diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 81f49ec6e35..07947ae378c 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -23,6 +23,11 @@ main() { foo(() {}); }
 * Default values of parameters of abstract methods are no longer available
   via `dart:mirrors`.
 
+#### `dart:developer`
+
+* Added optional `parent` paremeter to `TimelineTask` constructors to allow for
+  linking of asynchronous timeline events in the DevTools timeline view.
+
 ### Dart VM
 
 ### Tools
diff --git a/runtime/observatory/tests/service/get_vm_timeline_rpc_test.dart b/runtime/observatory/tests/service/get_vm_timeline_rpc_test.dart
index 3884a9b8078..420c912ee39 100644
--- a/runtime/observatory/tests/service/get_vm_timeline_rpc_test.dart
+++ b/runtime/observatory/tests/service/get_vm_timeline_rpc_test.dart
@@ -13,7 +13,8 @@ primeTimeline() {
   Timeline.startSync('apple');
   Timeline.instantSync('ISYNC', arguments: {'fruit': 'banana'});
   Timeline.finishSync();
-  TimelineTask task = new TimelineTask();
+  TimelineTask parentTask = TimelineTask.withTaskId(42);
+  TimelineTask task = TimelineTask(parent: parentTask);
   task.start('TASK1', arguments: {'task1-start-key': 'task1-start-value'});
   task.instant('ITASK',
       arguments: {'task1-instant-key': 'task1-instant-value'});
@@ -126,8 +127,8 @@ var tests = <VMTest>[
         eventsContains(dartEvents, 'i', 'ISYNC', {'fruit': 'banana'}), isTrue);
     expect(eventsContains(dartEvents, 'X', 'apple'), isTrue);
     expect(
-        eventsContains(
-            dartEvents, 'b', 'TASK1', {'task1-start-key': 'task1-start-value'}),
+        eventsContains(dartEvents, 'b', 'TASK1',
+            {'task1-start-key': 'task1-start-value', 'parentId': 42}),
         isTrue);
     expect(
         eventsContains(dartEvents, 'e', 'TASK1',
diff --git a/sdk/lib/developer/timeline.dart b/sdk/lib/developer/timeline.dart
index 02f9c98c3fa..fec807a4857 100644
--- a/sdk/lib/developer/timeline.dart
+++ b/sdk/lib/developer/timeline.dart
@@ -180,11 +180,23 @@ class Timeline {
 /// [TimelineTask] in the other isolate.
 class TimelineTask {
   /// Create a task. The task ID will be set by the system.
-  TimelineTask() : _taskId = _getNextAsyncId() {}
+  ///
+  /// If [parent] is provided, the parent's task ID is provided as argument
+  /// 'parentId' when [start] is called. In DevTools, this argument will result
+  /// in this [TimelineTask] being linked to the [parent] [TimelineTask].
+  TimelineTask({TimelineTask parent})
+      : _parent = parent,
+        _taskId = _getNextAsyncId() {}
 
   /// Create a task with an explicit [taskId]. This is useful if you are
   /// passing a task from one isolate to another.
-  TimelineTask.withTaskId(int taskId) : _taskId = taskId {
+  ///
+  /// If [parent] is provided, the parent's task ID is provided as argument
+  /// 'parentId' when [start] is called. In DevTools, this argument will result
+  /// in this [TimelineTask] being linked to the [parent] [TimelineTask].
+  TimelineTask.withTaskId(int taskId, {TimelineTask parent})
+      : _parent = parent,
+        _taskId = taskId {
     ArgumentError.checkNotNull(taskId, 'taskId');
   }
 
@@ -195,7 +207,10 @@ class TimelineTask {
     ArgumentError.checkNotNull(name, 'name');
     var block = new _AsyncBlock._(name, _taskId);
     _stack.add(block);
-    block._start(arguments);
+    block._start({
+      if (arguments != null) ...arguments,
+      if (_parent != null) 'parentId': _parent._taskId,
+    });
   }
 
   /// Emit an instant event for this task.
@@ -237,6 +252,7 @@ class TimelineTask {
     return r;
   }
 
+  final TimelineTask _parent;
   final int _taskId;
   final List<_AsyncBlock> _stack = [];
 }
diff --git a/sdk_nnbd/lib/developer/timeline.dart b/sdk_nnbd/lib/developer/timeline.dart
index 2e5f4ecee8b..a7107c3b4e3 100644
--- a/sdk_nnbd/lib/developer/timeline.dart
+++ b/sdk_nnbd/lib/developer/timeline.dart
@@ -182,11 +182,23 @@ class Timeline {
 /// [TimelineTask] in the other isolate.
 class TimelineTask {
   /// Create a task. The task ID will be set by the system.
-  TimelineTask() : _taskId = _getNextAsyncId() {}
+  ///
+  /// If [parent] is provided, the parent's task ID is provided as argument
+  /// 'parentId' when [start] is called. In DevTools, this argument will result
+  /// in this [TimelineTask] being linked to the [parent] [TimelineTask].
+  TimelineTask({TimelineTask parent})
+      : _parent = parent,
+        _taskId = _getNextAsyncId() {}
 
   /// Create a task with an explicit [taskId]. This is useful if you are
   /// passing a task from one isolate to another.
-  TimelineTask.withTaskId(int taskId) : _taskId = taskId {
+  ///
+  /// If [parent] is provided, the parent's task ID is provided as argument
+  /// 'parentId' when [start] is called. In DevTools, this argument will result
+  /// in this [TimelineTask] being linked to the [parent] [TimelineTask].
+  TimelineTask.withTaskId(int taskId, {TimelineTask parent})
+      : _parent = parent,
+        _taskId = taskId {
     ArgumentError.checkNotNull(taskId, 'taskId');
   }
 
@@ -197,7 +209,10 @@ class TimelineTask {
     ArgumentError.checkNotNull(name, 'name');
     var block = new _AsyncBlock._(name, _taskId);
     _stack.add(block);
-    block._start(arguments);
+    block._start({
+      if (arguments != null) ...arguments,
+      if (_parent != null) 'parentId': _parent._taskId,
+    });
   }
 
   /// Emit an instant event for this task.
@@ -239,6 +254,7 @@ class TimelineTask {
     return r;
   }
 
+  final TimelineTask _parent;
   final int _taskId;
   final List<_AsyncBlock> _stack = [];
 }