diff --git a/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/phone/NotificationPanelView.java b/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/phone/NotificationPanelView.java
index c9ec481..32b7c68 100644
--- a/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/phone/NotificationPanelView.java
+++ b/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/phone/NotificationPanelView.java
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 import android.view.View;
 
 import com.android.systemui.R;
+import com.android.systemui.statusbar.GestureRecorder;
 
 public class NotificationPanelView extends PanelView {
 
@@ -47,9 +48,12 @@
 
     @Override
     public void fling(float vel, boolean always) {
-        ((PhoneStatusBarView) mBar).mBar.getGestureRecorder().tag(
-            "fling " + ((vel > 0) ? "open" : "closed"),
-            "notifications,v=" + vel);
+        GestureRecorder gr = ((PhoneStatusBarView) mBar).mBar.getGestureRecorder();
+        if (gr != null) {
+            gr.tag(
+                "fling " + ((vel > 0) ? "open" : "closed"),
+                "notifications,v=" + vel);
+        }
         super.fling(vel, always);
     }
 
diff --git a/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/phone/PhoneStatusBar.java b/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/phone/PhoneStatusBar.java
index 493a92a..a12af8d 100644
--- a/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/phone/PhoneStatusBar.java
+++ b/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/phone/PhoneStatusBar.java
@@ -99,6 +99,7 @@
     public static final boolean DEBUG = BaseStatusBar.DEBUG;
     public static final boolean SPEW = DEBUG;
     public static final boolean DUMPTRUCK = true; // extra dumpsys info
+    public static final boolean DEBUG_GESTURES = false;
 
     // additional instrumentation for testing purposes; intended to be left on during development
     public static final boolean CHATTY = DEBUG;
@@ -247,7 +248,9 @@
     DisplayMetrics mDisplayMetrics = new DisplayMetrics();
 
     // XXX: gesture research
-    private GestureRecorder mGestureRec = new GestureRecorder("/sdcard/statusbar_gestures.dat");
+    private final GestureRecorder mGestureRec = DEBUG_GESTURES
+        ? new GestureRecorder("/sdcard/statusbar_gestures.dat") 
+        : null;
 
     private int mNavigationIconHints = 0;
     private final Animator.AnimatorListener mMakeIconsInvisible = new AnimatorListenerAdapter() {
@@ -1350,7 +1353,9 @@
             }
         }
 
-        mGestureRec.add(event);
+        if (DEBUG_GESTURES) {
+            mGestureRec.add(event);
+        }
 
         return false;
     }
@@ -1630,8 +1635,10 @@
             }
         }
 
-        pw.print("  status bar gestures: ");
-        mGestureRec.dump(fd, pw, args);
+        if (DEBUG_GESTURES) {
+            pw.print("  status bar gestures: ");
+            mGestureRec.dump(fd, pw, args);
+        }
 
         mNetworkController.dump(fd, pw, args);
     }
@@ -1713,8 +1720,10 @@
     // called by makeStatusbar and also by PhoneStatusBarView
     void updateDisplaySize() {
         mDisplay.getMetrics(mDisplayMetrics);
-        mGestureRec.tag("display", 
-                String.format("%dx%d", mDisplayMetrics.widthPixels, mDisplayMetrics.heightPixels));
+        if (DEBUG_GESTURES) {
+            mGestureRec.tag("display", 
+                    String.format("%dx%d", mDisplayMetrics.widthPixels, mDisplayMetrics.heightPixels));
+        }
     }
 
     private View.OnClickListener mClearButtonListener = new View.OnClickListener() {
diff --git a/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/phone/SettingsPanelView.java b/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/phone/SettingsPanelView.java
index f9d9dac0..e555277 100644
--- a/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/phone/SettingsPanelView.java
+++ b/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/phone/SettingsPanelView.java
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 
 import com.android.systemui.R;
 import com.android.systemui.statusbar.BaseStatusBar;
+import com.android.systemui.statusbar.GestureRecorder;
 import com.android.systemui.statusbar.policy.BatteryController;
 import com.android.systemui.statusbar.policy.BluetoothController;
 import com.android.systemui.statusbar.policy.LocationController;
@@ -95,9 +96,12 @@
 
     @Override
     public void fling(float vel, boolean always) {
-        ((PhoneStatusBarView) mBar).mBar.getGestureRecorder().tag(
-            "fling " + ((vel > 0) ? "open" : "closed"),
-            "settings,v=" + vel);
+        GestureRecorder gr = ((PhoneStatusBarView) mBar).mBar.getGestureRecorder();
+        if (gr != null) {
+            gr.tag(
+                "fling " + ((vel > 0) ? "open" : "closed"),
+                "settings,v=" + vel);
+        }
         super.fling(vel, always);
     }