diff --git a/src/vt/context/runnable_context/trace.cc b/src/vt/context/runnable_context/trace.cc
index bb955a8212..81e1b0bc17 100644
--- a/src/vt/context/runnable_context/trace.cc
+++ b/src/vt/context/runnable_context/trace.cc
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ void Trace::start(TimeType time) {
       from_node_ != uninitialized_destination ? from_node_ : cur_node;
 
     processing_tag_ = theTrace()->beginProcessing(
-      trace_id, msg_size_, event_, from_node, idx1_, idx2_, idx3_, idx4_, time
+      trace_id, msg_size_, event_, from_node, time, idx1_, idx2_, idx3_, idx4_
     );
   } else {
     processing_tag_ = theTrace()->beginProcessing(
diff --git a/src/vt/trace/trace.cc b/src/vt/trace/trace.cc
index 885fc450ca..c9416f28c0 100644
--- a/src/vt/trace/trace.cc
+++ b/src/vt/trace/trace.cc
@@ -359,7 +359,7 @@ TraceProcessingTag Trace::beginProcessing(
   );
 
   if (theConfig()->vt_trace_memory_usage) {
-    addMemoryEvent(theMemUsage()->getFirstUsage());
+    addMemoryEvent(theMemUsage()->getFirstUsage(), time);
   }
 
   return TraceProcessingTag{ep, loggedEvent};
@@ -404,7 +404,7 @@ void Trace::endProcessing(
   );
 
   if (theConfig()->vt_trace_memory_usage) {
-    addMemoryEvent(theMemUsage()->getFirstUsage());
+    addMemoryEvent(theMemUsage()->getFirstUsage(), time);
   }
 
   // Final event is same as original with a few .. tweaks.
diff --git a/src/vt/trace/trace_lite.h b/src/vt/trace/trace_lite.h
index a14a2f1d3a..e39e4da45c 100644
--- a/src/vt/trace/trace_lite.h
+++ b/src/vt/trace/trace_lite.h
@@ -252,6 +252,24 @@ struct TraceLite  {
     return static_cast<TimeIntegerType>(time * 1e6);
   }
 
+  /**
+   * \brief Get the number of recorded trace events
+   *
+   * \return the number of trace events
+   */
+  std::size_t getNumTraceEvents() const {
+    return traces_.size();
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * @brief Get the last recorded trace event
+   *
+   * @return the last recorded trace event
+   */
+  const LogType* getLastTraceEvent() const noexcept {
+    return traces_.empty() ? nullptr : &traces_.back();
+  }
+
 protected:
   /**
    * \brief Emit a 'stop' trace for previous open event or a '[re]start' trace
@@ -349,7 +367,7 @@ struct TraceLite  {
    *
    * \return computed bytes used for tracing (lower bound)
    */
-  std::size_t getTracesSize() const {
+  std::size_t getTracesSize() const noexcept {
     return traces_.size() * sizeof(Log);
   }
 
diff --git a/tests/CMakeLists.txt b/tests/CMakeLists.txt
index 48d524dd26..7a8e4ba4ae 100644
--- a/tests/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/tests/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ set_target_properties(gtest_main PROPERTIES FOLDER extern)
 include(GoogleTest)
 include(turn_on_warnings)
 
-function(add_unit_test unit_test_name unit_test_files uses_mpi)
+function(add_unit_test unit_test_name unit_test_files uses_mpi additional_args)
   add_executable(
     ${unit_test_name}
     ${TEST_SOURCE_FILES}
@@ -95,6 +95,7 @@ function(add_unit_test unit_test_name unit_test_files uses_mpi)
     foreach(PROC ${PROC_TEST_LIST})
       gtest_add_tests(
         TARGET                 ${unit_test_name}
+        EXTRA_ARGS             ${additional_args}
         WORKING_DIRECTORY      ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}
         TEST_SUFFIX            _proc_${PROC}
         TEST_PREFIX            vt:
@@ -115,6 +116,7 @@ function(add_unit_test unit_test_name unit_test_files uses_mpi)
   else()
     gtest_add_tests(
       TARGET                 ${unit_test_name}
+      EXTRA_ARGS             ${additional_args}
       WORKING_DIRECTORY      ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}
       TEST_SUFFIX            _no_mpi
       TEST_PREFIX            vt:
@@ -167,6 +169,7 @@ foreach(SUB_DIR ${UNIT_TEST_SUBDIRS_LIST})
   set(UNIT_LIST_EXTENDED "")
   set(UNIT_LIST_BASIC "")
   set(UNIT_LIST_NOMPI "")
+  set(ADDITIONAL_ARGS "")
 
   foreach (unit_test_file ${${SUB_DIR}_UNIT_TEST_SOURCE_FILES})
     #message(STATUS "Considering ${unit_test_file}")
@@ -200,11 +203,15 @@ foreach(SUB_DIR ${UNIT_TEST_SUBDIRS_LIST})
     endif()
   endforeach()
 
