diff --git a/pyocd/target/csolution/ctrace_run.py b/pyocd/target/csolution/ctrace_run.py
index 9b42d4d70..ae9fa1e79 100644
--- a/pyocd/target/csolution/ctrace_run.py
+++ b/pyocd/target/csolution/ctrace_run.py
@@ -279,6 +279,7 @@ class CTraceRun:
     def __init__(self, session: "Session") -> None:
         self._lock = threading.RLock()
         self._last_applied_digest: Optional[bytes] = None
+        self._last_capture_digest: Optional[bytes] = None
         self._last_error: Optional[str] = None
 
         cbuild_run = session.cbuild_run
@@ -302,7 +303,7 @@ def __init__(self, session: "Session") -> None:
         session.subscribe(self._trace_restart_handler, session.Event.TRACE_RESTART, session)
 
     def apply(self, target: "SoCTarget", force: bool = False) -> bool:
-        """Apply new or explicitly reloaded configuration and return whether it was applied."""
+        """Apply configuration and report success or whether it changed for this capture."""
         with self._lock:
             try:
                 loaded = self._parser.load(force=force)
@@ -312,13 +313,17 @@ def apply(self, target: "SoCTarget", force: bool = False) -> bool:
                     return False
 
                 digest, data = loaded
-                if not force and digest == self._last_applied_digest:
-                    return False
+                if force or digest != self._last_applied_digest:
+                    self._apply_to_target(target, data)
+                    self._last_applied_digest = digest
+                    self._last_error = None
+
+                if force:
+                    return True
 
-                self._apply_to_target(target, data)
-                self._last_applied_digest = digest
-                self._last_error = None
-                return True
+                changed = digest != self._last_capture_digest
+                self._last_capture_digest = digest
+                return changed
             except exceptions.Error as err:
                 self._report_error(err)
                 return False
diff --git a/pyocd/trace/sink.py b/pyocd/trace/sink.py
index fecbcfb4b..3d5058c0f 100644
--- a/pyocd/trace/sink.py
+++ b/pyocd/trace/sink.py
@@ -120,7 +120,6 @@ def __init__(self, session: Any, trace_buffers: Mapping[str, Any]) -> None:
         self._session = session
         self._trace_buffers = trace_buffers
         self._outputs: Dict[str, TraceDataSink] = {}
-        self._capture_changed = True
         for name, sink in trace_buffers.items():
             if not sink.enabled:
                 continue
@@ -140,10 +139,9 @@ def shutdown(self) -> None:
 
     def _trace_data_handler(self, notification: Any) -> None:
         if notification.event == self._session.Event.TRACE_DATA_CAPTURE:
-            self._capture_changed = bool(notification.data)
             for name, output in tuple(self._outputs.items()):
                 try:
-                    output.start(self._capture_changed)
+                    output.start(changed=True)
                 except OSError as err:
                     LOG.warning("Failed to start TB '%s' output: %s", name, err)
                     del self._outputs[name]
@@ -160,7 +158,7 @@ def write(self, name: str, data: bytes) -> int:
         try:
             if output is None:
                 output = self._create_output(sink)
-                output.start(self._capture_changed)
+                output.start(changed=True)
                 self._outputs[name] = output
             return output.write(data)
         except OSError as err: