diff --git a/tools/tracing/rtla/src/osnoise_hist.c b/tools/tracing/rtla/src/osnoise_hist.c
index dfbcb5ca7ecb..8f81fa007364 100644
--- a/tools/tracing/rtla/src/osnoise_hist.c
+++ b/tools/tracing/rtla/src/osnoise_hist.c
@@ -870,8 +870,6 @@ int osnoise_hist_main(int argc, char *argv[])
 		}
 	}
 
-	trace_instance_start(trace);
-
 	if (params->trace_output) {
 		record = osnoise_init_trace_tool("osnoise");
 		if (!record) {
@@ -885,9 +883,19 @@ int osnoise_hist_main(int argc, char *argv[])
 				goto out_hist;
 		}
 
-		trace_instance_start(&record->trace);
 	}
 
+	/*
+	 * Start the tracer here, after having set all instances.
+	 *
+	 * Let the trace instance start first for the case of hitting a stop
+	 * tracing while enabling other instances. The trace instance is the
+	 * one with most valuable information.
+	 */
+	if (params->trace_output)
+		trace_instance_start(&record->trace);
+	trace_instance_start(trace);
+
 	tool->start_time = time(NULL);
 	osnoise_hist_set_signals(params);
 
diff --git a/tools/tracing/rtla/src/osnoise_top.c b/tools/tracing/rtla/src/osnoise_top.c
index 0833537bb2eb..85abba568faf 100644
--- a/tools/tracing/rtla/src/osnoise_top.c
+++ b/tools/tracing/rtla/src/osnoise_top.c
@@ -697,8 +697,6 @@ int osnoise_top_main(int argc, char **argv)
 		}
 	}
 
-	trace_instance_start(trace);
-
 	if (params->trace_output) {
 		record = osnoise_init_trace_tool("osnoise");
 		if (!record) {
@@ -711,9 +709,18 @@ int osnoise_top_main(int argc, char **argv)
 			if (retval)
 				goto out_top;
 		}
+	}
 
+	/*
+	 * Start the tracer here, after having set all instances.
+	 *
+	 * Let the trace instance start first for the case of hitting a stop
+	 * tracing while enabling other instances. The trace instance is the
+	 * one with most valuable information.
+	 */
+	if (params->trace_output)
 		trace_instance_start(&record->trace);
-	}
+	trace_instance_start(trace);
 
 	tool->start_time = time(NULL);
 	osnoise_top_set_signals(params);
diff --git a/tools/tracing/rtla/src/timerlat_hist.c b/tools/tracing/rtla/src/timerlat_hist.c
index e720c8908906..f431cf43246c 100644
--- a/tools/tracing/rtla/src/timerlat_hist.c
+++ b/tools/tracing/rtla/src/timerlat_hist.c
@@ -922,8 +922,6 @@ int timerlat_hist_main(int argc, char *argv[])
 		}
 	}
 
-	trace_instance_start(trace);
-
 	if (params->trace_output) {
 		record = osnoise_init_trace_tool("timerlat");
 		if (!record) {
@@ -936,8 +934,6 @@ int timerlat_hist_main(int argc, char *argv[])
 			if (retval)
 				goto out_hist;
 		}
-
-		trace_instance_start(&record->trace);
 	}
 
 	if (!params->no_aa) {
@@ -956,9 +952,20 @@ int timerlat_hist_main(int argc, char *argv[])
 			err_msg("Failed to enable timerlat tracer\n");
 			goto out_hist;
 		}
+	}
 
+	/*
+	 * Start the tracers here, after having set all instances.
+	 *
+	 * Let the trace instance start first for the case of hitting a stop
+	 * tracing while enabling other instances. The trace instance is the
+	 * one with most valuable information.
+	 */
+	if (params->trace_output)
+		trace_instance_start(&record->trace);
+	if (!params->no_aa)
 		trace_instance_start(&aa->trace);
-	}
+	trace_instance_start(trace);
 
 	tool->start_time = time(NULL);
 	timerlat_hist_set_signals(params);
diff --git a/tools/tracing/rtla/src/timerlat_top.c b/tools/tracing/rtla/src/timerlat_top.c
index d6b5a382569e..02cff4948981 100644
--- a/tools/tracing/rtla/src/timerlat_top.c
+++ b/tools/tracing/rtla/src/timerlat_top.c
@@ -743,8 +743,6 @@ int timerlat_top_main(int argc, char *argv[])
 		}
 	}
 
-	trace_instance_start(trace);
-
 	if (params->trace_output) {
 		record = osnoise_init_trace_tool("timerlat");
 		if (!record) {
@@ -757,8 +755,6 @@ int timerlat_top_main(int argc, char *argv[])
 			if (retval)
 				goto out_top;
 		}
-
-		trace_instance_start(&record->trace);
 	}
 
 	if (!params->no_aa) {
@@ -785,11 +781,22 @@ int timerlat_top_main(int argc, char *argv[])
 				err_msg("Failed to enable timerlat tracer\n");
 				goto out_top;
 			}
-
-			trace_instance_start(&aa->trace);
 		}
 	}
 
+	/*
+	 * Start the tracers here, after having set all instances.
+	 *
+	 * Let the trace instance start first for the case of hitting a stop
+	 * tracing while enabling other instances. The trace instance is the
+	 * one with most valuable information.
+	 */
+	if (params->trace_output)
+		trace_instance_start(&record->trace);
+	if (!params->no_aa && aa != top)
+		trace_instance_start(&aa->trace);
+	trace_instance_start(trace);
+
 	top->start_time = time(NULL);
 	timerlat_top_set_signals(params);
 
