diff --git a/pkg/cmd/roachtest/backup.go b/pkg/cmd/roachtest/backup.go
index cf2c7fabb2a2..4f756ca0e760 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/roachtest/backup.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/roachtest/backup.go
@@ -144,6 +144,10 @@ func registerBackupNodeShutdown(r *testRegistry) {
 // initBulkJobPerfArtifacts registers a histogram, creates a performance
 // artifact directory and returns a method that when invoked records a tick.
 func initBulkJobPerfArtifacts(ctx context.Context, testName string, timeout time.Duration) func() {
+	// TODO(tbg,aditya): this is temporarily skipped, figure out a fix. See:
+	// https://cockroachlabs.slack.com/archives/CJ0H8Q97C/p1623776034188400
+	return func() {}
+
 	// Register a named histogram to track the total time the bulk job took.
 	// Roachperf uses this information to display information about this
 	// roachtest.