diff --git a/src/core/lib/surface/api_trace.c b/src/core/lib/surface/api_trace.c
index 3b20e042b474856a4a840287eb0f141cd2be7769..55c69cd5b0bfafd5804983aac8f103b9fe80a39f 100644
--- a/src/core/lib/surface/api_trace.c
+++ b/src/core/lib/surface/api_trace.c
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
  *
  */
 
+#include "src/core/lib/debug/trace.h"
 #include "src/core/lib/surface/api_trace.h"
 
-grpc_tracer_flag grpc_api_trace;
+grpc_tracer_flag grpc_api_trace = GRPC_TRACER_INITIALIZER(false);