diff --git a/newrelic/core/external_node.py b/newrelic/core/external_node.py
index 9165d2081..bd0fde04f 100644
--- a/newrelic/core/external_node.py
+++ b/newrelic/core/external_node.py
@@ -169,16 +169,15 @@ def trace_node(self, stats, root, connections):
             start_time=start_time, end_time=end_time, name=name, params=params, children=children, label=None
         )
 
-    def span_event(self, *args, **kwargs):
+    def span_event(self, settings, base_attrs=None, parent_guid=None, attr_class=dict):
         self.agent_attributes["http.url"] = self.http_url
-        attrs = super().span_event(*args, **kwargs)
-        i_attrs = attrs[0]
 
+        i_attrs = (base_attrs and base_attrs.copy()) or attr_class()
         i_attrs["category"] = "http"
         i_attrs["span.kind"] = "client"
-        _, i_attrs["component"] = attribute.process_user_attribute("component", self.library)
+        i_attrs["component"] = self.library
 
         if self.method:
-            _, i_attrs["http.method"] = attribute.process_user_attribute("http.method", self.method)
+            i_attrs["http.method"] = self.method
 
-        return attrs
+        return super().span_event(settings, base_attrs=i_attrs, parent_guid=parent_guid, attr_class=attr_class)
diff --git a/newrelic/core/function_node.py b/newrelic/core/function_node.py
index 809f26742..588f675f3 100644
--- a/newrelic/core/function_node.py
+++ b/newrelic/core/function_node.py
@@ -114,10 +114,8 @@ def trace_node(self, stats, root, connections):
             start_time=start_time, end_time=end_time, name=name, params=params, children=children, label=self.label
         )
 
-    def span_event(self, *args, **kwargs):
-        attrs = super().span_event(*args, **kwargs)
-        i_attrs = attrs[0]
-
+    def span_event(self, settings, base_attrs=None, parent_guid=None, attr_class=dict):
+        i_attrs = (base_attrs and base_attrs.copy()) or attr_class()
         i_attrs["name"] = f"{self.group}/{self.name}"
 
-        return attrs
+        return super().span_event(settings, base_attrs=i_attrs, parent_guid=parent_guid, attr_class=attr_class)
diff --git a/newrelic/core/loop_node.py b/newrelic/core/loop_node.py
index b9328e701..58d1b3a74 100644
--- a/newrelic/core/loop_node.py
+++ b/newrelic/core/loop_node.py
@@ -79,10 +79,8 @@ def trace_node(self, stats, root, connections):
             start_time=start_time, end_time=end_time, name=name, params=params, children=children, label=None
         )
 
-    def span_event(self, *args, **kwargs):
-        attrs = super().span_event(*args, **kwargs)
-        i_attrs = attrs[0]
-
+    def span_event(self, settings, base_attrs=None, parent_guid=None, attr_class=dict):
+        i_attrs = (base_attrs and base_attrs.copy()) or attr_class()
         i_attrs["name"] = f"EventLoop/Wait/{self.name}"
 
-        return attrs
+        return super().span_event(settings, base_attrs=i_attrs, parent_guid=parent_guid, attr_class=attr_class)
diff --git a/newrelic/core/node_mixin.py b/newrelic/core/node_mixin.py
index 8eedd191d..699a2d111 100644
--- a/newrelic/core/node_mixin.py
+++ b/newrelic/core/node_mixin.py
@@ -52,11 +52,11 @@ def get_trace_segment_params(self, settings, params=None):
     def span_event(self, settings, base_attrs=None, parent_guid=None, attr_class=dict):
         i_attrs = (base_attrs and base_attrs.copy()) or attr_class()
         i_attrs["type"] = "Span"
-        i_attrs["name"] = self.name
+        i_attrs["name"] = i_attrs.get("name") or self.name
         i_attrs["guid"] = self.guid
         i_attrs["timestamp"] = int(self.start_time * 1000)
         i_attrs["duration"] = self.duration
-        i_attrs["category"] = "generic"
+        i_attrs["category"] = i_attrs.get("category") or "generic"
 
         if parent_guid:
             i_attrs["parentId"] = parent_guid
@@ -108,24 +108,23 @@ def db_instance(self):
         self._db_instance = db_instance_attr
         return db_instance_attr
 
-    def span_event(self, *args, **kwargs):
-        self.agent_attributes["db.instance"] = self.db_instance
-        attrs = super().span_event(*args, **kwargs)
-        i_attrs = attrs[0]
-        a_attrs = attrs[2]
+    def span_event(self, settings, base_attrs=None, parent_guid=None, attr_class=dict):
+        a_attrs = self.agent_attributes
+        a_attrs["db.instance"] = self.db_instance
+        i_attrs = (base_attrs and base_attrs.copy()) or attr_class()
 
         i_attrs["category"] = "datastore"
         i_attrs["span.kind"] = "client"
 
         if self.product:
-            i_attrs["component"] = a_attrs["db.system"] = attribute.process_user_attribute("db.system", self.product)[1]
+            i_attrs["component"] = a_attrs["db.system"] = self.product
         if self.operation:
-            a_attrs["db.operation"] = attribute.process_user_attribute("db.operation", self.operation)[1]
+            a_attrs["db.operation"] = self.operation
         if self.target:
-            a_attrs["db.collection"] = attribute.process_user_attribute("db.collection", self.target)[1]
+            a_attrs["db.collection"] = self.target
 
         if self.instance_hostname:
-            peer_hostname = attribute.process_user_attribute("peer.hostname", self.instance_hostname)[1]
+            peer_hostname = self.instance_hostname
         else:
             peer_hostname = "Unknown"
 
@@ -133,7 +132,7 @@ def span_event(self, *args, **kwargs):
 
         peer_address = f"{peer_hostname}:{self.port_path_or_id or 'Unknown'}"
 
-        a_attrs["peer.address"] = attribute.process_user_attribute("peer.address", peer_address)[1]
+        a_attrs["peer.address"] = peer_address
 
         # Attempt to treat port_path_or_id as an integer, fallback to not including it
         try:
@@ -141,4 +140,4 @@ def span_event(self, *args, **kwargs):
         except Exception:
             pass
 
-        return attrs
+        return super().span_event(settings, base_attrs=i_attrs, parent_guid=parent_guid, attr_class=attr_class)
diff --git a/newrelic/core/root_node.py b/newrelic/core/root_node.py
index 1591afa3a..fa8b3de82 100644
--- a/newrelic/core/root_node.py
+++ b/newrelic/core/root_node.py
@@ -37,16 +37,16 @@
 
 
 class RootNode(_RootNode, GenericNodeMixin):
-    def span_event(self, *args, **kwargs):
-        span = super().span_event(*args, **kwargs)
-        i_attrs = span[0]
+    def span_event(self, settings, base_attrs=None, parent_guid=None, attr_class=dict):
+        i_attrs = (base_attrs and base_attrs.copy()) or attr_class()
         i_attrs["transaction.name"] = self.path
         i_attrs["nr.entryPoint"] = True
         if self.trusted_parent_span:
             i_attrs["trustedParentId"] = self.trusted_parent_span
         if self.tracing_vendors:
             i_attrs["tracingVendors"] = self.tracing_vendors
-        return span
+
+        return super().span_event(settings, base_attrs=i_attrs, parent_guid=parent_guid, attr_class=attr_class)
 
     def trace_node(self, stats, root, connections):
         name = self.path