diff --git a/log4j-slf4j-impl/src/main/java/org/apache/logging/slf4j/Log4jLogger.java b/log4j-slf4j-impl/src/main/java/org/apache/logging/slf4j/Log4jLogger.java
index ec4decb76..adfe28cc1 100644
--- a/log4j-slf4j-impl/src/main/java/org/apache/logging/slf4j/Log4jLogger.java
+++ b/log4j-slf4j-impl/src/main/java/org/apache/logging/slf4j/Log4jLogger.java
@@ -411,13 +411,17 @@ public class Log4jLogger implements LocationAwareLogger, Serializable {
         aOutputStream.defaultWriteObject();
     }
 
+    private static Boolean eventDataLoaded = null;
     private static EventDataConverter createConverter() {
-        try {
-            LoaderUtil.loadClass("org.slf4j.ext.EventData");
-            return new EventDataConverter();
-        } catch (final ClassNotFoundException cnfe) {
-            return null;
+        if (eventDataLoaded == null) {
+            try {
+                LoaderUtil.loadClass("org.slf4j.ext.EventData");
+                eventDataLoaded = true;
+            } catch (final ClassNotFoundException cnfe) {
+                eventDataLoaded = false;
+            }
         }
+        return eventDataLoaded ? new EventDataConverter() : null;
     }
 
     private static Level getLevel(final int i) {