diff --git a/tests/perf/common/test_harness.cc b/tests/perf/common/test_harness.cc
index c7313fdced..669ff9d028 100644
--- a/tests/perf/common/test_harness.cc
+++ b/tests/perf/common/test_harness.cc
@@ -235,6 +235,10 @@ std::string PerfTestHarness::OutputMemoryUse() const {
     auto const node = per_node_mem.first;
     auto const& memory_use = per_node_mem.second;
 
+    if(memory_use.empty()){
+      continue;
+    }
+
     std::size_t cur_min = std::numeric_limits<std::size_t>::max();
     std::size_t cur_max = 0;
 
@@ -317,12 +321,16 @@ void PerfTestHarness::DumpResults() {
     );
 
     auto const time_file_data = OutputTimeResults();
-    auto const memory_file = OutputMemoryUse();
-
     if (gen_file_) {
-      OutputToFile(fmt::format("{}_mem", name_), memory_file);
       OutputToFile(fmt::format("{}_time", name_), time_file_data);
     }
+
+    if(print_memory_use_) {
+      auto const memory_file = OutputMemoryUse();
+      if (gen_file_) {
+        OutputToFile(fmt::format("{}_mem", name_), memory_file);
+      }
+    }
   }
 }
 
@@ -443,6 +451,7 @@ void PerfTestHarness::SpinScheduler() {
 void PerfTestHarness::GetMemoryUsage() {
   // Memory footprint from PerfTestHarness' internal data structs are included
   memory_use_[current_run_].push_back(mem_tracker_.getUsage());
+  print_memory_use_ = true;
 }
 
 }}}} // namespace vt::tests::perf::common
diff --git a/tests/perf/common/test_harness.h b/tests/perf/common/test_harness.h
index 1b51501937..113ac3175b 100644
--- a/tests/perf/common/test_harness.h
+++ b/tests/perf/common/test_harness.h
@@ -174,6 +174,7 @@ struct PerfTestHarness : TestHarnessBase {
 protected:
   bool gen_file_ = false;
   bool verbose_ = false;
+  bool print_memory_use_ = false;
   uint32_t num_runs_ = 20;
   uint32_t current_run_ = 0;
   std::vector<char*> custom_args_ = {};