diff --git a/opentelemetry/src/sdk/trace/span_processor.rs b/opentelemetry/src/sdk/trace/span_processor.rs
index 839743058a..1d136fe62e 100644
--- a/opentelemetry/src/sdk/trace/span_processor.rs
+++ b/opentelemetry/src/sdk/trace/span_processor.rs
@@ -70,8 +70,10 @@ pub trait SpanProcessor: Send + Sync + std::fmt::Debug {
     /// already set). This method is called synchronously within the `Span::end`
     /// API, therefore it should not block or throw an exception.
     fn on_end(&self, span: SpanData);
+    /// Force the spans lying in the cache to be exported.
+    fn force_flush(&self);
     /// Shuts down the processor. Called when SDK is shut down. This is an
-    /// opportunity for processor to do any cleanup required.
+    /// opportunity for processors to do any cleanup required.
     fn shutdown(&mut self);
 }
 
@@ -123,6 +125,10 @@ impl SpanProcessor for SimpleSpanProcessor {
         }
     }
 
+    fn force_flush(&self) {
+        // Ignored since all spans in Simple Processor will be exported as they ended.
+    }
+
     fn shutdown(&mut self) {
         if let Ok(mut exporter) = self.exporter.lock() {
             exporter.shutdown();
@@ -196,6 +202,12 @@ impl SpanProcessor for BatchSpanProcessor {
         }
     }
 
+    fn force_flush(&self) {
+        if let Ok(mut sender) = self.message_sender.lock() {
+            let _ = sender.try_send(BatchMessage::Flush);
+        }
+    }
+
     fn shutdown(&mut self) {
         if let Ok(mut sender) = self.message_sender.lock() {
             // Send shutdown message to worker future
@@ -212,7 +224,7 @@ impl SpanProcessor for BatchSpanProcessor {
 #[derive(Debug)]
 enum BatchMessage {
     ExportSpan(SpanData),
-    Tick,
+    Flush,
     Shutdown,
 }
 
@@ -230,7 +242,7 @@ impl BatchSpanProcessor {
         IS: Stream<Item = ISI> + Send + 'static,
     {
         let (message_sender, message_receiver) = mpsc::channel(config.max_queue_size);
-        let ticker = interval(config.scheduled_delay).map(|_| BatchMessage::Tick);
+        let ticker = interval(config.scheduled_delay).map(|_| BatchMessage::Flush);
 
         // Spawn worker process via user-defined spawn function.
         let worker_handle = spawn(Box::pin(async move {
@@ -245,8 +257,8 @@ impl BatchSpanProcessor {
                             spans.push(span);
                         }
                     }
-                    // Span batch interval time reached, export current spans.
-                    BatchMessage::Tick => {
+                    // Span batch interval time reached or a force flush has been invoked, export current spans.
+                    BatchMessage::Flush => {
                         while !spans.is_empty() {
                             let batch = spans.split_off(
                                 spans.len().saturating_sub(config.max_export_batch_size),
@@ -450,8 +462,12 @@ mod tests {
         OTEL_BSP_SCHEDULE_DELAY_MILLIS_DEFAULT,
     };
     use crate::exporter::trace::stdout;
-    use crate::testing::trace::{new_test_export_span_data, new_test_exporter};
+    use crate::sdk::trace::BatchConfig;
+    use crate::testing::trace::{
+        new_test_export_span_data, new_test_exporter, new_tokio_test_exporter,
+    };
     use std::time;
+    use tokio::time::Duration;
 
     #[test]
     fn simple_span_processor_on_end_calls_export() {
@@ -500,4 +516,35 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(builder.config.max_export_batch_size, 120);
         assert_eq!(builder.config.max_queue_size, 120);
     }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn test_batch_span_processor() {
+        let (exporter, mut export_receiver, _shutdown_receiver) = new_tokio_test_exporter();
+        let mut config = BatchConfig::default();
+        config.scheduled_delay = Duration::from_secs(60 * 60 * 24); // set the tick to 24 hours so we know the span must be exported via force_flush
+        let processor = BatchSpanProcessor::new(
+            Box::new(exporter),
+            tokio::spawn,
+            tokio::time::interval,
+            config,
+        );
+        let handle = tokio::spawn(async move {
+            loop {
+                if let Some(span) = export_receiver.recv().await {
+                    assert_eq!(span.span_context, new_test_export_span_data().span_context);
+                    break;
+                }
+            }
+        });
+        tokio::time::delay_for(Duration::from_secs(1)).await; // skip the first
+        processor.on_end(new_test_export_span_data());
+        processor.force_flush();
+
+        assert!(
+            tokio::time::timeout(Duration::from_secs(5), handle)
+                .await
+                .is_ok(),
+            "timed out in 5 seconds. force_flush may not export any data when called"
+        );
+    }
 }
diff --git a/opentelemetry/src/testing/trace.rs b/opentelemetry/src/testing/trace.rs
index 874d0ce76d..da86e7f065 100644
--- a/opentelemetry/src/testing/trace.rs
+++ b/opentelemetry/src/testing/trace.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+use crate::exporter::trace::SpanData;
 use crate::{
     exporter::trace::{self as exporter, ExportResult, SpanExporter},
     sdk::{
@@ -82,3 +83,37 @@ pub fn new_test_exporter() -> (TestSpanExporter, Receiver<exporter::SpanData>, R
     };
     (exporter, rx_export, rx_shutdown)
 }
+
+#[derive(Debug)]
+pub struct TokioSpanExporter {
+    tx_export: tokio::sync::mpsc::UnboundedSender<exporter::SpanData>,
+    tx_shutdown: tokio::sync::mpsc::UnboundedSender<()>,
+}
+
+#[async_trait]
+impl SpanExporter for TokioSpanExporter {
+    async fn export(&mut self, batch: Vec<SpanData>) -> ExportResult {
+        for span_data in batch {
+            self.tx_export.send(span_data)?;
+        }
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
+    fn shutdown(&mut self) {
+        self.tx_shutdown.send(()).unwrap();
+    }
+}
+
+pub fn new_tokio_test_exporter() -> (
+    TokioSpanExporter,
+    tokio::sync::mpsc::UnboundedReceiver<exporter::SpanData>,
+    tokio::sync::mpsc::UnboundedReceiver<()>,
+) {
+    let (tx_export, rx_export) = tokio::sync::mpsc::unbounded_channel();
+    let (tx_shutdown, rx_shutdown) = tokio::sync::mpsc::unbounded_channel();
+    let exporter = TokioSpanExporter {
+        tx_export,
+        tx_shutdown,
+    };
+    (exporter, rx_export, rx_shutdown)
+}