diff --git a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/engine/jdbc/spi/SqlExceptionHelper.java b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/engine/jdbc/spi/SqlExceptionHelper.java
index 45583f3fb2..4985b00119 100644
--- a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/engine/jdbc/spi/SqlExceptionHelper.java
+++ b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/engine/jdbc/spi/SqlExceptionHelper.java
@@ -284,12 +284,17 @@ public class SqlExceptionHelper {
     @SuppressWarnings( {"ThrowableResultOfMethodCallIgnored"} )
     public void handleAndClearWarnings( Statement statement,
                                         WarningHandler handler ) {
-        try {
-            walkWarnings(statement.getWarnings(), handler);
-        } catch (SQLException sqlException) {
-            // workaround for WebLogic
-            LOG.debug("could not log warnings", sqlException);
-        }
+    	// See HHH-9174.  Statement#getWarnings can be an expensive call for many JDBC libs.  Don't do it unless
+    	// the log level would actually allow a warning to be logged.
+    	if (LOG.isEnabled(Level.WARN)) {
+	    	try {
+	            walkWarnings(statement.getWarnings(), handler);
+	        } catch (SQLException sqlException) {
+	            // workaround for WebLogic
+	            LOG.debug("could not log warnings", sqlException);
+	        }
+    	}
+    	
         try {
             // Sybase fail if we don't do that, sigh...
             statement.clearWarnings();