diff --git a/interface/src/Application.cpp b/interface/src/Application.cpp
index 0176acf108..3745a82b3c 100644
--- a/interface/src/Application.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/Application.cpp
@@ -3222,8 +3222,6 @@ void Application::keyPressEvent(QKeyEvent* event) {
     }
 }
 
-
-
 void Application::keyReleaseEvent(QKeyEvent* event) {
     _keysPressed.remove(event->key());
 
@@ -7506,4 +7504,9 @@ void Application::setAvatarOverrideUrl(const QUrl& url, bool save) {
     _avatarOverrideUrl = url;
     _saveAvatarOverrideUrl = save;
 }
+
+void Application::saveNextPhysicsStats(QString filename) {
+    _physicsEngine->saveNextPhysicsStats(filename);
+}
+
 #include "Application.moc"
diff --git a/interface/src/Application.h b/interface/src/Application.h
index 9542c5ccb6..ee16740f20 100644
--- a/interface/src/Application.h
+++ b/interface/src/Application.h
@@ -280,6 +280,7 @@ public:
     void clearAvatarOverrideUrl() { _avatarOverrideUrl = QUrl(); _saveAvatarOverrideUrl = false; }
     QUrl getAvatarOverrideUrl() { return _avatarOverrideUrl; }
     bool getSaveAvatarOverrideUrl() { return _saveAvatarOverrideUrl; }
+    void saveNextPhysicsStats(QString filename);
 
 signals:
     void svoImportRequested(const QString& url);
@@ -432,6 +433,7 @@ private slots:
 
     void handleSandboxStatus(QNetworkReply* reply);
     void switchDisplayMode();
+
 private:
     static void initDisplay();
     void init();
diff --git a/interface/src/scripting/TestScriptingInterface.cpp b/interface/src/scripting/TestScriptingInterface.cpp
index d4b4ba1480..b53b9d5d5f 100644
--- a/interface/src/scripting/TestScriptingInterface.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/scripting/TestScriptingInterface.cpp
@@ -141,6 +141,10 @@ void TestScriptingInterface::endTraceEvent(QString name) {
     tracing::traceEvent(trace_test(), name, tracing::DurationEnd);
 }
 
+void TestScriptingInterface::savePhysicsSimulationStats(QString filename) {
+    qApp->saveNextPhysicsStats(filename);
+}
+
 void TestScriptingInterface::profileRange(const QString& name, QScriptValue fn) {
     PROFILE_RANGE(script, name);
     fn.call();
diff --git a/interface/src/scripting/TestScriptingInterface.h b/interface/src/scripting/TestScriptingInterface.h
index 73b8f0ac93..aca07d110b 100644
--- a/interface/src/scripting/TestScriptingInterface.h
+++ b/interface/src/scripting/TestScriptingInterface.h
@@ -71,6 +71,11 @@ public slots:
 
     void endTraceEvent(QString name);
 
+    /**jsdoc
+     * Write detailed timing stats of next physics stepSimulation() to filename
+     */
+    void savePhysicsSimulationStats(QString filename);
+
     Q_INVOKABLE void profileRange(const QString& name, QScriptValue function);
 
 private:
diff --git a/libraries/physics/src/PhysicsEngine.cpp b/libraries/physics/src/PhysicsEngine.cpp
index 2eec4a3950..36b677e92f 100644
--- a/libraries/physics/src/PhysicsEngine.cpp
+++ b/libraries/physics/src/PhysicsEngine.cpp
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 #include <QFile>
 
 #include <PerfStat.h>
+#include <Profile.h>
 
 #include "CharacterController.h"
 #include "ObjectMotionState.h"
@@ -294,6 +295,7 @@ void PhysicsEngine::stepSimulation() {
     float timeStep = btMin(dt, MAX_TIMESTEP);
 
     if (_myAvatarController) {
+        DETAILED_PROFILE_RANGE(simulation_physics, "avatarController");
         BT_PROFILE("avatarController");
         // TODO: move this stuff outside and in front of stepSimulation, because
         // the updateShapeIfNecessary() call needs info from MyAvatar and should
@@ -465,6 +467,7 @@ void PhysicsEngine::doOwnershipInfection(const btCollisionObject* objectA, const
 }
 
 void PhysicsEngine::updateContactMap() {
+    DETAILED_PROFILE_RANGE(simulation_physics, "updateContactMap");
     BT_PROFILE("updateContactMap");
     ++_numContactFrames;
 
@@ -582,10 +585,20 @@ void PhysicsEngine::dumpStatsIfNecessary() {
     if (_dumpNextStats) {
         _dumpNextStats = false;
         CProfileManager::Increment_Frame_Counter();
+        if (_saveNextStats) {
+            _saveNextStats = false;
+            printPerformanceStatsToFile(_statsFilename);
+        }
         CProfileManager::dumpAll();
     }
 }
 
