diff --git a/executable_semantics/BUILD b/executable_semantics/BUILD
index c69935958890..dc6e9a1351d9 100644
--- a/executable_semantics/BUILD
+++ b/executable_semantics/BUILD
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ cc_binary(
     name = "executable_semantics",
     srcs = ["main.cpp"],
     deps = [
-        "//executable_semantics/common:tracing_flag",
         "//executable_semantics/interpreter:exec_program",
         "//executable_semantics/syntax",
         "@llvm-project//llvm:Support",
diff --git a/executable_semantics/common/BUILD b/executable_semantics/common/BUILD
index be405b9e2508..e17d835e8634 100644
--- a/executable_semantics/common/BUILD
+++ b/executable_semantics/common/BUILD
@@ -38,10 +38,3 @@ cc_library(
         "@llvm-project//llvm:Support",
     ],
 )
-
-cc_library(
-    name = "tracing_flag",
-    srcs = ["tracing_flag.cpp"],
-    hdrs = ["tracing_flag.h"],
-    visibility = ["//executable_semantics:__subpackages__"],
-)
diff --git a/executable_semantics/common/tracing_flag.cpp b/executable_semantics/common/tracing_flag.cpp
deleted file mode 100644
index 11200771ba75..000000000000
--- a/executable_semantics/common/tracing_flag.cpp
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,11 +0,0 @@
-// Part of the Carbon Language project, under the Apache License v2.0 with LLVM
-// Exceptions. See /LICENSE for license information.
-// SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0 WITH LLVM-exception
-
-#include "executable_semantics/common/tracing_flag.h"
-
-namespace Carbon {
-
-bool tracing_output = false;
-
-}  // namespace Carbon
diff --git a/executable_semantics/common/tracing_flag.h b/executable_semantics/common/tracing_flag.h
deleted file mode 100644
index a22ae9f91c25..000000000000
--- a/executable_semantics/common/tracing_flag.h
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,15 +0,0 @@
-// Part of the Carbon Language project, under the Apache License v2.0 with LLVM
-// Exceptions. See /LICENSE for license information.
-// SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0 WITH LLVM-exception
-
-#ifndef EXECUTABLE_SEMANTICS_COMMON_TRACING_FLAG_H_
-#define EXECUTABLE_SEMANTICS_COMMON_TRACING_FLAG_H_
-
-namespace Carbon {
-
-// Program option to enable/disable tracing.
-extern bool tracing_output;
-
-}  // namespace Carbon
-
-#endif  // EXECUTABLE_SEMANTICS_COMMON_TRACING_FLAG_H_
diff --git a/executable_semantics/interpreter/BUILD b/executable_semantics/interpreter/BUILD
index 022df3bddd03..651bd049a676 100644
--- a/executable_semantics/interpreter/BUILD
+++ b/executable_semantics/interpreter/BUILD
@@ -98,7 +98,6 @@ cc_library(
         "//executable_semantics/ast:declaration",
         "//executable_semantics/ast:expression",
         "//executable_semantics/common:arena",
-        "//executable_semantics/common:tracing_flag",
         "@llvm-project//llvm:Support",
     ],
 )
@@ -121,7 +120,6 @@ cc_library(
         "//executable_semantics/ast:expression",
         "//executable_semantics/ast:statement",
         "//executable_semantics/common:arena",
-        "//executable_semantics/common:tracing_flag",
         "@llvm-project//llvm:Support",
     ],
 )
diff --git a/executable_semantics/interpreter/exec_program.cpp b/executable_semantics/interpreter/exec_program.cpp
index ffa9815a94c7..7d9d2f0decce 100644
--- a/executable_semantics/interpreter/exec_program.cpp
+++ b/executable_semantics/interpreter/exec_program.cpp
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@
 #include "common/check.h"
 #include "common/ostream.h"
 #include "executable_semantics/common/arena.h"
-#include "executable_semantics/common/tracing_flag.h"
 #include "executable_semantics/interpreter/interpreter.h"
 #include "executable_semantics/interpreter/type_checker.h"
 
@@ -34,23 +33,23 @@ static void AddIntrinsics(Nonnull<Arena*> arena,
   declarations->insert(declarations->begin(), print);
 }
 
