diff --git a/flow/compositor_context.cc b/flow/compositor_context.cc
index fa1d073306c96..5f38d9e2f0414 100644
--- a/flow/compositor_context.cc
+++ b/flow/compositor_context.cc
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ RasterStatus CompositorContext::ScopedFrame::Raster(
     }
 
     if (needs_save_layer) {
-      FML_LOG(INFO) << "Using SaveLayer to protect non-readback surface";
+      TRACE_EVENT0("flutter", "Canvas::saveLayer");
       SkRect bounds = SkRect::Make(layer_tree.frame_size());
       SkPaint paint;
       paint.setBlendMode(SkBlendMode::kSrc);
diff --git a/flow/layers/clip_path_layer.cc b/flow/layers/clip_path_layer.cc
index 4ca8ede34a71e..ca30baf2ac8cc 100644
--- a/flow/layers/clip_path_layer.cc
+++ b/flow/layers/clip_path_layer.cc
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ void ClipPathLayer::Paint(PaintContext& context) const {
                                           clip_behavior_ != Clip::hardEdge);
 
   if (UsesSaveLayer()) {
+    TRACE_EVENT0("flutter", "Canvas::saveLayer");
     context.internal_nodes_canvas->saveLayer(paint_bounds(), nullptr);
   }
   PaintChildren(context);
diff --git a/flow/layers/clip_rect_layer.cc b/flow/layers/clip_rect_layer.cc
index 7adfa04285ed6..8504d41ed15b4 100644
--- a/flow/layers/clip_rect_layer.cc
+++ b/flow/layers/clip_rect_layer.cc
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ void ClipRectLayer::Paint(PaintContext& context) const {
                                           clip_behavior_ != Clip::hardEdge);
 
   if (UsesSaveLayer()) {
+    TRACE_EVENT0("flutter", "Canvas::saveLayer");
     context.internal_nodes_canvas->saveLayer(clip_rect_, nullptr);
   }
   PaintChildren(context);
diff --git a/flow/layers/clip_rrect_layer.cc b/flow/layers/clip_rrect_layer.cc
index 8446075dc1e58..511b3da5526da 100644
--- a/flow/layers/clip_rrect_layer.cc
+++ b/flow/layers/clip_rrect_layer.cc
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ void ClipRRectLayer::Paint(PaintContext& context) const {
                                            clip_behavior_ != Clip::hardEdge);
 
   if (UsesSaveLayer()) {
+    TRACE_EVENT0("flutter", "Canvas::saveLayer");
     context.internal_nodes_canvas->saveLayer(paint_bounds(), nullptr);
   }
   PaintChildren(context);
diff --git a/flow/layers/physical_shape_layer.cc b/flow/layers/physical_shape_layer.cc
index b1674e1a74c9b..d443448ed97e6 100644
--- a/flow/layers/physical_shape_layer.cc
+++ b/flow/layers/physical_shape_layer.cc
@@ -97,10 +97,11 @@ void PhysicalShapeLayer::Paint(PaintContext& context) const {
     case Clip::antiAlias:
       context.internal_nodes_canvas->clipPath(path_, true);
       break;
-    case Clip::antiAliasWithSaveLayer:
+    case Clip::antiAliasWithSaveLayer: {
+      TRACE_EVENT0("flutter", "Canvas::saveLayer");
       context.internal_nodes_canvas->clipPath(path_, true);
       context.internal_nodes_canvas->saveLayer(paint_bounds(), nullptr);
-      break;
+    } break;
     case Clip::none:
       break;
   }
diff --git a/lib/ui/painting/canvas.cc b/lib/ui/painting/canvas.cc
index 66c1bcdd2ba1b..14270e994137f 100644
--- a/lib/ui/painting/canvas.cc
+++ b/lib/ui/painting/canvas.cc
@@ -105,6 +105,7 @@ void Canvas::saveLayerWithoutBounds(const Paint& paint,
   if (!canvas_) {
     return;
   }
+  TRACE_EVENT0("flutter", "Canvas::saveLayer");
   canvas_->saveLayer(nullptr, paint.paint());
 }
 
@@ -117,6 +118,7 @@ void Canvas::saveLayer(double left,
   if (!canvas_) {
     return;
   }
+  TRACE_EVENT0("flutter", "Canvas::saveLayer");
   SkRect bounds = SkRect::MakeLTRB(left, top, right, bottom);
   canvas_->saveLayer(&bounds, paint.paint());
 }
diff --git a/testing/dart/observatory/BUILD.gn b/testing/dart/observatory/BUILD.gn
index ea5d285e0fd2c..e2acc5af47800 100644
--- a/testing/dart/observatory/BUILD.gn
+++ b/testing/dart/observatory/BUILD.gn
@@ -4,7 +4,10 @@
 
 import("//flutter/testing/dart/compile_test.gni")
 
-tests = [ "skp_test.dart" ]
+tests = [
+  "skp_test.dart",
+  "tracing_test.dart",
+]
 
 foreach(test, tests) {
   compile_flutter_dart_test("compile_$test") {
diff --git a/testing/dart/observatory/tracing_test.dart b/testing/dart/observatory/tracing_test.dart
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..50274db5bcfa8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testing/dart/observatory/tracing_test.dart
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+// Copyright 2013 The Flutter Authors. All rights reserved.
+// Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style license that can be
+// found in the LICENSE file.
+
+import 'dart:async';
+import 'dart:developer' as developer;
+import 'dart:ui';
+
+import 'package:litetest/litetest.dart';
+import 'package:vm_service/vm_service.dart' as vms;
+import 'package:vm_service/vm_service_io.dart';
+
+void main() {
+  test('Canvas.saveLayer emits tracing', () async {
+    final developer.ServiceProtocolInfo info = await developer.Service.getInfo();
+
+    if (info.serverUri == null) {
+      fail('This test must not be run with --disable-observatory.');
+    }
+
+    final vms.VmService vmService = await vmServiceConnectUri(
+      'ws://localhost:${info.serverUri!.port}${info.serverUri!.path}ws',
+    );
+
+    final Completer<void> completer = Completer<void>();
+    window.onBeginFrame = (Duration timeStamp) {
+      final PictureRecorder recorder = PictureRecorder();
+      final Canvas canvas = Canvas(recorder);
+      canvas.saveLayer(null, Paint());
+      canvas.saveLayer(const Rect.fromLTWH(0, 0, 100, 100), Paint());
+      canvas.drawRect(const Rect.fromLTRB(10, 10, 20, 20), Paint());
+      canvas.restore();
+      canvas.restore();
+      final Picture picture = recorder.endRecording();
+
+      final SceneBuilder builder = SceneBuilder();
+      builder.addPicture(Offset.zero, picture);
+      final Scene scene = builder.build();
+
+      window.render(scene);
+      scene.dispose();
+      completer.complete();
+    };
+    window.scheduleFrame();
+    await completer.future;
+
+    final vms.Timeline timeline = await vmService.getVMTimeline();
+    await vmService.dispose();
+
+    int saveLayerCount = 0;
+    for (final vms.TimelineEvent event in timeline.traceEvents!) {
+      final Map<String, dynamic> json = event.json!;
+      if (json['name'] == 'Canvas::saveLayer' && json['ph'] == 'B') {
+        saveLayerCount += 1;
+      }
+    }
+    expect(saveLayerCount, 2);
+  });
+}