diff --git a/daft/runners/ray_runner.py b/daft/runners/ray_runner.py
index ddc98521e2..4d816e1276 100644
--- a/daft/runners/ray_runner.py
+++ b/daft/runners/ray_runner.py
@@ -18,8 +18,8 @@
 from daft.context import execution_config_ctx, get_context
 from daft.daft import PyTable as _PyTable
 from daft.dependencies import np
-from daft.runners import tracer
 from daft.runners.progress_bar import ProgressBar
+from daft.runners.tracer import tracer
 from daft.series import Series, item_to_series
 from daft.table import Table
 
@@ -700,7 +700,7 @@ def place_in_queue(item):
                 except Full:
                     pass
 
-        with profiler(profile_filename), tracer.RunnerTracer(trace_filename) as runner_tracer:
+        with profiler(profile_filename), tracer(trace_filename) as runner_tracer:
             wave_count = 0
             try:
                 next_step = next(tasks)
diff --git a/daft/runners/tracer.py b/daft/runners/tracer.py
index 70c9aa716d..feeaf6f558 100644
--- a/daft/runners/tracer.py
+++ b/daft/runners/tracer.py
@@ -2,44 +2,53 @@
 
 import contextlib
 import json
+import os
 import time
-from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Any
+from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Any, TextIO
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from daft import ResourceRequest
 
 
-class RunnerTracer:
-    def __init__(self, filepath: str):
-        self._filepath = filepath
+@contextlib.contextmanager
+def tracer(filepath: str):
+    if int(os.environ.get("DAFT_RUNNER_TRACING", 0)) == 1:
+        with open(filepath, "w") as f:
+            # Initialize the JSON file
+            f.write("[")
 
-    def __enter__(self) -> RunnerTracer:
-        self._file = open(self._filepath, "w")
-        self._file.write("[")
-        self._start = time.time()
-        return self
+            # Yield the tracer
+            runner_tracer = RunnerTracer(f)
+            yield runner_tracer
+
+            # Add the final touches to the file
+            f.write(
+                json.dumps({"name": "process_name", "ph": "M", "pid": 1, "args": {"name": "RayRunner dispatch loop"}})
+            )
+            f.write(",\n")
+            f.write(json.dumps({"name": "process_name", "ph": "M", "pid": 2, "args": {"name": "Ray Task Execution"}}))
+            f.write("\n]")
+    else:
+        runner_tracer = RunnerTracer(None)
+        yield runner_tracer
 
-    def __exit__(self, exc_type, exc_value, traceback):
-        self._file.write(
-            json.dumps({"name": "process_name", "ph": "M", "pid": 1, "args": {"name": "RayRunner dispatch loop"}})
-        )
-        self._file.write(",\n")
-        self._file.write(
-            json.dumps({"name": "process_name", "ph": "M", "pid": 2, "args": {"name": "Ray Task Execution"}})
-        )
-        self._file.write("\n]")
-        self._file.close()
+
+class RunnerTracer:
+    def __init__(self, file: TextIO | None):
+        self._file = file
+        self._start = time.time()
 
     def _write_event(self, event: dict[str, Any]):
-        self._file.write(
-            json.dumps(
-                {
-                    **event,
-                    "ts": int((time.time() - self._start) * 1000 * 1000),
-                }
+        if self._file is not None:
+            self._file.write(
+                json.dumps(
+                    {
+                        **event,
+                        "ts": int((time.time() - self._start) * 1000 * 1000),
+                    }
+                )
             )
-        )
-        self._file.write(",\n")
+            self._file.write(",\n")
 
     @contextlib.contextmanager
     def dispatch_wave(self, wave_num: int):
@@ -70,16 +79,6 @@ def metrics_updater(**kwargs):
             }
         )
 
-    # def dispatch_wave_metrics(self, metrics: dict[str, int]):
-    #     """Marks a counter event for various runner counters such as num cores, max inflight tasks etc"""
-    #     self._write_event({
-    #         "name": "dispatch_metrics",
-    #         "ph": "C",
-    #         "pid": 1,
-    #         "tid": 1,
-    #         "args": metrics,
-    #     })
-
     def count_inflight_tasks(self, count: int):
         self._write_event(
             {
@@ -116,15 +115,6 @@ def dispatch_batching(self):
             }
         )
 
-    # def count_dispatch_batch_size(self, dispatch_batch_size: int):
-    #     self._write_event({
-    #         "name": "dispatch_batch_size",
-    #         "ph": "C",
-    #         "pid": 1,
-    #         "tid": 1,
-    #         "args": {"dispatch_batch_size": dispatch_batch_size},
-    #     })
-
     def mark_noop_task_start(self):
         """Marks the start of running a no-op task"""
         self._write_event(
@@ -248,15 +238,6 @@ def awaiting(self):
             }
         )
 
-    # def count_num_ready(self, num_ready: int):
-    #     self._write_event({
-    #         "name": "awaiting",
-    #         "ph": "C",
-    #         "pid": 1,
-    #         "tid": 1,
-    #         "args": {"num_ready": num_ready},
-    #     })
-
     ###
     # Tracing each individual task as an Async Event
     ###