-void ExecProgram(Nonnull<Arena*> arena, AST ast) {
+void ExecProgram(Nonnull<Arena*> arena, AST ast, bool trace) {
   AddIntrinsics(arena, &ast.declarations);
-  if (tracing_output) {
+  if (trace) {
     llvm::outs() << "********** source program **********\n";
     for (const auto decl : ast.declarations) {
       llvm::outs() << *decl;
     }
     llvm::outs() << "********** type checking **********\n";
   }
-  TypeChecker type_checker(arena);
+  TypeChecker type_checker(arena, trace);
   TypeChecker::TypeCheckContext p = type_checker.TopLevel(&ast.declarations);
   TypeEnv top = p.types;
   Env ct_top = p.values;
   for (const auto decl : ast.declarations) {
     type_checker.TypeCheck(decl, top, ct_top);
   }
-  if (tracing_output) {
+  if (trace) {
     llvm::outs() << "\n";
     llvm::outs() << "********** type checking complete **********\n";
     for (const auto decl : ast.declarations) {
@@ -63,7 +62,8 @@ void ExecProgram(Nonnull<Arena*> arena, AST ast) {
   Nonnull<Expression*> call_main = arena->New<CallExpression>(
       source_loc, arena->New<IdentifierExpression>(source_loc, "main"),
       arena->New<TupleLiteral>(source_loc));
-  int result = Interpreter(arena).InterpProgram(ast.declarations, call_main);
+  int result =
+      Interpreter(arena, trace).InterpProgram(ast.declarations, call_main);
   llvm::outs() << "result: " << result << "\n";
 }
 
diff --git a/executable_semantics/interpreter/exec_program.h b/executable_semantics/interpreter/exec_program.h
index 227f438aae8f..1731b9a89389 100644
--- a/executable_semantics/interpreter/exec_program.h
+++ b/executable_semantics/interpreter/exec_program.h
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 namespace Carbon {
 
 // Runs the top-level declaration list.
-void ExecProgram(Nonnull<Arena*> arena, AST ast);
+void ExecProgram(Nonnull<Arena*> arena, AST ast, bool trace);
 
 }  // namespace Carbon
 
diff --git a/executable_semantics/interpreter/interpreter.cpp b/executable_semantics/interpreter/interpreter.cpp
index 9cb5ebdb1390..e14a055d64b9 100644
--- a/executable_semantics/interpreter/interpreter.cpp
+++ b/executable_semantics/interpreter/interpreter.cpp
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@
 #include "executable_semantics/ast/expression.h"
 #include "executable_semantics/common/arena.h"
 #include "executable_semantics/common/error.h"
-#include "executable_semantics/common/tracing_flag.h"
 #include "executable_semantics/interpreter/action.h"
 #include "executable_semantics/interpreter/frame.h"
 #include "executable_semantics/interpreter/stack.h"
@@ -377,7 +376,7 @@ void Interpreter::PatternAssignment(Nonnull<const Value*> pat,
 auto Interpreter::StepLvalue() -> Transition {
   Nonnull<Action*> act = stack.Top()->todo.Top();
   const Expression& exp = cast<LValAction>(*act).expression();
-  if (tracing_output) {
+  if (trace_) {
     llvm::outs() << "--- step lvalue " << exp << " (" << exp.source_loc()
                  << ") --->\n";
   }
@@ -460,7 +459,7 @@ auto Interpreter::StepLvalue() -> Transition {
 auto Interpreter::StepExp() -> Transition {
   Nonnull<Action*> act = stack.Top()->todo.Top();
   const Expression& exp = cast<ExpressionAction>(*act).expression();
-  if (tracing_output) {
+  if (trace_) {
     llvm::outs() << "--- step exp " << exp << " (" << exp.source_loc()
                  << ") --->\n";
   }
@@ -658,7 +657,7 @@ auto Interpreter::StepExp() -> Transition {
 auto Interpreter::StepPattern() -> Transition {
   Nonnull<Action*> act = stack.Top()->todo.Top();
   const Pattern& pattern = cast<PatternAction>(*act).pattern();
-  if (tracing_output) {
+  if (trace_) {
     llvm::outs() << "--- step pattern " << pattern << " ("
                  << pattern.source_loc() << ") --->\n";
   }
@@ -741,7 +740,7 @@ auto Interpreter::StepStmt() -> Transition {
   Nonnull<Frame*> frame = stack.Top();
   Nonnull<Action*> act = frame->todo.Top();
   const Statement& stmt = cast<StatementAction>(*act).statement();
-  if (tracing_output) {
+  if (trace_) {
     llvm::outs() << "--- step stmt ";
     stmt.PrintDepth(1, llvm::outs());
     llvm::outs() << " (" << stmt.source_loc() << ") --->\n";
@@ -1136,7 +1135,7 @@ auto Interpreter::InterpProgram(llvm::ArrayRef<Nonnull<Declaration*>> fs,
   CHECK(stack.IsEmpty());
   CHECK(program_value == std::nullopt);
 