-  add_unit_test("${SUB_DIR}_basic" UNIT_LIST_BASIC ON)
-  add_unit_test("${SUB_DIR}_nompi" UNIT_LIST_NOMPI OFF)
+  if (SUB_DIR STREQUAL "trace")
+    list(APPEND ADDITIONAL_ARGS "--vt_trace")
+  endif()
+
+  add_unit_test("${SUB_DIR}_basic" UNIT_LIST_BASIC ON "${ADDITIONAL_ARGS}")
+  add_unit_test("${SUB_DIR}_nompi" UNIT_LIST_NOMPI OFF "${ADDITIONAL_ARGS}")
 
   if (vt_build_extended_tests)
-    add_unit_test("${SUB_DIR}_extended" UNIT_LIST_EXTENDED ON)
+    add_unit_test("${SUB_DIR}_extended" UNIT_LIST_EXTENDED ON "${ADDITIONAL_ARGS}")
   endif()
 endforeach()
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/trace/test_runnable_context_trace.cc b/tests/unit/trace/test_runnable_context_trace.cc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5dc148dc3f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/trace/test_runnable_context_trace.cc
@@ -0,0 +1,99 @@
+/*
+//@HEADER
+// *****************************************************************************
+//
+//                        test_runnable_context_trace.cc
+//                       DARMA/vt => Virtual Transport
+//
+// Copyright 2019-2021 National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC
+// (NTESS). Under the terms of Contract DE-NA0003525 with NTESS, the U.S.
+// Government retains certain rights in this software.
+//
+// Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
+// modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:
+//
+// * Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice,
+//   this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+//
+// * Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice,
+//   this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the documentation
+//   and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
+//
+// * Neither the name of the copyright holder nor the names of its
+//   contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived from this
+//   software without specific prior written permission.
+//
+// THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS"
+// AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE
+// IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE
+// ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE
+// LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR
+// CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF
+// SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS
+// INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN
+// CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE)
+// ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE
+// POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
+//
+// Questions? Contact darma@sandia.gov
+//
+// *****************************************************************************
+//@HEADER
+*/
+
+#include <vt/context/runnable_context/trace.h>
+
+#include "test_parallel_harness.h"
+#include "test_helpers.h"
+
+#if vt_check_enabled(trace_enabled)
+
+namespace vt { namespace tests { namespace unit {
+
+using TestRunnableContextTrace = TestParallelHarness;
+
+struct TraceMsg : ::vt::Message {
+};
+
+void handler_func( TraceMsg * )
+{}
+
+TEST_F(TestRunnableContextTrace, runnable_context_trace_test_1) {
+  if (!theTrace()->checkDynamicRuntimeEnabled())
+    GTEST_SKIP() << "trace tests require --vt_trace to be set";
+
+  auto msg = makeMessage< TraceMsg >();
+
+  auto handler = auto_registry::makeAutoHandler< TraceMsg, handler_func >();
+
+  HandlerManager::setHandlerTrace(handler, true);
+
+  // Give some nonsense parameters but Trace shouldn't touch them
+  auto t = ctx::Trace( msg, /* in_trace_event */ 7,
+                  handler, /* in_from_node */ 3,
+                  5, 9, 3, 2 );
+
+  // One event for the trace, one for the top open event, third if mem usage tracing is enabled
+  const int add_num_events = theConfig()->vt_trace_memory_usage ? 3 : 2;
+
+  auto num_events = theTrace()->getNumTraceEvents();
+  t.start(TimeType{3});
+  EXPECT_EQ(num_events + add_num_events, theTrace()->getNumTraceEvents());
+  auto *last_trace = theTrace()->getLastTraceEvent();
+  EXPECT_NE(last_trace, nullptr);
+  EXPECT_EQ(last_trace->type, theConfig()->vt_trace_memory_usage ? trace::eTraceConstants::MemoryUsageCurrent : trace::eTraceConstants::BeginProcessing);
+  EXPECT_EQ(last_trace->time, TimeType{3});
+
+  num_events = theTrace()->getNumTraceEvents();
+  t.finish(TimeType{7});
+  EXPECT_EQ(num_events + add_num_events, theTrace()->getNumTraceEvents());
+  last_trace = theTrace()->getLastTraceEvent();
+  EXPECT_NE(last_trace, nullptr);
+  // Counterintuitive, but we restart the open event as the last action
+  EXPECT_EQ(last_trace->type, trace::eTraceConstants::BeginProcessing);
+  EXPECT_EQ(last_trace->time, TimeType{7}); // Time should still match though
+}
+
+}}} // end namespace vt::tests::unit
+
+#endif // vt_check_enabled(trace_enabled)