strictEqual(
-            events[11].name,
             EventNames.EVENT_LOAD,
-            `event ${EventNames.EVENT_LOAD} is not defined`
-          );
-
-          assert.strictEqual(events.length, 12, 'number of events is wrong');
+          ]);
+          assert.strictEqual(events.length, 11, 'number of events is wrong');
         });
 
         it('should create a span for preflight request', () => {
@@ -479,53 +444,17 @@ describe('xhr', () => {
         it('preflight request span should have correct events', () => {
           const span: tracing.ReadableSpan = exportSpy.args[0][0][0];
           const events = span.events;
-          assert.strictEqual(events.length, 9, 'number of events is wrong');
-
-          assert.strictEqual(
-            events[0].name,
+          assert.strictEqual(events.length, 8, 'number of events is wrong');
+          testForCorrectEvents(events, [
             PTN.FETCH_START,
-            `event ${PTN.FETCH_START} is not defined`
-          );
-          assert.strictEqual(
-            events[1].name,
             PTN.DOMAIN_LOOKUP_START,
-            `event ${PTN.DOMAIN_LOOKUP_START} is not defined`
-          );
-          assert.strictEqual(
-            events[2].name,
             PTN.DOMAIN_LOOKUP_END,
-            `event ${PTN.DOMAIN_LOOKUP_END} is not defined`
-          );
-          assert.strictEqual(
-            events[3].name,
             PTN.CONNECT_START,
-            `event ${PTN.CONNECT_START} is not defined`
-          );
-          assert.strictEqual(
-            events[4].name,
-            PTN.SECURE_CONNECTION_START,
-            `event ${PTN.SECURE_CONNECTION_START} is not defined`
-          );
-          assert.strictEqual(
-            events[5].name,
             PTN.CONNECT_END,
-            `event ${PTN.CONNECT_END} is not defined`
-          );
-          assert.strictEqual(
-            events[6].name,
             PTN.REQUEST_START,
-            `event ${PTN.REQUEST_START} is not defined`
-          );
-          assert.strictEqual(
-            events[7].name,
             PTN.RESPONSE_START,
-            `event ${PTN.RESPONSE_START} is not defined`
-          );
-          assert.strictEqual(
-            events[8].name,
             PTN.RESPONSE_END,
-            `event ${PTN.RESPONSE_END} is not defined`
-          );
+          ]);
         });
 
         it('should NOT clear the resources', () => {
@@ -534,6 +463,53 @@ describe('xhr', () => {
             'resources have been cleared'
           );
         });
+        describe('When making https requests', () => {
+          beforeEach(done => {
+            clearData();
+            // this won't generate a preflight span
+            const propagateTraceHeaderCorsUrls = [secureUrl];
+            prepareData(done, secureUrl, {
+              propagateTraceHeaderCorsUrls,
+            });
+          });
+
+          it('span should have correct events', () => {
+            const span: tracing.ReadableSpan = exportSpy.args[1][0][0];
+            const events = span.events;
+            testForCorrectEvents(events, [
+              EventNames.METHOD_OPEN,
+              EventNames.METHOD_SEND,
+              PTN.FETCH_START,
+              PTN.DOMAIN_LOOKUP_START,
+              PTN.DOMAIN_LOOKUP_END,
+              PTN.CONNECT_START,
+              PTN.SECURE_CONNECTION_START,
+              PTN.CONNECT_END,
+              PTN.REQUEST_START,
+              PTN.RESPONSE_START,
+              PTN.RESPONSE_END,
+              EventNames.EVENT_LOAD,
+            ]);
+            assert.strictEqual(events.length, 12, 'number of events is wrong');
+          });
+
+          it('preflight request span should have correct events', () => {
+            const span: tracing.ReadableSpan = exportSpy.args[0][0][0];
+            const events = span.events;
+            assert.strictEqual(events.length, 9, 'number of events is wrong');
+            testForCorrectEvents(events, [
+              PTN.FETCH_START,
+              PTN.DOMAIN_LOOKUP_START,
+              PTN.DOMAIN_LOOKUP_END,
+              PTN.CONNECT_START,
+              PTN.SECURE_CONNECTION_START,
+              PTN.CONNECT_END,
+              PTN.REQUEST_START,
+              PTN.RESPONSE_START,
+              PTN.RESPONSE_END,
+            ]);
+          });
+        });
 
         describe('AND origin match with window.location', () => {
           beforeEach(done => {
@@ -786,11 +762,11 @@ describe('xhr', () => {
 
             assert.strictEqual(
               events.length,
-              12,
+              11,
               `number of events is wrong: ${events.length}`
             );
             assert.strictEqual(
-              events[8].name,
+              events[7].name,
               PTN.REQUEST_START,
               `event ${PTN.REQUEST_START} is not defined`
             );
@@ -1008,68 +984,20 @@ describe('xhr', () => {
             const span: tracing.ReadableSpan = exportSpy.args[0][0][0];
             const events = span.events;
 
