diff --git a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/cache/spi/NaturalIdCacheKey.java b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/cache/spi/NaturalIdCacheKey.java
index 28437ec4ba..b5f7e5a462 100644
--- a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/cache/spi/NaturalIdCacheKey.java
+++ b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/cache/spi/NaturalIdCacheKey.java
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ public class NaturalIdCacheKey implements Serializable {
 	private final String entityName;
 	private final String tenantId;
 	private final int hashCode;
+	// "transient" is important here -- NaturalIdCacheKey needs to be Serializable
 	private transient ValueHolder<String> toString;
 
 	/**
diff --git a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/internal/util/ValueHolder.java b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/internal/util/ValueHolder.java
index 3570bb2020..d17dc0be52 100644
--- a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/internal/util/ValueHolder.java
+++ b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/internal/util/ValueHolder.java
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ package org.hibernate.internal.util;
 /**
  * Represents a "final" value that is initialized either {@link #ValueHolder(Object) up front} or once at some point
  * {@link #ValueHolder(ValueHolder.DeferredInitializer) after} declaration.
+ * 
+ * Note: If a Serializable class has a {@link ValueHolder} property, that property should be declared transient!
  *
  * @author Steve Ebersole
  */
diff --git a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/metamodel/source/internal/MetadataImpl.java b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/metamodel/source/internal/MetadataImpl.java
index bf6baa9786..758c6ab288 100644
--- a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/metamodel/source/internal/MetadataImpl.java
+++ b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/metamodel/source/internal/MetadataImpl.java
@@ -86,8 +86,8 @@ public class MetadataImpl implements MetadataImplementor, Serializable {
 	private final ServiceRegistry serviceRegistry;
 	private final Options options;
 
-	private final ValueHolder<ClassLoaderService> classLoaderService;
-	private final ValueHolder<PersisterClassResolver> persisterClassResolverService;
+	private final transient ValueHolder<ClassLoaderService> classLoaderService;
+	private final transient ValueHolder<PersisterClassResolver> persisterClassResolverService;
 
 	private TypeResolver typeResolver = new TypeResolver();