diff --git a/sdk/trace/src/main/java/io/opentelemetry/sdk/trace/samplers/ParentBasedSamplerBuilder.java b/sdk/trace/src/main/java/io/opentelemetry/sdk/trace/samplers/ParentBasedSamplerBuilder.java
index 24cb7ea4860..1738646a0be 100644
--- a/sdk/trace/src/main/java/io/opentelemetry/sdk/trace/samplers/ParentBasedSamplerBuilder.java
+++ b/sdk/trace/src/main/java/io/opentelemetry/sdk/trace/samplers/ParentBasedSamplerBuilder.java
@@ -5,11 +5,14 @@
 
 package io.opentelemetry.sdk.trace.samplers;
 
+import java.util.logging.Logger;
 import javax.annotation.Nullable;
 
 /** A builder for creating ParentBased sampler instances. */
 public final class ParentBasedSamplerBuilder {
 
+  private static final Logger logger = Logger.getLogger(ParentBasedSamplerBuilder.class.getName());
+
   private final Sampler root;
   @Nullable private Sampler remoteParentSampled;
   @Nullable private Sampler remoteParentNotSampled;
@@ -27,6 +30,12 @@ public final class ParentBasedSamplerBuilder {
    * @return this Builder
    */
   public ParentBasedSamplerBuilder setRemoteParentSampled(Sampler remoteParentSampled) {
+    if (remoteParentSampled instanceof TraceIdRatioBasedSampler) {
+      logger.warning(
+          "TraceIdRatioBasedSampler is being used as a child sampler (remoteParentSampled). "
+              + "This configuration is discouraged per the OpenTelemetry specification "
+              + "and may lead to unexpected sampling behavior.");
+    }
     this.remoteParentSampled = remoteParentSampled;
     return this;
   }
@@ -38,6 +47,12 @@ public ParentBasedSamplerBuilder setRemoteParentSampled(Sampler remoteParentSamp
    * @return this Builder
    */
   public ParentBasedSamplerBuilder setRemoteParentNotSampled(Sampler remoteParentNotSampled) {
+    if (remoteParentNotSampled instanceof TraceIdRatioBasedSampler) {
+      logger.warning(
+          "TraceIdRatioBasedSampler is being used as a child sampler (remoteParentNotSampled). "
+              + "This configuration is discouraged per the OpenTelemetry specification "
+              + "and may lead to unexpected sampling behavior.");
+    }
     this.remoteParentNotSampled = remoteParentNotSampled;
     return this;
   }
@@ -49,6 +64,12 @@ public ParentBasedSamplerBuilder setRemoteParentNotSampled(Sampler remoteParentN
    * @return this Builder
    */
   public ParentBasedSamplerBuilder setLocalParentSampled(Sampler localParentSampled) {
+    if (localParentSampled instanceof TraceIdRatioBasedSampler) {
+      logger.warning(
+          "TraceIdRatioBasedSampler is being used as a child sampler (localParentSampled). "
+              + "This configuration is discouraged per the OpenTelemetry specification "
+              + "and may lead to unexpected sampling behavior.");
+    }
     this.localParentSampled = localParentSampled;
     return this;
   }
@@ -60,6 +81,12 @@ public ParentBasedSamplerBuilder setLocalParentSampled(Sampler localParentSample
    * @return this Builder
    */
   public ParentBasedSamplerBuilder setLocalParentNotSampled(Sampler localParentNotSampled) {
+    if (localParentNotSampled instanceof TraceIdRatioBasedSampler) {
+      logger.warning(
+          "TraceIdRatioBasedSampler is being used as a child sampler (localParentNotSampled). "
+              + "This configuration is discouraged per the OpenTelemetry specification "
+              + "and may lead to unexpected sampling behavior.");
+    }
     this.localParentNotSampled = localParentNotSampled;
     return this;
   }
diff --git a/sdk/trace/src/test/java/io/opentelemetry/sdk/trace/samplers/ParentBasedSamplerBuilderTest.java b/sdk/trace/src/test/java/io/opentelemetry/sdk/trace/samplers/ParentBasedSamplerBuilderTest.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..97972ebd24d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sdk/trace/src/test/java/io/opentelemetry/sdk/trace/samplers/ParentBasedSamplerBuilderTest.java
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright The OpenTelemetry Authors
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+ */
+
+package io.opentelemetry.sdk.trace.samplers;
+
+import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.assertTrue;
+
+import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.List;
+import java.util.logging.Handler;
+import java.util.logging.Level;
+import java.util.logging.LogRecord;
+import java.util.logging.Logger;
+import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
+
+class ParentBasedSamplerBuilderTest {
+
+  @Test
+  void emitsWarningWhenTraceIdRatioBasedUsedAsChildSampler() {
+    Logger logger = Logger.getLogger(ParentBasedSamplerBuilder.class.getName());
+    TestLogHandler handler = new TestLogHandler();
+    logger.addHandler(handler);
+
+    try {
+      Sampler ratioSampler = Sampler.traceIdRatioBased(0.5);
+      ParentBasedSamplerBuilder builder = Sampler.parentBasedBuilder(Sampler.alwaysOn());
+
+      builder.setRemoteParentSampled(ratioSampler);
+      builder.setRemoteParentSampled(ratioSampler);
+      builder.build();
+
+      assertTrue(handler.warnings.stream().anyMatch(msg -> msg.contains("remoteParentSampled")));
+    } finally {
+      logger.removeHandler(handler);
+    }
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  void emitsWarningForAllChildSamplerSetters() {
+    Logger logger = Logger.getLogger(ParentBasedSamplerBuilder.class.getName());
+    TestLogHandler handler = new TestLogHandler();
+    logger.addHandler(handler);
+
+    try {
+      Sampler ratioSampler = Sampler.traceIdRatioBased(0.5);
+      ParentBasedSamplerBuilder builder = Sampler.parentBasedBuilder(Sampler.alwaysOn());
+
+      builder.setRemoteParentNotSampled(ratioSampler);
+      builder.setRemoteParentNotSampled(ratioSampler);
+
+      builder.setLocalParentSampled(ratioSampler);
+      builder.setLocalParentSampled(ratioSampler);
+
+      builder.setLocalParentNotSampled(ratioSampler);
+      builder.setLocalParentNotSampled(ratioSampler);
+
+      builder.build();
+
+      assertTrue(handler.warnings.stream().anyMatch(msg -> msg.contains("remoteParentNotSampled")));
+      assertTrue(handler.warnings.stream().anyMatch(msg -> msg.contains("localParentSampled")));
+      assertTrue(handler.warnings.stream().anyMatch(msg -> msg.contains("localParentNotSampled")));
+    } finally {
+      logger.removeHandler(handler);
+    }
+  }
+
+  static final class TestLogHandler extends Handler {
+
+    final List<String> warnings = new ArrayList<>();
+
+    @Override
+    public void publish(LogRecord record) {
+      if (Level.WARNING.equals(record.getLevel())) {
+        warnings.add(record.getMessage());
+      }
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public void flush() {}
+
+    @Override
+    public void close() {}
+  }
+}