In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a trace request packet at a service node in a service chain, the trace request packet comprising a service path identifier, a service index, and a service index limit, processing the trace request packet at the service node, comparing the service index to the service index limit, determining that the service index is greater than the service index limit, generating a trace response packet at the service node indicating that the service index is greater than the service index limit, and transmitting the trace response packet. The trace response packet comprises service function information for each of a plurality of service nodes in the service chain. An apparatus is also disclosed herein.