diff --git a/pkg/edgeview/src/basics.go b/pkg/edgeview/src/basics.go
index 71942ab92f..c19c5e1bcc 100644
--- a/pkg/edgeview/src/basics.go
+++ b/pkg/edgeview/src/basics.go
@@ -75,7 +75,6 @@ func initOpts() {
 		"tcpdump",
 		"trace",
 		"url",
-		"pprof",
 		"wireless"}
 
 	pubsubopts = []string{
@@ -133,6 +132,7 @@ func initOpts() {
 		"techsupport",
 		"top",
 		"volume",
+		"pprof",
 	}
 
 	logdirectory = []string{
@@ -676,6 +676,8 @@ func printHelp(opt string) {
 			helpExample("cat/<path> -line <num>", "display only <num> of lines, like 'head' if <num> is positive, like 'tail' if the <num> is negative", false)
 		case "datastore":
 			helpOn("datastore", "display the device current datastore: EQDN, type, cipher information")
+		case "pprof":
+			helpOn("pprof", "pprof/on to turn on pprof; pprof/off to turn off again")
 		case "dmesg":
 			helpOn("dmesg", "display the device current dmesg information")
 		case "download":
diff --git a/pkg/edgeview/src/edge-view.go b/pkg/edgeview/src/edge-view.go
index c2774c6d47..eba6030f31 100644
--- a/pkg/edgeview/src/edge-view.go
+++ b/pkg/edgeview/src/edge-view.go
@@ -202,13 +202,6 @@ func main() {
 			pnetopt = pqueryopt
 		} else if strings.HasPrefix(pqueryopt, "app") {
 			psysopt = pqueryopt
-		} else if pqueryopt == "pprof" {
-			var ok bool
-			ok, tcpclientCnt, remotePorts = processTCPcmd("tcp/localhost:6543", remotePorts)
-			if !ok {
-				return
-			}
-			pnetopt = pqueryopt
 		} else if strings.HasPrefix(pqueryopt, "tcp/") {
 			var ok bool
 			ok, tcpclientCnt, remotePorts = processTCPcmd(pqueryopt, remotePorts)
diff --git a/pkg/edgeview/src/network.go b/pkg/edgeview/src/network.go
index 2544a63338..03486a2eb4 100644
--- a/pkg/edgeview/src/network.go
+++ b/pkg/edgeview/src/network.go
@@ -121,8 +121,6 @@ func runNetwork(netw string) {
 			runmDNS(substring)
 		} else if opt == "tcp" { // tcp and proxy are special
 			setAndStartProxyTCP(substring)
-		} else if opt == "pprof" {
-			runPprof()
 		} else if opt == "showcerts" {
 			getPeerCerts(substring)
 		} else if opt == "addhost" {
diff --git a/pkg/edgeview/src/system.go b/pkg/edgeview/src/system.go
index de657e1c9e..6b66a8989e 100644
--- a/pkg/edgeview/src/system.go
+++ b/pkg/edgeview/src/system.go
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import (
 	"encoding/base64"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"encoding/pem"
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"net/http"
@@ -96,6 +97,8 @@ func runSystem(cmds cmdOpt, sysOpt string) {
 			getDmesg()
 		} else if strings.HasPrefix(opt, "tar/") {
 			getTarFile(opt)
+		} else if strings.HasPrefix(opt, "pprof") {
+			togglePprof(opt)
 		} else {
 			fmt.Printf("opt %s: not supported yet\n", opt)
 		}
@@ -980,6 +983,21 @@ func dispAFile(f os.FileInfo) {
 	fmt.Printf("%s, %v, %d, %s\n", f.Mode().String(), f.ModTime(), f.Size(), f.Name())
 }
 
+func togglePprof(opt string) {
+	toggle := strings.SplitN(opt, "pprof/", 2)
+	if len(toggle) != 2 {
+		fmt.Printf("pprof needs to be either pprof/on or pprof/off\n")
+		return
+	}
+
+	if toggle[1] == "on" {
+		runPprof()
+	}
+	if toggle[1] == "off" {
+		stopPprof()
+	}
+}
+
 func runPprof() {
 	cmd := exec.Command("/usr/bin/pkill", "-USR2", "/opt/zededa/bin/zedbox")
 
@@ -987,11 +1005,11 @@ func runPprof() {
 	if err != nil {
 		fmt.Printf("could not signal zedbox to run pprof")
 	}
+}
 
-	setAndStartProxyTCP("localhost:6543")
-
-	_, err = http.Post("http://localhost:6543/stop", "", nil)
-	if err != nil {
+func stopPprof() {
+	_, err := http.Post("http://localhost:6543/stop", "", nil)
+	if err != nil && !errors.Is(err, io.EOF) {
 		fmt.Printf("could not stop pprof: %+v\n", err)
 	}
 }