diff --git a/monitor/CMakeLists.txt b/monitor/CMakeLists.txt
index 264c543a..4598748f 100644
--- a/monitor/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/monitor/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ if(NOT CMAKE_SYSTEM_PROCESSOR MATCHES "^(x86_64|amd64|aarch64|arm64)$")
 endif()
 
 find_package(Threads REQUIRED)
+option(TRACY_ON_DEMAND "On-demand profiling: record samples only while a Tracy server is connected" OFF)
 
 include(${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/../cmake/config.cmake)
 include(${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/../cmake/GitRef.cmake)
@@ -37,6 +38,9 @@ target_compile_definitions(${PROJECT_NAME} PRIVATE
     TRACY_MANUAL_LIFETIME
     TRACY_NO_FRAME_IMAGE
 )
+if(TRACY_ON_DEMAND)
+    target_compile_definitions(${PROJECT_NAME} PRIVATE TRACY_ON_DEMAND)
+endif()
 target_link_libraries(${PROJECT_NAME} PRIVATE
     Threads::Threads
     ${CMAKE_DL_LIBS}
diff --git a/monitor/src/monitor.cpp b/monitor/src/monitor.cpp
index efded5c4..c9f3cb0b 100644
--- a/monitor/src/monitor.cpp
+++ b/monitor/src/monitor.cpp
@@ -397,6 +397,9 @@ static void PrintStartupReport( bool kernelFrames, bool hwStats, int hwErrno )
     {
         printf( "  vsync:                         no (%s)\n", TracepointReason( vsync ) );
     }
+#ifdef TRACY_ON_DEMAND
+    printf( "  recording:                     on-demand: samples are captured only while a Tracy server is connected; pre-connection samples are discarded\n" );
+#endif
     printf( "\n" );
     printf( "Open the Tracy profiler and connect to this host:port (or it will auto-discover).\n" );
     fflush( stdout );