diff --git a/com.ibm.wala.core/src/com/ibm/wala/util/debug/Trace.java b/com.ibm.wala.core/src/com/ibm/wala/util/debug/Trace.java
index fb4e4a930..9c02cdd27 100644
--- a/com.ibm.wala.core/src/com/ibm/wala/util/debug/Trace.java
+++ b/com.ibm.wala.core/src/com/ibm/wala/util/debug/Trace.java
@@ -113,6 +113,19 @@ public class Trace {
     }
   }
 
+  /**
+   * @param string
+   * @param args
+   */
+  public static synchronized void format(String format, Object ... args) {
+    /**
+     * @param string
+     */
+    if (setTraceFile()) {
+      out.format(format, args);
+    }
+  }
+
   public static void flush() {
     if (setTraceFile()) {
       out.flush();