-            assert.strictEqual(
-              events[0].name,
+            testForCorrectEvents(events, [
               EventNames.METHOD_OPEN,
-              `event ${EventNames.METHOD_OPEN} is not defined`
-            );
-            assert.strictEqual(
-              events[1].name,
               EventNames.METHOD_SEND,
-              `event ${EventNames.METHOD_SEND} is not defined`
-            );
-            assert.strictEqual(
-              events[2].name,
               PTN.FETCH_START,
-              `event ${PTN.FETCH_START} is not defined`
-            );
-            assert.strictEqual(
-              events[3].name,
               PTN.DOMAIN_LOOKUP_START,
-              `event ${PTN.DOMAIN_LOOKUP_START} is not defined`
-            );
-            assert.strictEqual(
-              events[4].name,
               PTN.DOMAIN_LOOKUP_END,
-              `event ${PTN.DOMAIN_LOOKUP_END} is not defined`
-            );
-            assert.strictEqual(
-              events[5].name,
               PTN.CONNECT_START,
-              `event ${PTN.CONNECT_START} is not defined`
-            );
-            assert.strictEqual(
-              events[6].name,
-              PTN.SECURE_CONNECTION_START,
-              `event ${PTN.SECURE_CONNECTION_START} is not defined`
-            );
-            assert.strictEqual(
-              events[7].name,
               PTN.CONNECT_END,
-              `event ${PTN.CONNECT_END} is not defined`
-            );
-            assert.strictEqual(
-              events[8].name,
               PTN.REQUEST_START,
-              `event ${PTN.REQUEST_START} is not defined`
-            );
-            assert.strictEqual(
-              events[9].name,
               PTN.RESPONSE_START,
-              `event ${PTN.RESPONSE_START} is not defined`
-            );
-            assert.strictEqual(
-              events[10].name,
               PTN.RESPONSE_END,
-              `event ${PTN.RESPONSE_END} is not defined`
-            );
-            assert.strictEqual(
-              events[11].name,
               EventNames.EVENT_ERROR,
-              `event ${EventNames.EVENT_ERROR} is not defined`
-            );
-
-            assert.strictEqual(events.length, 12, 'number of events is wrong');
+            ]);
+            assert.strictEqual(events.length, 11, 'number of events is wrong');
           });
         });
 
@@ -1123,23 +1051,11 @@ describe('xhr', () => {
           it('span should have correct events', () => {
             const span: tracing.ReadableSpan = exportSpy.args[0][0][0];
             const events = span.events;
-
-            assert.strictEqual(
-              events[0].name,
+            testForCorrectEvents(events, [
               EventNames.METHOD_OPEN,
-              `event ${EventNames.METHOD_OPEN} is not defined`
-            );
-            assert.strictEqual(
-              events[1].name,
               EventNames.METHOD_SEND,
-              `event ${EventNames.METHOD_SEND} is not defined`
-            );
-            assert.strictEqual(
-              events[2].name,
               EventNames.EVENT_ERROR,
-              `event ${EventNames.EVENT_ERROR} is not defined`
-            );
-
+            ]);
             assert.strictEqual(events.length, 3, 'number of events is wrong');
           });
         });
@@ -1201,23 +1117,11 @@ describe('xhr', () => {
           it('span should have correct events', () => {
             const span: tracing.ReadableSpan = exportSpy.args[0][0][0];
             const events = span.events;
-
-            assert.strictEqual(
-              events[0].name,
+            testForCorrectEvents(events, [
               EventNames.METHOD_OPEN,
-              `event ${EventNames.METHOD_OPEN} is not defined`
-            );
-            assert.strictEqual(
-              events[1].name,
               EventNames.METHOD_SEND,
-              `event ${EventNames.METHOD_SEND} is not defined`
-            );
-            assert.strictEqual(
-              events[2].name,
               EventNames.EVENT_ABORT,
-              `event ${EventNames.EVENT_ABORT} is not defined`
-            );
-
+            ]);
             assert.strictEqual(events.length, 3, 'number of events is wrong');
           });
         });
@@ -1280,22 +1184,11 @@ describe('xhr', () => {
             const span: tracing.ReadableSpan = exportSpy.args[0][0][0];
             const events = span.events;
 
-            assert.strictEqual(
-              events[0].name,
+            testForCorrectEvents(events, [
               EventNames.METHOD_OPEN,
-              `event ${EventNames.METHOD_OPEN} is not defined`
-            );
-            assert.strictEqual(
-              events[1].name,
               EventNames.METHOD_SEND,
-              `event ${EventNames.METHOD_SEND} is not defined`
-            );
-            assert.strictEqual(
-              events[2].name,
               EventNames.EVENT_TIMEOUT,
-              `event ${EventNames.EVENT_TIMEOUT} is not defined`
-            );
-
+            ]);
             assert.strictEqual(events.length, 3, 'number of events is wrong');
           });
         });
diff --git a/packages/opentelemetry-sdk-trace-web/src/utils.ts b/packages/opentelemetry-sdk-trace-web/src/utils.ts
index 87098c0f585..b3f583676fc 100644
--- a/packages/opentelemetry-sdk-trace-web/src/utils.ts
+++ b/packages/opentelemetry-sdk-trace-web/src/utils.ts
@@ -446,18 +446,3 @@ export function shouldPropagateTraceHeaders(
     );
   }
 }
-
-export function getURL(urlString: string | undefined) {
-  if (urlString) {
-    try {
-      return new URL(urlString);
-    } catch (e) {
-      return null;
-    }
-  }
-  return null;
-}
-
-export function getProtocol(urlString: string | undefined) {
-  return getURL(urlString)?.protocol;
-}