diff --git a/libsrc/core/python_ngcore_export.cpp b/libsrc/core/python_ngcore_export.cpp
index 1aaf12b0..4f93168e 100644
--- a/libsrc/core/python_ngcore_export.cpp
+++ b/libsrc/core/python_ngcore_export.cpp
@@ -246,4 +246,25 @@ threads : int
     .def("__timing__", &TaskManager::Timing)
     ;
 
+  py::class_<PajeTrace>(m, "PajeTrace")
+    .def(py::init( [] (string filename, size_t size_mb, bool threads, bool thread_counter)
+          {
+              PajeTrace::SetMaxTracefileSize(size_mb*1014*1024);
+              PajeTrace::SetTraceThreads(threads);
+              PajeTrace::SetTraceThreadCounter(thread_counter);
+              trace = new PajeTrace(TaskManager::GetMaxThreads(), filename);
+              return trace;
+          }), py::arg("filename")="ng.trace", py::arg("size")=1000,
+              py::arg("threads")=true, py::arg("thread_counter")=false,
+              "size in Megabytes"
+        )
+    .def("__enter__", [](PajeTrace & self) { })
+    .def("__exit__", [](PajeTrace & self, py::args) { self.StopTracing(); })
+    .def("__del__", [](PajeTrace & self) { trace = nullptr; })
+    .def("SetTraceThreads", &PajeTrace::SetTraceThreads)
+    .def("SetTraceThreadCounter", &PajeTrace::SetTraceThreadCounter)
+    .def("SetMaxTracefileSize", &PajeTrace::SetMaxTracefileSize)
+    ;
+
+
 }
diff --git a/libsrc/core/taskmanager.cpp b/libsrc/core/taskmanager.cpp
index ef38a277..4a49adff 100644
--- a/libsrc/core/taskmanager.cpp
+++ b/libsrc/core/taskmanager.cpp
@@ -166,8 +166,11 @@ namespace ngcore
 
   TaskManager :: ~TaskManager ()
   {
-    delete trace;
-    trace = nullptr;
+    if (use_paje_trace)
+      {
+        delete trace;
+        trace = nullptr;
+      }
     num_threads = 1;
   }
 
@@ -335,7 +338,7 @@ namespace ngcore
       }
     
     
-    if (use_paje_trace)
+    if (trace)
         trace->StartJob(jobnr, afunc.target_type());
 
     func = &afunc;
@@ -406,7 +409,7 @@ namespace ngcore
     if (ex)
       throw Exception (*ex);
 
-    if (use_paje_trace)
+    if (trace)
         trace->StopJob();
   }