diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 63365f5f..556838ad 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ name: CI
 
 on:
   pull_request:
+    types: [opened, synchronize, reopened, labeled]
   push:
     branches:
       - main
@@ -70,3 +71,22 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - uses: bnjbvr/cargo-machete@main
+
+  bench-riscv:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    if: contains(github.event.pull_request.labels.*.name, 'benchmark')
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - name: Install valgrind
+        run: sudo apt-get install -y valgrind
+      - name: Install iai-callgrind-runner
+        run: |
+            version=$(cargo metadata --format-version=1 |\
+            jq '.packages[] | select(.name == "iai-callgrind").version' |\
+            tr -d '"'
+            )
+            cargo install iai-callgrind-runner --version $version
+      - name: Run benchmarks
+        run: |
+            cargo bench --bench riscv_machine
+
diff --git a/core/Cargo.toml b/core/Cargo.toml
index 4d04d02e..d4166ea5 100644
--- a/core/Cargo.toml
+++ b/core/Cargo.toml
@@ -36,13 +36,21 @@ ark-grumpkin.workspace = true
 [features]
 default = ["parallel", "prover_nova"]
 parallel = [
-   "ark-ff/parallel",
-   "ark-ec/parallel",
-   "ark-std/parallel",
-   "ark-crypto-primitives/parallel",
-   "ark-r1cs-std/parallel",
-   "nexus-nova/parallel",
+    "ark-ff/parallel",
+    "ark-ec/parallel",
+    "ark-std/parallel",
+    "ark-crypto-primitives/parallel",
+    "ark-r1cs-std/parallel",
+    "nexus-nova/parallel",
 ]
 prover_hypernova = ["dep:nexus-nova", "dep:spartan"]
 prover_nova = ["dep:nexus-nova", "dep:spartan"]
 prover_jolt = ["dep:nexus-jolt"]
+
+
+[dev-dependencies]
+iai-callgrind = "0.12.2"
+
+[[bench]]
+name = "riscv_machine"
+harness = false
diff --git a/core/benches/riscv_machine.rs b/core/benches/riscv_machine.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3aacc499
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/benches/riscv_machine.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+use iai_callgrind::{library_benchmark, library_benchmark_group, main};
+use nexus_core::nvm::{self, memory::Memory, memory::MerkleTrie, memory::Paged, VMOpts};
+
+fn trace_riscv_machine<M: Memory>(machine: &str) -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
+    let vmopts = VMOpts {
+        machine: Some(machine.to_string()),
+        k: 1,
+        ..Default::default()
+    };
+
+    nvm::trace_vm::<M>(&vmopts, false, false, false)?;
+
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+#[library_benchmark]
+#[benches::multiple("nop10")]
+fn bench_trace_riscv_machine_with_unchecked_memory(machine: &str) {
+    trace_riscv_machine::<Paged>(machine).expect("Failed to trace RISC-V VM with Paged memory");
+}
+
+#[library_benchmark]
+#[benches::multiple("nop10")]
+fn bench_trace_riscv_machine_with_checked_memory(machine: &str) {
+    trace_riscv_machine::<MerkleTrie>(machine)
+        .expect("Failed to trace RISC-V VM with MerkleTrie memory");
+}
+
+library_benchmark_group!(
+    name = bench_riscv_emulator;
+    benchmarks = bench_trace_riscv_machine_with_unchecked_memory, bench_trace_riscv_machine_with_checked_memory
+);
+
+main!(library_benchmark_groups = bench_riscv_emulator);
diff --git a/vm/Cargo.toml b/vm/Cargo.toml
index 3bcf8a49..8ea5cd16 100644
--- a/vm/Cargo.toml
+++ b/vm/Cargo.toml
@@ -21,4 +21,4 @@ ark-std.workspace = true
 ark-relations.workspace = true
 ark-serialize.workspace = true
 ark-r1cs-std.workspace = true
-ark-bn254.workspace = true
\ No newline at end of file
+ark-bn254.workspace = true