diff --git a/.buildkite/pipeline.yml b/.buildkite/pipeline.yml
index ac07aab2f..6ca561dad 100644
--- a/.buildkite/pipeline.yml
+++ b/.buildkite/pipeline.yml
@@ -89,8 +89,6 @@
 
 - label: ":python: (Flaky tests)"
   conditions: ["RAY_CI_PYTHON_AFFECTED", "RAY_CI_SERVE_AFFECTED", "RAY_CI_RLLIB_AFFECTED", "RAY_CI_TUNE_AFFECTED"]
-  soft_fail:
-    - exit_status: 1
   commands:
     - cleanup() { if [ "${BUILDKITE_PULL_REQUEST}" = "false" ]; then ./ci/travis/upload_build_info.sh; fi }; trap cleanup EXIT
     - RLLIB_TESTING=1 TF_VERSION=2.1.0 TFP_VERSION=0.8 TORCH_VERSION=1.6 ./ci/travis/install-dependencies.sh
diff --git a/python/ray/profiling.py b/python/ray/profiling.py
index 8a2bb0f75..2a982f7a4 100644
--- a/python/ray/profiling.py
+++ b/python/ray/profiling.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import ray
+import os
 
 
 class _NullLogSpan:
@@ -11,6 +12,7 @@ class _NullLogSpan:
         pass
 
 
+PROFILING_ENABLED = "RAY_DISABLE_PROFILING" not in os.environ
 NULL_LOG_SPAN = _NullLogSpan()
 
 
@@ -44,6 +46,8 @@ def profile(event_type, extra_data=None):
     Returns:
         An object that can profile a span of time via a "with" statement.
     """
+    if not PROFILING_ENABLED:
+        return NULL_LOG_SPAN
     worker = ray.worker.global_worker
     if worker.mode == ray.worker.LOCAL_MODE:
         return NULL_LOG_SPAN
diff --git a/src/ray/core_worker/profiling.cc b/src/ray/core_worker/profiling.cc
index 903befb56..bd73600c5 100644
--- a/src/ray/core_worker/profiling.cc
+++ b/src/ray/core_worker/profiling.cc
@@ -59,8 +59,24 @@ void Profiler::FlushEvents() {
     }
   }
 
+  auto on_complete = [this](const Status &status) {
+    absl::MutexLock lock(&mutex_);
+    profile_flush_active_ = false;
+  };
+
   if (cur_profile_data->profile_events_size() != 0) {
-    if (!gcs_client_->Stats().AsyncAddProfileData(cur_profile_data, nullptr).ok()) {
+    // Check if we're backlogged first.
+    {
+      absl::MutexLock lock(&mutex_);
+      if (profile_flush_active_) {
+        RAY_LOG(WARNING) << "The GCS is backlogged processing profiling data. "
+                            "Some events may be dropped.";
+        return;  // Drop the events; we're behind.
+      } else {
+        profile_flush_active_ = true;
+      }
+    }
+    if (!gcs_client_->Stats().AsyncAddProfileData(cur_profile_data, on_complete).ok()) {
       RAY_LOG(WARNING)
           << "Failed to push profile events to GCS. This won't affect core Ray, but you "
              "might lose profile data, and ray timeline might not work as expected.";
diff --git a/src/ray/core_worker/profiling.h b/src/ray/core_worker/profiling.h
index 6d42e08a6..c186b0be3 100644
--- a/src/ray/core_worker/profiling.h
+++ b/src/ray/core_worker/profiling.h
@@ -52,6 +52,9 @@ class Profiler {
   // until they are flushed.
   std::shared_ptr<rpc::ProfileTableData> rpc_profile_data_ GUARDED_BY(mutex_);
 
+  /// Whether a profile flush is already in progress.
+  bool profile_flush_active_ GUARDED_BY(mutex_) = false;
+
   // Client to the GCS used to push profile events to it.
   std::shared_ptr<gcs::GcsClient> gcs_client_;
 };