diff --git a/agbenchmark/generate_test.py b/agbenchmark/generate_test.py
index 7586070b7c7..d38b5d17edb 100644
--- a/agbenchmark/generate_test.py
+++ b/agbenchmark/generate_test.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import glob
 import importlib
+import os
 import sys
 import types
 from collections import deque
@@ -58,7 +59,8 @@ def create_single_test(
     def test_method(self, config: Dict[str, Any], request) -> None:  # type: ignore
         from helicone.lock import HeliconeLockManager
 
-        HeliconeLockManager.write_custom_property("challenge", self.data.name)
+        if os.environ.get("HELICONE_API_KEY"):
+            HeliconeLockManager.write_custom_property("challenge", self.data.name)
 
         cutoff = self.data.cutoff or 60
         self.setup_challenge(config, cutoff)
diff --git a/agbenchmark/start_benchmark.py b/agbenchmark/start_benchmark.py
index 88b00289dea..56ebed144f3 100644
--- a/agbenchmark/start_benchmark.py
+++ b/agbenchmark/start_benchmark.py
@@ -17,8 +17,10 @@
 
 CURRENT_DIRECTORY = Path(__file__).resolve().parent
 BENCHMARK_START_TIME = datetime.now().strftime("%Y-%m-%d-%H:%M")
-
-HeliconeLockManager.write_custom_property("benchmark_start_time", BENCHMARK_START_TIME)
+if os.environ.get("HELICONE_API_KEY"):
+    HeliconeLockManager.write_custom_property(
+        "benchmark_start_time", BENCHMARK_START_TIME
+    )
 
 (
     HOME_DIRECTORY,