diff --git a/testground/benchmark/benchmark/stateless.py b/testground/benchmark/benchmark/stateless.py
index 0280ccf936..f5fe43341c 100644
--- a/testground/benchmark/benchmark/stateless.py
+++ b/testground/benchmark/benchmark/stateless.py
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ def run(
         # collect outputs
         output = Path("/data.tar.bz2")
         with tarfile.open(output, "x:bz2") as tar:
-            tar.add(home, arcname="data")
+            tar.add(home, arcname="data", filter=output_filter(group, group_seq))
         outdir = Path(outdir)
         if outdir.exists():
             assert outdir.is_dir()
@@ -176,6 +176,31 @@ def run(
             shutil.copy(output, filename)
 
 
+def output_filter(group, group_seq: int):
+    """
+    filter out some big and useless paths to reduce size of output artifacts
+    """
+
+    is_validator_leader = group == VALIDATOR_GROUP and group_seq == 0
+    is_fullnode_leader = group == FULLNODE_GROUP and group_seq == 0
+
+    def inner(info: tarfile.TarInfo):
+        # only keep one copy
+        if not is_validator_leader and info.name in (
+            "data/data/cs.wal",
+            "data/data/blockstore.db",
+            "data/data/application.db",
+            "data/data/memiavl.db",
+            "data/data/state.db",
+        ):
+            return None
+        if not is_fullnode_leader and info.name == "data/data/tx_index.db":
+            return None
+        return info
+
+    return inner
+
+
 def detect_idle(idle_blocks: int, interval: int):
     """
     returns if the chain is empty for consecutive idle_blocks