diff --git a/src/bin/fish.rs b/src/bin/fish.rs
index 98ab48151..5cd1e0810 100644
--- a/src/bin/fish.rs
+++ b/src/bin/fish.rs
@@ -518,11 +518,7 @@ fn throwing_main() -> i32 {
     // TODO(MSRV>=1.88): feature(let_chains)
     if let Some(path) = &opts.profile_startup_output {
         if opts.profile_startup_output != opts.profile_output {
-            parser.emit_profiling(path);
-
-            // If we are profiling both, ensure the startup data only
-            // ends up in the startup file.
-            parser.clear_profiling();
+            parser.flush_profiling(path);
         }
     }
 
@@ -621,7 +617,7 @@ fn throwing_main() -> i32 {
     );
 
     if let Some(profile_output) = opts.profile_output {
-        parser.emit_profiling(&profile_output);
+        parser.flush_profiling(&profile_output);
     }
 
     history::save_all();
diff --git a/src/parser.rs b/src/parser.rs
index 55cf3a73e..02b5d958b 100644
--- a/src/parser.rs
+++ b/src/parser.rs
@@ -1119,13 +1119,8 @@ pub fn profile_items_mut(&self) -> RefMut<'_, Vec<ProfileItem>> {
         self.profile_items.borrow_mut()
     }
 
-    /// Remove the profiling items.
-    pub fn clear_profiling(&self) {
-        self.profile_items.borrow_mut().clear();
-    }
-
-    /// Output profiling data to the given filename.
-    pub fn emit_profiling(&self, path: &OsStr) {
+    /// Flush profiling data to the given filename.
+    pub fn flush_profiling(&self, path: &OsStr) {
         // Save profiling information. OK to not use CLO_EXEC here because this is called while fish is
         // exiting (and hence will not fork).
         let mut f = match std::fs::File::create(path) {
@@ -1142,7 +1137,9 @@ pub fn emit_profiling(&self, path: &OsStr) {
                 return;
             }
         };
-        print_profile(&self.profile_items.borrow(), &mut f);
+        let mut profile_items = self.profile_items.borrow_mut();
+        print_profile(&profile_items, &mut f);
+        profile_items.clear();
     }
 
     pub fn get_backtrace(&self, src: &wstr, errors: &ParseErrorList) -> WString {