+void PhysicsEngine::saveNextPhysicsStats(QString filename) {
+    _saveNextStats = true;
+    _dumpNextStats = true;
+    _statsFilename = filename;
+}
+
 // Bullet collision flags are as follows:
 // CF_STATIC_OBJECT= 1,
 // CF_KINEMATIC_OBJECT= 2,
diff --git a/libraries/physics/src/PhysicsEngine.h b/libraries/physics/src/PhysicsEngine.h
index 3956dd09d9..6619a5489d 100644
--- a/libraries/physics/src/PhysicsEngine.h
+++ b/libraries/physics/src/PhysicsEngine.h
@@ -77,6 +77,9 @@ public:
     /// \brief prints timings for last frame if stats have been requested.
     void dumpStatsIfNecessary();
 
+    /// \brief saves timings for last frame in filename
+    void saveNextPhysicsStats(QString filename);
+
     /// \param offset position of simulation origin in domain-frame
     void setOriginOffset(const glm::vec3& offset) { _originOffset = offset; }
 
@@ -116,6 +119,7 @@ private:
     QHash<QUuid, EntityDynamicPointer> _objectDynamics;
     QHash<btRigidBody*, QSet<QUuid>> _objectDynamicsByBody;
     std::set<btRigidBody*> _activeStaticBodies;
+    QString _statsFilename;
 
     glm::vec3 _originOffset;
 
@@ -124,8 +128,9 @@ private:
     uint32_t _numContactFrames = 0;
     uint32_t _numSubsteps;
 
-    bool _dumpNextStats = false;
-    bool _hasOutgoingChanges = false;
+    bool _dumpNextStats { false };
+    bool _saveNextStats { false };
+    bool _hasOutgoingChanges { false };
 
 };
 
diff --git a/libraries/physics/src/ThreadSafeDynamicsWorld.cpp b/libraries/physics/src/ThreadSafeDynamicsWorld.cpp
index 24cfbc2609..abda5c82fc 100644
--- a/libraries/physics/src/ThreadSafeDynamicsWorld.cpp
+++ b/libraries/physics/src/ThreadSafeDynamicsWorld.cpp
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 #include <LinearMath/btQuickprof.h>
 
 #include "ThreadSafeDynamicsWorld.h"
+#include "Profile.h"
 
 ThreadSafeDynamicsWorld::ThreadSafeDynamicsWorld(
         btDispatcher* dispatcher,
@@ -29,6 +30,7 @@ ThreadSafeDynamicsWorld::ThreadSafeDynamicsWorld(
 
 int ThreadSafeDynamicsWorld::stepSimulationWithSubstepCallback(btScalar timeStep, int maxSubSteps,
                                                                btScalar fixedTimeStep, SubStepCallback onSubStep) {
+    DETAILED_PROFILE_RANGE(simulation_physics, "stepWithCB");
     BT_PROFILE("stepSimulationWithSubstepCallback");
     int subSteps = 0;
     if (maxSubSteps) {
@@ -68,11 +70,13 @@ int ThreadSafeDynamicsWorld::stepSimulationWithSubstepCallback(btScalar timeStep
         saveKinematicState(fixedTimeStep*clampedSimulationSteps);
 
         {
+            DETAILED_PROFILE_RANGE(simulation_physics, "applyGravity");
             BT_PROFILE("applyGravity");
             applyGravity();
         }
 
         for (int i=0;i<clampedSimulationSteps;i++) {
+            DETAILED_PROFILE_RANGE(simulation_physics, "substep");
             internalSingleStepSimulation(fixedTimeStep);
             onSubStep();
         }
@@ -118,7 +122,8 @@ void ThreadSafeDynamicsWorld::synchronizeMotionState(btRigidBody* body) {
 }
 
 void ThreadSafeDynamicsWorld::synchronizeMotionStates() {
-    BT_PROFILE("synchronizeMotionStates");
+    DETAILED_PROFILE_RANGE(simulation_physics, "syncMotionStates");
+    BT_PROFILE("syncMotionStates");
     _changedMotionStates.clear();
 
     // NOTE: m_synchronizeAllMotionStates is 'false' by default for optimization.
@@ -161,6 +166,7 @@ void ThreadSafeDynamicsWorld::saveKinematicState(btScalar timeStep) {
 ///would like to iterate over m_nonStaticRigidBodies, but unfortunately old API allows
 ///to switch status _after_ adding kinematic objects to the world
 ///fix it for Bullet 3.x release
+    DETAILED_PROFILE_RANGE(simulation_physics, "saveKinematicState");
     BT_PROFILE("saveKinematicState");
     for (int i=0;i<m_collisionObjects.size();i++)
     {