diff --git a/src/reporters/tapFormatTransform.ts b/src/reporters/tapFormatTransform.ts
index ffa69490..70c67447 100644
--- a/src/reporters/tapFormatTransform.ts
+++ b/src/reporters/tapFormatTransform.ts
@@ -37,13 +37,14 @@ export class TapFormatTransformer extends Readable {
   }
 
   _read(): void {
+    this.logger.trace('starting format');
     this.format();
     this.push(null); // Signal the end of the stream
+    this.logger.trace('finishing format');
   }
 
   @elapsedTime()
   public format(): void {
-    this.logger.trace('starting format');
     const testPointCount = this.testResult.tests.length;
 
     this.push(`1..${testPointCount}\n`);
@@ -52,7 +53,6 @@ export class TapFormatTransformer extends Readable {
     this.epilogue?.forEach((c) => {
       this.push(`# ${c}\n`);
     });
-    this.logger.trace('finishing format');
   }
 
   @elapsedTime()
diff --git a/src/streaming/testResultStringifyStream.ts b/src/streaming/testResultStringifyStream.ts
index ca9e81ea..bd13c260 100644
--- a/src/streaming/testResultStringifyStream.ts
+++ b/src/streaming/testResultStringifyStream.ts
@@ -23,13 +23,14 @@ export class TestResultStringifyStream extends Readable {
   }
 
   _read(): void {
+    this.logger.trace('starting format');
     this.format();
     this.push(null); // Signal the end of the stream
+    this.logger.trace('finishing format');
   }
 
   @elapsedTime()
   public format(): void {
-    this.logger.trace('starting format');
     const { summary } = this.testResult;
     // strip out vars not included in the summary data reported to the user
 
@@ -43,7 +44,6 @@ export class TestResultStringifyStream extends Readable {
 
     // closing outer curly
     this.push(`}`);
-    this.logger.trace('finishing format');
   }
 
   @elapsedTime()