-  if (tracing_output) {
+  if (trace_) {
     llvm::outs() << "********** initializing globals **********\n";
   }
   InitGlobals(fs);
@@ -1145,14 +1144,14 @@ auto Interpreter::InterpProgram(llvm::ArrayRef<Nonnull<Declaration*>> fs,
   auto scopes = Stack<Nonnull<Scope*>>(arena->New<Scope>(globals));
   stack = Stack<Nonnull<Frame*>>(arena->New<Frame>("top", scopes, todo));
 
-  if (tracing_output) {
+  if (trace_) {
     llvm::outs() << "********** calling main function **********\n";
     PrintState(llvm::outs());
   }
 
   while (stack.Count() > 1 || !stack.Top()->todo.IsEmpty()) {
     Step();
-    if (tracing_output) {
+    if (trace_) {
       PrintState(llvm::outs());
     }
   }
diff --git a/executable_semantics/interpreter/interpreter.h b/executable_semantics/interpreter/interpreter.h
index eb1b8fd1e1c3..8a4bd13b4ba5 100644
--- a/executable_semantics/interpreter/interpreter.h
+++ b/executable_semantics/interpreter/interpreter.h
@@ -25,8 +25,8 @@ using Env = Dictionary<std::string, Address>;
 
 class Interpreter {
  public:
-  explicit Interpreter(Nonnull<Arena*> arena)
-      : arena(arena), globals(arena), heap(arena) {}
+  explicit Interpreter(Nonnull<Arena*> arena, bool trace)
+      : arena(arena), globals(arena), heap(arena), trace_(trace) {}
 
   // Interpret the whole program.
   auto InterpProgram(llvm::ArrayRef<Nonnull<Declaration*>> fs,
@@ -160,6 +160,8 @@ class Interpreter {
   Stack<Nonnull<Frame*>> stack;
   Heap heap;
   std::optional<Nonnull<const Value*>> program_value;
+
+  bool trace_;
 };
 
 }  // namespace Carbon
diff --git a/executable_semantics/interpreter/type_checker.cpp b/executable_semantics/interpreter/type_checker.cpp
index 99bc72f4f4e6..75db6d393f96 100644
--- a/executable_semantics/interpreter/type_checker.cpp
+++ b/executable_semantics/interpreter/type_checker.cpp
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@
 #include "executable_semantics/ast/declaration.h"
 #include "executable_semantics/common/arena.h"
 #include "executable_semantics/common/error.h"
-#include "executable_semantics/common/tracing_flag.h"
 #include "executable_semantics/interpreter/interpreter.h"
 #include "executable_semantics/interpreter/value.h"
 #include "llvm/ADT/StringExtras.h"
@@ -418,7 +417,7 @@ auto TypeChecker::Substitute(TypeEnv dict, Nonnull<const Value*> type)
 
 auto TypeChecker::TypeCheckExp(Nonnull<Expression*> e, TypeEnv types,
                                Env values) -> TCResult {
-  if (tracing_output) {
+  if (trace_) {
     llvm::outs() << "checking expression " << *e << "\ntypes: ";
     PrintTypeEnv(types, llvm::outs());
     llvm::outs() << "\nvalues: ";
@@ -708,7 +707,7 @@ auto TypeChecker::TypeCheckExp(Nonnull<Expression*> e, TypeEnv types,
 auto TypeChecker::TypeCheckPattern(
     Nonnull<Pattern*> p, TypeEnv types, Env values,
     std::optional<Nonnull<const Value*>> expected) -> TCResult {
-  if (tracing_output) {
+  if (trace_) {
     llvm::outs() << "checking pattern " << *p;
     if (expected) {
       llvm::outs() << ", expecting " << **expected;
diff --git a/executable_semantics/interpreter/type_checker.h b/executable_semantics/interpreter/type_checker.h
index 4dc95f7f7419..4a8f69e1dacf 100644
--- a/executable_semantics/interpreter/type_checker.h
+++ b/executable_semantics/interpreter/type_checker.h
@@ -20,8 +20,8 @@ using TypeEnv = Dictionary<std::string, Nonnull<const Value*>>;
 
