diff --git a/cmd/geth/chaincmd.go b/cmd/geth/chaincmd.go
index d71cfbb38e..8454e35d68 100644
--- a/cmd/geth/chaincmd.go
+++ b/cmd/geth/chaincmd.go
@@ -100,6 +100,7 @@ if one is set.  Otherwise it prints the genesis from the datadir.`,
 			utils.MetricsInfluxDBOrganizationFlag,
 			utils.TxLookupLimitFlag,
 			utils.VMTraceFlag,
+			utils.VMTraceConfigFlag,
 			utils.TransactionHistoryFlag,
 			utils.StateHistoryFlag,
 		}, utils.DatabaseFlags),
diff --git a/cmd/geth/config.go b/cmd/geth/config.go
index c166ce158d..72ca956e92 100644
--- a/cmd/geth/config.go
+++ b/cmd/geth/config.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"bufio"
+	"encoding/json"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
@@ -181,7 +182,11 @@ func makeFullNode(ctx *cli.Context) (*node.Node, ethapi.Backend) {
 
 	if ctx.IsSet(utils.VMTraceFlag.Name) {
 		if name := ctx.String(utils.VMTraceFlag.Name); name != "" {
-			t, err := live.Directory.New(name)
+			var config string
+			if ctx.IsSet(utils.VMTraceConfigFlag.Name) {
+				config = ctx.String(utils.VMTraceConfigFlag.Name)
+			}
+			t, err := live.Directory.New(name, json.RawMessage(config))
 			if err != nil {
 				utils.Fatalf("Failed to create tracer %q: %v", name, err)
 			}
diff --git a/cmd/geth/main.go b/cmd/geth/main.go
index 420958c9ee..3312e29055 100644
--- a/cmd/geth/main.go
+++ b/cmd/geth/main.go
@@ -138,6 +138,7 @@ var (
 		utils.DeveloperPeriodFlag,
 		utils.VMEnableDebugFlag,
 		utils.VMTraceFlag,
+		utils.VMTraceConfigFlag,
 		utils.NetworkIdFlag,
 		utils.EthStatsURLFlag,
 		utils.NoCompactionFlag,
diff --git a/cmd/utils/flags.go b/cmd/utils/flags.go
index 80a9c0f77c..efb20d693e 100644
--- a/cmd/utils/flags.go
+++ b/cmd/utils/flags.go
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"crypto/ecdsa"
 	"encoding/hex"
+	"encoding/json"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"math"
@@ -502,7 +503,11 @@ var (
 		Usage:    "Name of tracer which should record internal VM operations (costly)",
 		Category: flags.VMCategory,
 	}
-
+	VMTraceConfigFlag = &cli.StringFlag{
+		Name:     "vmtrace.config",
+		Usage:    "Tracer configuration (JSON)",
+		Category: flags.VMCategory,
+	}
 	// API options.
 	RPCGlobalGasCapFlag = &cli.Uint64Flag{
 		Name:     "rpc.gascap",
@@ -2128,7 +2133,11 @@ func MakeChain(ctx *cli.Context, stack *node.Node, readonly bool) (*core.BlockCh
 	vmcfg := vm.Config{EnablePreimageRecording: ctx.Bool(VMEnableDebugFlag.Name)}
 	if ctx.IsSet(VMTraceFlag.Name) {
 		if name := ctx.String(VMTraceFlag.Name); name != "" {
-			t, err := live.Directory.New(name)
+			var config string
+			if ctx.IsSet(VMTraceConfigFlag.Name) {
+				config = ctx.String(VMTraceConfigFlag.Name)
+			}
+			t, err := live.Directory.New(name, json.RawMessage(config))
 			if err != nil {
 				Fatalf("Failed to create tracer %q: %v", name, err)
 			}
diff --git a/eth/tracers/directory/live/dir.go b/eth/tracers/directory/live/dir.go
index 011d27f887..39d1e99caa 100644
--- a/eth/tracers/directory/live/dir.go
+++ b/eth/tracers/directory/live/dir.go
@@ -1,12 +1,13 @@
 package live
 
 import (
+	"encoding/json"
 	"errors"
 
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core"
 )
 
-type ctorFunc func() (core.BlockchainLogger, error)
+type ctorFunc func(config json.RawMessage) (core.BlockchainLogger, error)
 
 // Directory is the collection of tracers which can be used
 // during normal block import operations.
@@ -22,9 +23,9 @@ func (d *directory) Register(name string, f ctorFunc) {
 }
 
 // New instantiates a tracer by name.
-func (d *directory) New(name string) (core.BlockchainLogger, error) {
+func (d *directory) New(name string, config json.RawMessage) (core.BlockchainLogger, error) {
 	if f, ok := d.elems[name]; ok {
-		return f()
+		return f(config)
 	}
 	return nil, errors.New("not found")
 }