diff --git a/tools/bench_record.cpp b/tools/bench_record.cpp
index 219a6b9383..cea3f0b626 100644
--- a/tools/bench_record.cpp
+++ b/tools/bench_record.cpp
@@ -24,41 +24,54 @@ DEFINE_string2(skps, r, "skps", "Directory containing SKPs to read and re-record
 DEFINE_int32(loops, 900, "Number of times to re-record each SKP.");
 DEFINE_int32(flags, SkPicture::kUsePathBoundsForClip_RecordingFlag, "RecordingFlags to use.");
 DEFINE_bool(endRecording, true, "If false, don't time SkPicture::endRecording()");
+DEFINE_int32(nullSize, 1000, "Pretend dimension of null source picture.");
+
+static void bench_record(SkPicture* src, const char* name) {
+    const SkMSec start = SkTime::GetMSecs();
+    const int width  = src ? src->width()  : FLAGS_nullSize;
+    const int height = src ? src->height() : FLAGS_nullSize;
+
+    for (int i = 0; i < FLAGS_loops; i++) {
+        SkPicture dst;
+        SkCanvas* canvas = dst.beginRecording(width, height, FLAGS_flags);
+        if (src) src->draw(canvas);
+        if (FLAGS_endRecording) dst.endRecording();
+    }
+
+    const SkMSec elapsed = SkTime::GetMSecs() - start;
+    const double msPerLoop = elapsed / (double)FLAGS_loops;
+    printf("%.2g\t%s\n", msPerLoop, name);
+}
 
 int tool_main(int argc, char** argv);
 int tool_main(int argc, char** argv) {
     SkCommandLineFlags::Parse(argc, argv);
     SkAutoGraphics autoGraphics;
 
+    bench_record(NULL, "NULL");
+    if (FLAGS_skps.isEmpty()) return 0;
+
     SkOSFile::Iter it(FLAGS_skps[0], ".skp");
     SkString filename;
+    bool failed = false;
     while (it.next(&filename)) {
         const SkString path = SkOSPath::SkPathJoin(FLAGS_skps[0], filename.c_str());
 
         SkAutoTUnref<SkStream> stream(SkStream::NewFromFile(path.c_str()));
         if (!stream) {
             SkDebugf("Could not read %s.\n", path.c_str());
+            failed = true;
             continue;
         }
         SkAutoTUnref<SkPicture> src(SkPicture::CreateFromStream(stream));
         if (!src) {
             SkDebugf("Could not read %s as an SkPicture.\n", path.c_str());
+            failed = true;
             continue;
         }
-
-        const SkMSec start = SkTime::GetMSecs();
-        for (int i = 0; i < FLAGS_loops; i++) {
-            SkPicture dst;
-            src->draw(dst.beginRecording(src->width(), src->height(), FLAGS_flags));
-            if (FLAGS_endRecording) dst.endRecording();
-        }
-
-        const SkMSec elapsed = SkTime::GetMSecs() - start;
-        const double msPerLoop = elapsed / (double)FLAGS_loops;
-        printf("%4.2f\t%s\n", msPerLoop, filename.c_str());
+        bench_record(src, filename.c_str());
     }
-
-    return 0;
+    return failed ? 1 : 0;
 }
 
 #if !defined SK_BUILD_FOR_IOS