 class TypeChecker {
  public:
-  explicit TypeChecker(Nonnull<Arena*> arena)
-      : arena(arena), interpreter(arena) {}
+  explicit TypeChecker(Nonnull<Arena*> arena, bool trace)
+      : arena(arena), interpreter(arena, trace), trace_(trace) {}
 
   struct TypeCheckContext {
     explicit TypeCheckContext(Nonnull<Arena*> arena)
@@ -139,6 +139,8 @@ class TypeChecker {
 
   Nonnull<Arena*> arena;
   Interpreter interpreter;
+
+  bool trace_;
 };
 
 }  // namespace Carbon
diff --git a/executable_semantics/main.cpp b/executable_semantics/main.cpp
index 4810ceddadc7..de77b5044dda 100644
--- a/executable_semantics/main.cpp
+++ b/executable_semantics/main.cpp
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@
 #include <cstring>
 #include <iostream>
 
-#include "executable_semantics/common/tracing_flag.h"
 #include "executable_semantics/interpreter/exec_program.h"
 #include "executable_semantics/syntax/parse.h"
 #include "llvm/Support/CommandLine.h"
@@ -30,13 +29,10 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[]) {
                                    llvm::cl::Required);
 
   llvm::cl::ParseCommandLineOptions(argc, argv);
-  if (trace_option) {
-    Carbon::tracing_output = true;
-  }
 
   Carbon::Arena arena;
   std::variant<Carbon::AST, Carbon::SyntaxErrorCode> ast_or_error =
-      Carbon::Parse(&arena, input_file_name);
+      Carbon::Parse(&arena, input_file_name, trace_option);
 
   if (auto* error = std::get_if<Carbon::SyntaxErrorCode>(&ast_or_error)) {
     // Diagnostic already reported to std::cerr; this is just a return code.
@@ -44,5 +40,6 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[]) {
   }
 
   // Typecheck and run the parsed program.
-  Carbon::ExecProgram(&arena, std::get<Carbon::AST>(ast_or_error));
+  Carbon::ExecProgram(&arena, std::get<Carbon::AST>(ast_or_error),
+                      trace_option);
 }
diff --git a/executable_semantics/syntax/BUILD b/executable_semantics/syntax/BUILD
index adb7a63af58d..e0f654c0eac5 100644
--- a/executable_semantics/syntax/BUILD
+++ b/executable_semantics/syntax/BUILD
@@ -43,7 +43,6 @@ cc_library(
         "//executable_semantics/ast:paren_contents",
         "//executable_semantics/common:arena",
         "//executable_semantics/common:error",
-        "//executable_semantics/common:tracing_flag",
     ],
 )
 
diff --git a/executable_semantics/syntax/lexer.lpp b/executable_semantics/syntax/lexer.lpp
index cf4f34665ce7..6fc9e7bfd142 100644
--- a/executable_semantics/syntax/lexer.lpp
+++ b/executable_semantics/syntax/lexer.lpp
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0 WITH LLVM-exception
 
   #include "common/check.h"
   #include "common/string_helpers.h"
-  #include "executable_semantics/common/tracing_flag.h"
   #include "executable_semantics/syntax/parse_and_lex_context.h"
   #include "executable_semantics/syntax/parser.h"
   #include "llvm/ADT/StringExtras.h"
@@ -246,8 +245,8 @@ string_literal        \"([^\\\"\n\v\f\r]|\\.)*\"
   CHECK(str.consume_front("\"") && str.consume_back("\""));
   std::optional<std::string> unescaped = Carbon::UnescapeStringLiteral(str);
   if (unescaped == std::nullopt) {
-    if (Carbon::tracing_output) {
-      // Print a newline because tracing prints an incomplete line
+    if (context.trace()) {
+      // Print a newline because trace prints an incomplete line
       // "Reading a token: ".
       llvm::errs() << "\n";
     }
@@ -279,8 +278,8 @@ string_literal        \"([^\\\"\n\v\f\r]|\\.)*\"
 }
 
