diff --git a/backend.c b/backend.c
index 87810e8..218ae25 100644
--- a/backend.c
+++ b/backend.c
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@
 #include "memalign.h"
 #include "server.h"
 #include "lib/getrusage.h"
+#include "idletime.h"
 
 static pthread_t disk_util_thread;
 static struct fio_mutex *disk_thread_mutex;
@@ -1499,6 +1500,8 @@
 
 	if (fio_gtod_offload && fio_start_gtod_thread())
 		return;
+	
+	fio_idle_prof_init();
 
 	set_sig_handlers();
 
@@ -1556,6 +1559,9 @@
 		}
 	}
 
+	/* start idle threads before io threads start to run */
+	fio_idle_prof_start();
+
 	set_genesis_time();
 
 	while (todo) {
@@ -1718,6 +1724,8 @@
 			usleep(10000);
 	}
 
+	fio_idle_prof_stop();
+
 	update_io_ticks();
 	fio_unpin_memory();
 }