diff --git a/src/common/perf_timer.cpp b/src/common/perf_timer.cpp
index 6910ebdd4..47f01de65 100644
--- a/src/common/perf_timer.cpp
+++ b/src/common/perf_timer.cpp
@@ -104,11 +104,11 @@ PerformanceTimer::PerformanceTimer(bool paused): started(true), paused(paused)
     ticks = get_tick_count();
 }
 
-LoggingPerformanceTimer::LoggingPerformanceTimer(const std::string &s, uint64_t unit, el::Level l): PerformanceTimer(), name(s), unit(unit), level(l)
+LoggingPerformanceTimer::LoggingPerformanceTimer(const std::string &s, const std::string &cat, uint64_t unit, el::Level l): PerformanceTimer(), name(s), cat(cat), unit(unit), level(l)
 {
   if (!performance_timers)
   {
-    MLOG(level, "PERF             ----------");
+    MCLOG(level, cat.c_str(), "PERF             ----------");
     performance_timers = new std::vector<LoggingPerformanceTimer*>();
   }
   else
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ LoggingPerformanceTimer::LoggingPerformanceTimer(const std::string &s, uint64_t
     if (!pt->started && !pt->paused)
     {
       size_t size = 0; for (const auto *tmp: *performance_timers) if (!tmp->paused) ++size;
-      MLOG(pt->level, "PERF           " << std::string((size-1) * 2, ' ') << "  " << pt->name);
+      MCLOG(pt->level, cat.c_str(), "PERF           " << std::string((size-1) * 2, ' ') << "  " << pt->name);
       pt->started = true;
     }
   }
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ LoggingPerformanceTimer::~LoggingPerformanceTimer()
   char s[12];
   snprintf(s, sizeof(s), "%8llu  ", (unsigned long long)(ticks_to_ns(ticks) / (1000000000 / unit)));
   size_t size = 0; for (const auto *tmp: *performance_timers) if (!tmp->paused || tmp==this) ++size;
-  MLOG(level, "PERF " << s << std::string(size * 2, ' ') << "  " << name);
+  MCLOG(level, cat.c_str(), "PERF " << s << std::string(size * 2, ' ') << "  " << name);
   if (performance_timers->empty())
   {
     delete performance_timers;
diff --git a/src/common/perf_timer.h b/src/common/perf_timer.h
index 675d6234d..1d4dee5b5 100644
--- a/src/common/perf_timer.h
+++ b/src/common/perf_timer.h
@@ -33,9 +33,6 @@
 #include <memory>
 #include "misc_log_ex.h"
 
-#undef MONERO_DEFAULT_LOG_CATEGORY
-#define MONERO_DEFAULT_LOG_CATEGORY "perf"
-
 namespace tools
 {
 
@@ -67,23 +64,24 @@ protected:
 class LoggingPerformanceTimer: public PerformanceTimer
 {
 public:
-  LoggingPerformanceTimer(const std::string &s, uint64_t unit, el::Level l = el::Level::Debug);
+  LoggingPerformanceTimer(const std::string &s, const std::string &cat, uint64_t unit, el::Level l = el::Level::Debug);
   ~LoggingPerformanceTimer();
 
 private:
   std::string name;
+  std::string cat;
   uint64_t unit;
   el::Level level;
 };
 
 void set_performance_timer_log_level(el::Level level);
 
-#define PERF_TIMER_UNIT(name, unit) tools::LoggingPerformanceTimer pt_##name(#name, unit, tools::performance_timer_log_level)
-#define PERF_TIMER_UNIT_L(name, unit, l) tools::LoggingPerformanceTimer pt_##name(#name, unit, l)
-#define PERF_TIMER(name) PERF_TIMER_UNIT(name, 1000)
-#define PERF_TIMER_L(name, l) PERF_TIMER_UNIT_L(name, 1000, l)
-#define PERF_TIMER_START_UNIT(name, unit) std::unique_ptr<tools::LoggingPerformanceTimer> pt_##name(new tools::LoggingPerformanceTimer(#name, unit, el::Level::Info))
-#define PERF_TIMER_START(name) PERF_TIMER_START_UNIT(name, 1000)
+#define PERF_TIMER_UNIT(name, unit) tools::LoggingPerformanceTimer pt_##name(#name, "perf." MONERO_DEFAULT_LOG_CATEGORY, unit, tools::performance_timer_log_level)
+#define PERF_TIMER_UNIT_L(name, unit, l) tools::LoggingPerformanceTimer pt_##name(#name, "perf." MONERO_DEFAULT_LOG_CATEGORY, unit, l)
+#define PERF_TIMER(name) PERF_TIMER_UNIT(name, 1000000)
+#define PERF_TIMER_L(name, l) PERF_TIMER_UNIT_L(name, 1000000, l)
+#define PERF_TIMER_START_UNIT(name, unit) std::unique_ptr<tools::LoggingPerformanceTimer> pt_##name(new tools::LoggingPerformanceTimer(#name, "perf." MONERO_DEFAULT_LOG_CATEGORY, unit, el::Level::Info))
+#define PERF_TIMER_START(name) PERF_TIMER_START_UNIT(name, 1000000)
 #define PERF_TIMER_STOP(name) do { pt_##name.reset(NULL); } while(0)
 #define PERF_TIMER_PAUSE(name) pt_##name->pause()
 #define PERF_TIMER_RESUME(name) pt_##name->resume()