diff --git a/Source/Core/VideoCommon/PerformanceMetrics.h b/Source/Core/VideoCommon/PerformanceMetrics.h
index b01c0782ab..eb6f8ecb00 100644
--- a/Source/Core/VideoCommon/PerformanceMetrics.h
+++ b/Source/Core/VideoCommon/PerformanceMetrics.h
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ public:
 private:
   PerformanceTracker m_fps_counter{"render_times.txt"};
   PerformanceTracker m_vps_counter{"vblank_times.txt"};
-  PerformanceTracker m_speed_counter{nullptr, 500000};
+  PerformanceTracker m_speed_counter{std::nullopt, 500000};
 };
 
 extern PerformanceMetrics g_perf_metrics;
diff --git a/Source/Core/VideoCommon/PerformanceTracker.cpp b/Source/Core/VideoCommon/PerformanceTracker.cpp
index 305fb35598..93b33cff9a 100644
--- a/Source/Core/VideoCommon/PerformanceTracker.cpp
+++ b/Source/Core/VideoCommon/PerformanceTracker.cpp
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 
 static constexpr double SAMPLE_RC_RATIO = 0.25;
 
-PerformanceTracker::PerformanceTracker(const char* log_name,
+PerformanceTracker::PerformanceTracker(const std::optional<std::string> log_name,
                                        const std::optional<s64> sample_window_us)
     : m_on_state_changed_handle{Core::AddOnStateChangedCallback([this](Core::State state) {
         if (state == Core::State::Paused)
@@ -86,8 +86,7 @@ void PerformanceTracker::Count()
 
   m_dt_std = std::nullopt;
 
-  if (m_log_name && g_ActiveConfig.bLogRenderTimeToFile)
-    LogRenderTimeToFile(diff);
+  LogRenderTimeToFile(diff);
 }
 
 DT PerformanceTracker::GetSampleWindow() const
@@ -230,9 +229,13 @@ bool PerformanceTracker::QueueEmpty() const
 
 void PerformanceTracker::LogRenderTimeToFile(DT val)
 {
+  if (!m_log_name || !g_ActiveConfig.bLogRenderTimeToFile)
+    return;
+
   if (!m_bench_file.is_open())
   {
-    File::OpenFStream(m_bench_file, File::GetUserPath(D_LOGS_IDX) + m_log_name, std::ios_base::out);
+    File::OpenFStream(m_bench_file, File::GetUserPath(D_LOGS_IDX) + *m_log_name,
+                      std::ios_base::out);
   }
 
   m_bench_file << std::fixed << std::setprecision(8) << DT_ms(val).count() << std::endl;
diff --git a/Source/Core/VideoCommon/PerformanceTracker.h b/Source/Core/VideoCommon/PerformanceTracker.h
index 4136664981..f24601c845 100644
--- a/Source/Core/VideoCommon/PerformanceTracker.h
+++ b/Source/Core/VideoCommon/PerformanceTracker.h
@@ -34,8 +34,8 @@ private:
   }
 
 public:
-  PerformanceTracker(const char* log_name = nullptr,
-                     const std::optional<s64> sample_window_us = {});
+  PerformanceTracker(const std::optional<std::string> log_name = std::nullopt,
+                     const std::optional<s64> sample_window_us = std::nullopt);
   ~PerformanceTracker();
 
   PerformanceTracker(const PerformanceTracker&) = delete;
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ private:  // Functions for managing dt queue
   int m_on_state_changed_handle;
 
   // Name of log file and file stream
-  const char* m_log_name;
+  std::optional<std::string> m_log_name;
   std::ofstream m_bench_file;
 
   // Last time Count() was called