diff --git a/src/MEArec/tools.py b/src/MEArec/tools.py
index b058b67..f9bfe6f 100755
--- a/src/MEArec/tools.py
+++ b/src/MEArec/tools.py
@@ -560,7 +560,7 @@ def save_template_generator(tempgen, filename=None, verbose=True):
         print("\nSaved  templates in", filename, "\n")
 
 
-def save_recording_generator(recgen, filename=None, verbose=False):
+def save_recording_generator(recgen, filename=None, verbose=False, include_spike_traces: bool = True):
     """
     Save recordings to disk.
 
@@ -572,6 +572,8 @@ def save_recording_generator(recgen, filename=None, verbose=False):
         Path to .h5 file
     verbose : bool
         If True output is verbose
+    include_spike_traces: bool, default=True
+        If True, will include the spike traces (can be heavy)
     """
     filename = Path(filename)
     if not filename.parent.is_dir():
@@ -580,12 +582,12 @@ def save_recording_generator(recgen, filename=None, verbose=False):
     with h5py.File(filename, "w") as f:
         f.attrs["mearec_version"] = mearec_version
         f.attrs["date"] = datetime.now().strftime("%y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S")
-        save_recording_to_file(recgen, f)
+        save_recording_to_file(recgen, f, include_spike_traces=include_spike_traces)
     if verbose:
         print("\nSaved recordings in", filename, "\n")
 
 
-def save_recording_to_file(recgen, f, path=""):
+def save_recording_to_file(recgen, f, path="", include_spike_traces: bool = True):
     """
     Save recordings to file handler.
 
@@ -595,6 +597,8 @@ def save_recording_to_file(recgen, f, path=""):
         RecordingGenerator object to be saved
     filename : _io.TextIOWrapper
         File handler
+    include_spike_traces: bool, default=True
+        If True, will include the spike traces (can be heavy)
     """
     save_dict_to_hdf5(recgen.info, f, path + "info/")
     if len(recgen.voltage_peaks) > 0:
@@ -605,7 +609,7 @@ def save_recording_to_file(recgen, f, path=""):
         f.create_dataset(path + "recordings", data=recgen.recordings)
         if recgen.gain_to_uV is not None:
             f["recordings"].attrs["gain_to_uV"] = recgen.gain_to_uV
-    if len(recgen.spike_traces) > 0:
+    if len(recgen.spike_traces) > 0 and include_spike_traces:
         f.create_dataset(path + "spike_traces", data=recgen.spike_traces)
     if len(recgen.spiketrains) > 0:
         for ii in range(len(recgen.spiketrains)):