diff --git a/pyphare/pyphare/simulator/simulator.py b/pyphare/pyphare/simulator/simulator.py
index 712c703ef..e39f33050 100644
--- a/pyphare/pyphare/simulator/simulator.py
+++ b/pyphare/pyphare/simulator/simulator.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 #
 #
 
+import os
 import datetime
 import atexit
 import time as timem
@@ -11,6 +12,7 @@
 
 
 life_cycles = {}
+PHARE_SIM_MON = os.getenv("PHARE_SIM_MON", "False").lower() in ("true", "1", "t")
 
 
 @atexit.register
@@ -171,12 +173,15 @@ def times(self):
             self.timeStep(),
         )
 
-    def run(self, plot_times=False, monitoring=False):
+    def run(self, plot_times=False, monitoring=None):
         """monitoring requires phlop"""
         from pyphare.cpp import cpp_lib
 
         self._check_init()
 
+        if monitoring is None:  # check env
+            monitoring = PHARE_SIM_MON
+
         if self.simulation.dry_run:
             return self
         if monitoring:
diff --git a/src/phare/phare.hpp b/src/phare/phare.hpp
index d6519253f..666f3de8e 100644
--- a/src/phare/phare.hpp
+++ b/src/phare/phare.hpp
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ class SamraiLifeCycle
         PHARE_WITH_PHLOP( //
             if (auto e = core::get_env("PHARE_SCOPE_TIMING", "false"); e == "1" || e == "true")
                 phlop::ScopeTimerMan::INSTANCE()
-                    .file_name(".phare_times." + std::to_string(core::mpi::rank()) + ".txt")
+                    .file_name(".phare/timings/rank." + std::to_string(core::mpi::rank()) + ".txt")
                     .init(); //
         )
     }
diff --git a/tests/functional/harris/harris_2d_lb.py b/tests/functional/harris/harris_2d_lb.py
index 71ba63646..1153b6e8b 100644
--- a/tests/functional/harris/harris_2d_lb.py
+++ b/tests/functional/harris/harris_2d_lb.py
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 
 mpl.use("Agg")
 
+SCOPE_TIMING = os.getenv("PHARE_SCOPE_TIMING", "True").lower() in ("true", "1", "t")
 LOAD_BALANCE = os.getenv("LOAD_BALANCE", "True").lower() in ("true", "1", "t")
 
 cpp = cpp_lib()
@@ -200,7 +201,8 @@ def test_run(self):
         Simulator(config()).run().reset()
         if cpp.mpi_rank() == 0:
             plot(diag_dir)
-        m_plotting.plot_run_timer_data(diag_dir, cpp.mpi_rank())
+        if SCOPE_TIMING:
+            m_plotting.plot_run_timer_data(diag_dir, cpp.mpi_rank())
         cpp.mpi_barrier()
         return self
 
diff --git a/tools/python3/phloping.py b/tools/python3/phloping.py
index 0b616677b..b795be173 100644
--- a/tools/python3/phloping.py
+++ b/tools/python3/phloping.py
@@ -147,3 +147,26 @@ def normalised_times_for_L(self, ilvl):
 def file_parser(run, rank, times_filepath):
     supe = phfile_parser(times_filepath)
     return ScopeTimerFile(supe.id_keys, supe.roots, run, str(rank))
+
+
+def write_root_as_csv(scope_timer_file, outfile, headers=None, regex=None):
+    from contextlib import redirect_stdout
+
+    with open(outfile, "w") as f:
+        with redirect_stdout(f):
+            print_root_as_csv(scope_timer_file, headers, regex)
+
+
+def print_root_as_csv(scope_timer_file, headers=None, regex=None, n_parts):
+    stf = scope_timer_file  # alias
+    stf = file_parser(stf) if isinstance(stf, str) else stf
+
+    if headers:
+        print(",".join(headers))
+    for root in stf.roots:
+        s = stf(root.k)
+        if regex and regex not in s:
+            continue
+        bits = s.split(",")
+        dim = int(bits[1])
+        print(f"{s}{root.t},{root.t/n_parts}")