diff --git a/python/dune/perftool/options.py b/python/dune/perftool/options.py
index 85fd6304c051f94e51f1679404445c7776c1bee9..a7c955346137110e1706967aa2bf38e3eb5e4808 100644
--- a/python/dune/perftool/options.py
+++ b/python/dune/perftool/options.py
@@ -33,8 +33,9 @@ def get_form_compiler_arguments():
     parser.add_argument("--print-transformations", action="store_true", help="print out dot files after ufl tree transformations")
     parser.add_argument("--print-transformations-dir", type=str, help="place where to put dot files (can be omitted)")
     parser.add_argument("--diagonal-transformation-matrix", action="store_true", help="set option if the jacoby of the transformation is diagonal (axiparallel grids)")
-    parser.add_argument("--ini-file", type=str, help="An inifile to use. A generated driver will be hard-coded to it, a [formcompiler] section will be used as default values to form compiler arguments (use snake case)")
-    parser.add_argument("--timer", action="store_true", help="measure times")
+    parser.add_argument("--ini-file", type=str, help="An inifile to use. A generated driver will be hard-coded to it, a [formcompiler] section will be usd as default values to form compiler arguments (use snake case)")
+    # The following option is no-op (because it is set by default), but we may want to remove that default in the future.
+    parser.add_argument("--timer", action="store_true", help="measure times", default=True)
 
     # Modify the positional argument to not be a list
     args = vars(parser.parse_args())