diff --git a/system_tests/common_test.go b/system_tests/common_test.go
index 7700ec28e4..274e368b74 100644
--- a/system_tests/common_test.go
+++ b/system_tests/common_test.go
@@ -1730,6 +1730,10 @@ var (
 // This can be used as an input to the arbitrator prover to validate a block.
 func recordBlock(t *testing.T, block uint64, builder *NodeBuilder) {
 	t.Helper()
+	flag.Parse()
+	if !*recordBlockInputsEnable {
+		return
+	}
 	ctx := builder.ctx
 	inboxPos := arbutil.MessageIndex(block)
 	for {
diff --git a/system_tests/program_test.go b/system_tests/program_test.go
index d6324df301..9aac1eb589 100644
--- a/system_tests/program_test.go
+++ b/system_tests/program_test.go
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ import (
 	"bytes"
 	"context"
 	"encoding/binary"
-	"flag"
 	"fmt"
 	"math"
 	"math/big"
@@ -426,10 +425,7 @@ func storageTest(t *testing.T, jit bool) {
 
 	// Captures a block_inputs json file for the block that included the
 	// storage write transaction. Include wasm targets necessary for arbitrator prover and jit binaries
-	flag.Parse()
-	if *recordBlockInputsEnable {
-		recordBlock(t, receipt.BlockNumber.Uint64(), builder)
-	}
+	recordBlock(t, receipt.BlockNumber.Uint64(), builder)
 }
 
 func TestProgramTransientStorage(t *testing.T) {