diff --git a/src/init/init.c b/src/init/init.c
index eb379746129f..cef4bfa64e38 100644
--- a/src/init/init.c
+++ b/src/init/init.c
@@ -134,10 +134,8 @@ static int primary_core_init(int argc, char *argv[], struct sof *sof)
 	interrupt_init(sof);
 #endif /* __ZEPHYR__ */
 
-#if CONFIG_TRACE
 	trace_point(TRACE_BOOT_SYS_TRACES);
 	trace_init(sof);
-#endif
 
 	trace_point(TRACE_BOOT_SYS_NOTIFIER);
 	init_system_notify(sof);
@@ -151,6 +149,9 @@ static int primary_core_init(int argc, char *argv[], struct sof *sof)
 
 	trace_point(TRACE_BOOT_PLATFORM);
 
+	/* now start the trace */
+	trace_on();
+
 #if CONFIG_NO_SECONDARY_CORE_ROM
 	lp_sram_unpack();
 #endif
diff --git a/src/trace/dma-trace.c b/src/trace/dma-trace.c
index d113443f282e..2d8dc4cd8b71 100644
--- a/src/trace/dma-trace.c
+++ b/src/trace/dma-trace.c
@@ -200,7 +200,6 @@ int dma_trace_init_complete(struct dma_trace_data *d)
 			      SOF_TASK_PRI_MED, trace_work, d, 0, 0);
 
 out:
-
 	return ret;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/trace/trace.c b/src/trace/trace.c
index f31fb3a1c3e8..b1a378a1c045 100644
--- a/src/trace/trace.c
+++ b/src/trace/trace.c
@@ -290,9 +290,8 @@ void trace_log_filtered(bool send_atomic, const void *log_entry, const struct tr
 	uint64_t current_ts;
 #endif /* CONFIG_TRACE_FILTERING_ADAPTIVE */
 
-	if (!trace->enable) {
+	if (!trace || !trace->enable)
 		return;
-	}
 
 #if CONFIG_TRACE_FILTERING_VERBOSITY
 	if (!trace_filter_verbosity(lvl, ctx))
@@ -512,7 +511,6 @@ void trace_off(void)
 void trace_init(struct sof *sof)
 {
 	sof->trace = rzalloc(SOF_MEM_ZONE_SYS_SHARED, 0, SOF_MEM_CAPS_RAM, sizeof(*sof->trace));
-	sof->trace->enable = 1;
 	sof->trace->pos = 0;
 #if CONFIG_TRACE_FILTERING_ADAPTIVE
 	sof->trace->user_filter_override = false;