diff --git a/cmd/utils/flags.go b/cmd/utils/flags.go
index 5df88ce008..84820cfb3e 100644
--- a/cmd/utils/flags.go
+++ b/cmd/utils/flags.go
@@ -1741,6 +1741,9 @@ func SetEthConfig(ctx *cli.Context, stack *node.Node, cfg *ethconfig.Config) {
 		// TODO(fjl): force-enable this in --dev mode
 		cfg.EnablePreimageRecording = ctx.Bool(VMEnableDebugFlag.Name)
 	}
+	if ctx.IsSet(VMTraceFlag.Name) {
+		cfg.LiveTrace = ctx.Bool(VMTraceFlag.Name)
+	}
 
 	if ctx.IsSet(RPCGlobalGasCapFlag.Name) {
 		cfg.RPCGasCap = ctx.Uint64(RPCGlobalGasCapFlag.Name)
diff --git a/core/blockchain.go b/core/blockchain.go
index becda25c4d..f7af512435 100644
--- a/core/blockchain.go
+++ b/core/blockchain.go
@@ -250,11 +250,19 @@ func NewBlockChain(db ethdb.Database, cacheConfig *CacheConfig, genesis *Genesis
 		Journal:   cacheConfig.TrieCleanJournal,
 		Preimages: cacheConfig.Preimages,
 	})
+	var logger BlockchainLogger
+	if vmConfig.Tracer != nil {
+		l, ok := vmConfig.Tracer.(BlockchainLogger)
+		if !ok {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("only extended tracers are supported for live mode")
+		}
+		logger = l
+	}
 	// Setup the genesis block, commit the provided genesis specification
 	// to database if the genesis block is not present yet, or load the
 	// stored one from database.
 	// TODO: pass in blockchainLogger here to catch genesis block and allocs
-	chainConfig, genesisHash, genesisErr := SetupGenesisBlockWithOverride(db, triedb, genesis, overrides, nil)
+	chainConfig, genesisHash, genesisErr := SetupGenesisBlockWithOverride(db, triedb, genesis, overrides, logger)
 	if _, ok := genesisErr.(*params.ConfigCompatError); genesisErr != nil && !ok {
 		return nil, genesisErr
 	}
@@ -265,14 +273,6 @@ func NewBlockChain(db ethdb.Database, cacheConfig *CacheConfig, genesis *Genesis
 	}
 	log.Info(strings.Repeat("-", 153))
 	log.Info("")
-	var logger BlockchainLogger
-	if vmConfig.Tracer != nil {
-		l, ok := vmConfig.Tracer.(BlockchainLogger)
-		if !ok {
-			return nil, fmt.Errorf("only extended tracers are supported for live mode")
-		}
-		logger = l
-	}
 
 	bc := &BlockChain{
 		chainConfig:   chainConfig,
diff --git a/eth/backend.go b/eth/backend.go
index b3338918be..c8d9c16507 100644
--- a/eth/backend.go
+++ b/eth/backend.go
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/eth/gasprice"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/eth/protocols/eth"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/eth/protocols/snap"
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/eth/tracers"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/ethdb"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/event"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/internal/ethapi"
@@ -192,6 +193,9 @@ func New(stack *node.Node, config *ethconfig.Config) (*Ethereum, error) {
 			Preimages:           config.Preimages,
 		}
 	)
+	if config.LiveTrace {
+		vmConfig.Tracer = tracers.NewPrinter()
+	}
 	// Override the chain config with provided settings.
 	var overrides core.ChainOverrides
 	if config.OverrideCancun != nil {
diff --git a/eth/ethconfig/config.go b/eth/ethconfig/config.go
index a98d9ee4aa..c61cb26861 100644
--- a/eth/ethconfig/config.go
+++ b/eth/ethconfig/config.go
@@ -147,6 +147,9 @@ type Config struct {
 	// Enables tracking of SHA3 preimages in the VM
 	EnablePreimageRecording bool
 
+	// LiveTrace will enable tracing during normal chain processing.
+	LiveTrace bool
+
 	// Miscellaneous options
 	DocRoot string `toml:"-"`