diff --git a/node/node.go b/node/node.go
index 810d3264d4..c37f016366 100644
--- a/node/node.go
+++ b/node/node.go
@@ -883,6 +883,7 @@ func NewNodeWithContext(ctx context.Context,
 
 	// create an optional tracer client to collect trace data.
 	tracer, err := trace.NewTracer(
+		ctx,
 		config,
 		logger,
 		genDoc.ChainID,
diff --git a/pkg/trace/buffered_file.go b/pkg/trace/buffered_file.go
index 9b228e3f9e..97f5eec404 100644
--- a/pkg/trace/buffered_file.go
+++ b/pkg/trace/buffered_file.go
@@ -2,11 +2,14 @@ package trace
 
 import (
 	"bufio"
+	"context"
 	"errors"
+	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/libs/log"
 	"io"
 	"os"
 	"sync"
 	"sync/atomic"
+	"time"
 )
 
 // bufferedFile is a file that is being written to and read from. It is thread
@@ -28,10 +31,26 @@ type bufferedFile struct {
 }
 
 // newbufferedFile creates a new buffered file that writes to the given file.
-func newbufferedFile(file *os.File) *bufferedFile {
+func newbufferedFile(ctx context.Context, logger log.Logger, file *os.File) *bufferedFile {
+	bufferedWriter := bufio.NewWriter(file)
+	go func() {
+		ticker := time.NewTicker(30 * time.Second)
+		for {
+			select {
+			case <-ctx.Done():
+				return
+			case <-ticker.C:
+				err := bufferedWriter.Flush()
+				if err != nil {
+					logger.Error("error flushing buffered file", "err", err)
+					return
+				}
+			}
+		}
+	}()
 	return &bufferedFile{
 		file:    file,
-		wr:      bufio.NewWriter(file),
+		wr:      bufferedWriter,
 		reading: atomic.Bool{},
 		mut:     &sync.Mutex{},
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/trace/local_tracer.go b/pkg/trace/local_tracer.go
index 0d48515eda..2da8853cef 100644
--- a/pkg/trace/local_tracer.go
+++ b/pkg/trace/local_tracer.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package trace
 
 import (
+	"context"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
@@ -69,7 +70,7 @@ type LocalTracer struct {
 // safe to avoid the overhead of locking with each event save. Only pass events
 // to the returned channel. Call CloseAll to close all open files. Goroutine to
 // save events is started in this function.
-func NewLocalTracer(cfg *config.Config, logger log.Logger, chainID, nodeID string) (*LocalTracer, error) {
+func NewLocalTracer(ctx context.Context, cfg *config.Config, logger log.Logger, chainID, nodeID string) (*LocalTracer, error) {
 	fm := make(map[string]*bufferedFile)
 	p := path.Join(cfg.RootDir, "data", "traces")
 	for _, table := range splitAndTrimEmpty(cfg.Instrumentation.TracingTables, ",", " ") {
@@ -82,7 +83,7 @@ func NewLocalTracer(cfg *config.Config, logger log.Logger, chainID, nodeID strin
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to open or create file %s: %w", fileName, err)
 		}
-		fm[table] = newbufferedFile(file)
+		fm[table] = newbufferedFile(ctx, logger, file)
 	}
 
 	lt := &LocalTracer{
diff --git a/pkg/trace/tracer.go b/pkg/trace/tracer.go
index 6c4be62c4c..c1c3723bc6 100644
--- a/pkg/trace/tracer.go
+++ b/pkg/trace/tracer.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package trace
 
 import (
+	"context"
 	"errors"
 	"os"
 
@@ -22,10 +23,10 @@ type Tracer interface {
 	Stop()
 }
 
-func NewTracer(cfg *config.Config, logger log.Logger, chainID, nodeID string) (Tracer, error) {
+func NewTracer(ctx context.Context, cfg *config.Config, logger log.Logger, chainID, nodeID string) (Tracer, error) {
 	switch cfg.Instrumentation.TraceType {
 	case "local":
-		return NewLocalTracer(cfg, logger, chainID, nodeID)
+		return NewLocalTracer(ctx, cfg, logger, chainID, nodeID)
 	case "noop":
 		return NoOpTracer(), nil
 	default: