diff --git a/tracetools_launch/tracetools_launch/action.py b/tracetools_launch/tracetools_launch/action.py
index 00cfa67..9c8958d 100644
--- a/tracetools_launch/tracetools_launch/action.py
+++ b/tracetools_launch/tracetools_launch/action.py
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ class Trace(Action):
         self,
         *,
         session_name: str,
+        append_timestamp: bool = False,
         base_path: str = path.DEFAULT_BASE_PATH,
         events_ust: List[str] = names.DEFAULT_EVENTS_ROS,
         events_kernel: List[str] = names.DEFAULT_EVENTS_KERNEL,
@@ -47,11 +48,13 @@ class Trace(Action):
         Constructor.
 
         :param session_name: the name of the tracing session
+        :param append_timestamp: whether to append timestamp to the session name
         :param base_path: the path to the base directory in which to create the tracing session directory
         :param events_ust: the list of ROS UST events to enable
         :param events_kernel: the list of kernel events to enable
         """
         super().__init__(**kwargs)
+        session_name = path.append_timestamp(session_name) if append_timestamp else session_name
         self.__session_name = session_name
         self.__base_path = base_path
         self.__events_ust = events_ust
diff --git a/tracetools_trace/tracetools_trace/tools/args.py b/tracetools_trace/tracetools_trace/tools/args.py
index c2a96ca..ea3629c 100644
--- a/tracetools_trace/tracetools_trace/tools/args.py
+++ b/tracetools_trace/tracetools_trace/tools/args.py
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ def parse_args():
 def add_arguments(parser):
     parser.add_argument(
         '--session-name', '-s', dest='session_name',
-        default=f'session-{time.strftime("%Y%m%d%H%M%S")}',
+        default=path.append_timestamp('session'),
         help='the name of the tracing session (default: session-YYYYMMDDHHMMSS)')
     parser.add_argument(
         '--path', '-p', dest='path',
diff --git a/tracetools_trace/tracetools_trace/tools/path.py b/tracetools_trace/tracetools_trace/tools/path.py
index 5c830f0..9baf45b 100644
--- a/tracetools_trace/tracetools_trace/tools/path.py
+++ b/tracetools_trace/tracetools_trace/tools/path.py
@@ -13,11 +13,24 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 
 import os
+import time
 
 
 DEFAULT_BASE_PATH = '~/.ros/tracing/'
 
 
+def append_timestamp(
+    session_name_base: str,
+) -> str:
+    """
+    Append timestamp to base session name.
+
+    :param session_name_base: the base name of the tracing session
+    :return: the session name with timestamp
+    """
+    return session_name_base + '-' + time.strftime("%Y%m%d%H%M%S")
+
+
 def get_full_session_path(
     session_name: str,
     base_path: str = DEFAULT_BASE_PATH