diff --git a/interface/src/Application.cpp b/interface/src/Application.cpp
index 7d5a608a68..a0fe9ef13a 100644
--- a/interface/src/Application.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/Application.cpp
@@ -959,10 +959,8 @@ Application::Application(int& argc, char** argv, QElapsedTimer& startupTimer, bo
     setProperty(hifi::properties::STEAM, (steamClient && steamClient->isRunning()));
     setProperty(hifi::properties::CRASHED, _previousSessionCrashed);
 
-#if 0
     {
         const QString TEST_SCRIPT = "--testScript";
-        const QString TRACE_FILE = "--traceFile";
         const QStringList args = arguments();
         for (int i = 0; i < args.size() - 1; ++i) {
             if (args.at(i) == TEST_SCRIPT) {
@@ -970,14 +968,9 @@ Application::Application(int& argc, char** argv, QElapsedTimer& startupTimer, bo
                 if (QFileInfo(testScriptPath).exists()) {
                     setProperty(hifi::properties::TEST, QUrl::fromLocalFile(testScriptPath));
                 }
-            } else if (args.at(i) == TRACE_FILE) {
-                QString traceFilePath = args.at(i + 1);
-                setProperty(hifi::properties::TRACING, traceFilePath);
-                DependencyManager::get<tracing::Tracer>()->startTracing();
             }
         }
     }
-#endif
 
     // make sure the debug draw singleton is initialized on the main thread.
     DebugDraw::getInstance().removeMarker("");
diff --git a/interface/src/main.cpp b/interface/src/main.cpp
index 677edb0bf3..5f2afa9155 100644
--- a/interface/src/main.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/main.cpp
@@ -41,17 +41,25 @@ extern "C" {
 
 int main(int argc, const char* argv[]) {
     setupHifiApplication(BuildInfo::INTERFACE_NAME);
+
+    // Early check for --traceFile argument 
     auto tracer = DependencyManager::set<tracing::Tracer>();
-    const char * traceFile = "";
-    {
-        for (int a = 1; a < argc; ++a) {
-            if (strcmp(argv[a], "--traceFile") == 0 && argc > a + 1) {
-                traceFile = argv[a + 1];
-                tracer->startTracing();
-                break;
+    const char * traceFile = nullptr;
+    const QString traceFileFlag("--traceFile");
+    float traceDuration = 0.0f;
+    for (int a = 1; a < argc; ++a) {
+        if (traceFileFlag == argv[a] && argc > a + 1) {
+            traceFile = argv[a + 1];
+            if (argc > a + 2) {
+                traceDuration = atof(argv[a + 2]);
             }
+            break;
         }
     }
+    if (traceFile != nullptr) {
+        tracer->startTracing();
+    }
+   
     PROFILE_SYNC_BEGIN(startup, "main startup", "");
 
 #ifdef Q_OS_LINUX
@@ -253,6 +261,14 @@ int main(int argc, const char* argv[]) {
         PROFILE_SYNC_BEGIN(startup, "app full ctor", "");
         Application app(argcExtended, const_cast<char**>(argvExtended.data()), startupTime, runningMarkerExisted);
         PROFILE_SYNC_END(startup, "app full ctor", "");
+        
+        
+        QTimer exitTimer;
+        if (traceDuration > 0.0) {
+            exitTimer.setSingleShot(true);
+            QObject::connect(&exitTimer, &QTimer::timeout, &app, &Application::quit);
+            exitTimer.start(int(1000 * traceDuration));
+        }
 
 #if 0
         // If we failed the OpenGLVersion check, log it.
@@ -291,8 +307,10 @@ int main(int argc, const char* argv[]) {
         exitCode = app.exec();
         server.close();
 
-        tracer->stopTracing();
-        tracer->serialize(QStandardPaths::writableLocation(QStandardPaths::DocumentsLocation) + "/" + traceFile);
+        if (traceFile != nullptr) {
+            tracer->stopTracing();
+            tracer->serialize(QStandardPaths::writableLocation(QStandardPaths::DocumentsLocation) + "/" + traceFile);
+        }
     }
 
     Application::shutdownPlugins();