 . {
-  if (Carbon::tracing_output) {
-    // Print a newline because tracing prints an incomplete line
+  if (context.trace()) {
+    // Print a newline because trace prints an incomplete line
     // "Reading a token: ".
     llvm::errs() << "\n";
   }
diff --git a/executable_semantics/syntax/parse.cpp b/executable_semantics/syntax/parse.cpp
index bc53ab819e4d..6d6a4a8e67de 100644
--- a/executable_semantics/syntax/parse.cpp
+++ b/executable_semantics/syntax/parse.cpp
@@ -6,15 +6,14 @@
 
 #include "common/check.h"
 #include "executable_semantics/common/error.h"
-#include "executable_semantics/common/tracing_flag.h"
 #include "executable_semantics/syntax/lexer.h"
 #include "executable_semantics/syntax/parse_and_lex_context.h"
 #include "executable_semantics/syntax/parser.h"
 
 namespace Carbon {
 
-auto Parse(Nonnull<Arena*> arena, const std::string& input_file_name)
-    -> std::variant<AST, SyntaxErrorCode> {
+auto Parse(Nonnull<Arena*> arena, const std::string& input_file_name,
+           bool trace) -> std::variant<AST, SyntaxErrorCode> {
   FILE* input_file = fopen(input_file_name.c_str(), "r");
   if (input_file == nullptr) {
     FATAL_PROGRAM_ERROR_NO_LINE() << "Error opening '" << input_file_name
@@ -28,11 +27,11 @@ auto Parse(Nonnull<Arena*> arena, const std::string& input_file_name)
 
   // Prepare other parser arguments.
   std::optional<AST> ast = std::nullopt;
-  ParseAndLexContext context(arena->New<std::string>(input_file_name));
+  ParseAndLexContext context(arena->New<std::string>(input_file_name), trace);
 
   // Do the parse.
   auto parser = Parser(arena, scanner, context, &ast);
-  if (tracing_output) {
+  if (trace) {
     parser.set_debug_level(1);
   }
   auto syntax_error_code = parser();
diff --git a/executable_semantics/syntax/parse.h b/executable_semantics/syntax/parse.h
index 2e4ebc27226d..4669f6043859 100644
--- a/executable_semantics/syntax/parse.h
+++ b/executable_semantics/syntax/parse.h
@@ -18,8 +18,8 @@ using SyntaxErrorCode = int;
 
 // Returns the AST representing the contents of the named file, or an error code
 // if parsing fails. Allocations go into the provided arena.
-auto Parse(Nonnull<Arena*> arena, const std::string& input_file_name)
-    -> std::variant<Carbon::AST, SyntaxErrorCode>;
+auto Parse(Nonnull<Arena*> arena, const std::string& input_file_name,
+           bool trace) -> std::variant<Carbon::AST, SyntaxErrorCode>;
 
 }  // namespace Carbon
 
diff --git a/executable_semantics/syntax/parse_and_lex_context.h b/executable_semantics/syntax/parse_and_lex_context.h
index 7df72a2bd579..397d09a46d58 100644
--- a/executable_semantics/syntax/parse_and_lex_context.h
+++ b/executable_semantics/syntax/parse_and_lex_context.h
@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@ namespace Carbon {
 class ParseAndLexContext {
  public:
   // Creates an instance analyzing the given input file.
-  ParseAndLexContext(Nonnull<const std::string*> input_file_name)
-      : input_file_name(input_file_name) {}
+  ParseAndLexContext(Nonnull<const std::string*> input_file_name, bool trace)
+      : input_file_name(input_file_name), trace_(trace) {}
 
   // Writes a syntax error diagnostic containing message to standard error.
   auto PrintDiagnostic(const std::string& message) -> void;
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@ class ParseAndLexContext {
                           static_cast<int>(current_token_position.begin.line));
   }
 
+  auto trace() -> bool { return trace_; }
+
   // The source range of the token being (or just) lex'd.
   location current_token_position;
 
@@ -35,6 +37,8 @@ class ParseAndLexContext {
   // A path to the file processed, relative to the current working directory
   // when *this is called.
   Nonnull<const std::string*> input_file_name;
+
+  bool trace_;
 };
 
 }  // namespace Carbon