diff --git a/src/cpu/exetrace.cc b/src/cpu/exetrace.cc
index 7227602b5d..5897d1dbcd 100644
--- a/src/cpu/exetrace.cc
+++ b/src/cpu/exetrace.cc
@@ -45,13 +45,19 @@ using namespace TheISA;
 
 namespace Trace {
 
+void
+ExeTracerRecord::dumpTicks(ostream &outs)
+{
+    ccprintf(outs, "%7d: ", when);
+}
+
 void
 Trace::ExeTracerRecord::traceInst(StaticInstPtr inst, bool ran)
 {
     ostream &outs = Trace::output();
 
     if (IsOn(ExecTicks))
-        ccprintf(outs, "%7d: ", when);
+        dumpTicks(outs);
 
     outs << thread->getCpuPtr()->name() << " ";
 
diff --git a/src/cpu/exetrace.hh b/src/cpu/exetrace.hh
index e5b22c8819..e49a2bb59c 100644
--- a/src/cpu/exetrace.hh
+++ b/src/cpu/exetrace.hh
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ class ExeTracerRecord : public InstRecord
     void traceInst(StaticInstPtr inst, bool ran);
 
     void dump();
+    virtual void dumpTicks(std::ostream &outs);
 };
 
 class ExeTracer : public InstTracer