diff --git a/alloc.c b/alloc.c
index 6e8247b62..fc40f9f64 100644
--- a/alloc.c
+++ b/alloc.c
@@ -70,6 +70,14 @@ word GC_gc_no = 0;
     measure_performance = TRUE;
   }
 
+  GC_API void GC_CALL GC_enable_benchmark_stats(void)
+  {
+    const char *fname = TRUSTED_STRING(GETENV("GC_LOG_FILE"));
+    if (NULL == fname)
+      return;
+    GC_benchmark = 1;
+  }
+
   GC_API unsigned long GC_CALL GC_get_full_gc_total_time(void)
   {
     return full_gc_total_time;
diff --git a/include/gc/gc.h b/include/gc/gc.h
index 471b8bd6f..52a862a1e 100644
--- a/include/gc/gc.h
+++ b/include/gc/gc.h
@@ -423,6 +423,10 @@ GC_API GC_word GC_CALL GC_get_allocd_bytes_per_finalizer(void);
 /* library has been compiled without NO_CLOCK.                          */
 GC_API void GC_CALL GC_start_performance_measurement(void);
 
+/* Tell the collector to log performance and memory measurements from   */
+/* each collection to GC_LOG_FILE.                                      */
+GC_API void GC_CALL GC_enable_benchmark_stats(void);
+
 /* Get the total time of all full collections since the start of the    */
 /* performance measurements.  Includes time spent in the supplementary  */
 /* actions like blacklists promotion, marks clearing, free lists        */