diff --git a/net/colo-compare.c b/net/colo-compare.c
index 62ecd38bb7..a609f499b9 100644
--- a/net/colo-compare.c
+++ b/net/colo-compare.c
@@ -483,10 +483,12 @@ sec:
         g_queue_push_head(&conn->primary_list, ppkt);
         g_queue_push_head(&conn->secondary_list, spkt);
 
-        qemu_hexdump((char *)ppkt->data, stderr,
-                     "colo-compare ppkt", ppkt->size);
-        qemu_hexdump((char *)spkt->data, stderr,
-                     "colo-compare spkt", spkt->size);
+        if (trace_event_get_state_backends(TRACE_COLO_COMPARE_MISCOMPARE)) {
+            qemu_hexdump((char *)ppkt->data, stderr,
+                        "colo-compare ppkt", ppkt->size);
+            qemu_hexdump((char *)spkt->data, stderr,
+                        "colo-compare spkt", spkt->size);
+        }
 
         colo_compare_inconsistency_notify(s);
     }