diff --git a/src/extension.ts b/src/extension.ts
index bfbedb3c6..81f275097 100644
--- a/src/extension.ts
+++ b/src/extension.ts
@@ -488,8 +488,10 @@ export class Extension implements RunHooks {
           return;
 
         const trace = result.attachments.find(a => a.name === 'trace')?.path || '';
+        // if trace viewer is currently displaying the trace file about to be replaced, it needs to be refreshed
+        const prevTrace = (testItem as any)[traceUrlSymbol];
         (testItem as any)[traceUrlSymbol] = trace;
-        if (enqueuedSingleTest)
+        if (enqueuedSingleTest || prevTrace === this._traceViewer.currentFile())
           this._showTrace(testItem);
 
         if (result.status === test.expectedStatus) {
diff --git a/src/traceViewer.ts b/src/traceViewer.ts
index 43c9375e3..53272425e 100644
--- a/src/traceViewer.ts
+++ b/src/traceViewer.ts
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ export class TraceViewer implements vscodeTypes.Disposable {
   private _disposables: vscodeTypes.Disposable[] = [];
   private _traceViewerProcess: ChildProcess | undefined;
   private _settingsModel: SettingsModel;
+  private _currentFile?: string;
 
   constructor(vscode: vscodeTypes.VSCode, settingsModel: SettingsModel, envProvider: () => NodeJS.ProcessEnv) {
     this._vscode = vscode;
@@ -38,6 +39,10 @@ export class TraceViewer implements vscodeTypes.Disposable {
     }));
   }
 
+  currentFile() {
+    return this._currentFile;
+  }
+
   async willRunTests(config: TestConfig) {
     if (this._settingsModel.showTrace.get())
       await this._startIfNeeded(config);
@@ -52,6 +57,7 @@ export class TraceViewer implements vscodeTypes.Disposable {
       return;
     await this._startIfNeeded(config);
     this._traceViewerProcess?.stdin?.write(file + '\n');
+    this._currentFile = file;
   }
 
   dispose() {
@@ -85,6 +91,7 @@ export class TraceViewer implements vscodeTypes.Disposable {
     traceViewerProcess.stderr?.on('data', data => console.log(data.toString()));
     traceViewerProcess.on('exit', () => {
       this._traceViewerProcess = undefined;
+      this._currentFile = undefined;
     });
     traceViewerProcess.on('error', error => {
       this._vscode.window.showErrorMessage(error.message);