diff --git a/src/vt/vrt/collection/balance/lb_invoke/lb_manager.cc b/src/vt/vrt/collection/balance/lb_invoke/lb_manager.cc
index 752d81d4a2..f12213fd38 100644
--- a/src/vt/vrt/collection/balance/lb_invoke/lb_manager.cc
+++ b/src/vt/vrt/collection/balance/lb_invoke/lb_manager.cc
@@ -450,12 +450,6 @@ void LBManager::destroyLB() {
   }
 }
 
-void LBManager::initialize() {
-#if vt_check_enabled(lblite)
-  createStatisticsFile();
-#endif
-}
-
 void LBManager::finalize() {
   closeStatisticsFile();
 }
@@ -548,13 +542,17 @@ void LBManager::statsHandler(StatsMsgType* msg) {
 
 void LBManager::stagePreLBStatistics(const StatisticMapType &statistics) {
   // Statistics output when LB is enabled and appropriate flag is enabled
-  if (!theConfig()->vt_lb_statistics) {
+  if (theContext()->getNode() != 0 or !theConfig()->vt_lb_statistics) {
     return;
   }
 
   nlohmann::json j;
   j["pre-LB"] = lb::jsonifyPhaseStatistics(statistics);
 
+  if (!statistics_writer_) {
+    createStatisticsFile();
+  }
+
   using JSONAppender = util::json::Appender<std::ofstream>;
   auto writer = static_cast<JSONAppender*>(statistics_writer_.get());
   writer->stageObject(j);
@@ -564,7 +562,7 @@ void LBManager::stagePostLBStatistics(
   const StatisticMapType &statistics, int32_t migration_count
 ) {
   // Statistics output when LB is enabled and appropriate flag is enabled
-  if (!theConfig()->vt_lb_statistics) {
+  if (theContext()->getNode() != 0 or !theConfig()->vt_lb_statistics) {
     return;
   }
 
@@ -572,6 +570,10 @@ void LBManager::stagePostLBStatistics(
   j["post-LB"] = lb::jsonifyPhaseStatistics(statistics);
   j["migration count"] = migration_count;
 
+  if (!statistics_writer_) {
+    createStatisticsFile();
+  }
+
   using JSONAppender = util::json::Appender<std::ofstream>;
   auto writer = static_cast<JSONAppender*>(statistics_writer_.get());
   writer->stageObject(j);
@@ -579,7 +581,7 @@ void LBManager::stagePostLBStatistics(
 
 void LBManager::commitPhaseStatistics(PhaseType phase) {
   // Statistics output when LB is enabled and appropriate flag is enabled
-  if (!theConfig()->vt_lb_statistics) {
+  if (theContext()->getNode() != 0 or !theConfig()->vt_lb_statistics) {
     return;
   }
 
@@ -591,6 +593,10 @@ void LBManager::commitPhaseStatistics(PhaseType phase) {
   nlohmann::json j;
   j["id"] = phase;
 
+  if (!statistics_writer_) {
+    createStatisticsFile();
+  }
+
   using JSONAppender = util::json::Appender<std::ofstream>;
   auto writer = static_cast<JSONAppender*>(statistics_writer_.get());
   writer->stageObject(j);
diff --git a/src/vt/vrt/collection/balance/lb_invoke/lb_manager.h b/src/vt/vrt/collection/balance/lb_invoke/lb_manager.h
index 03eb63c751..04890bafc2 100644
--- a/src/vt/vrt/collection/balance/lb_invoke/lb_manager.h
+++ b/src/vt/vrt/collection/balance/lb_invoke/lb_manager.h
@@ -90,7 +90,6 @@ struct LBManager : runtime::component::Component<LBManager> {
   std::string name() override { return "LBManager"; }
 
   void startup() override;
-  void initialize() override;
   void finalize() override;
   void fatalError() override;