diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/search/AbstractSearchAsyncAction.java b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/search/AbstractSearchAsyncAction.java
index 805d09a0830..d843d8c0630 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/search/AbstractSearchAsyncAction.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/search/AbstractSearchAsyncAction.java
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ abstract class AbstractSearchAsyncAction<FirstResult extends SearchPhaseResult>
                 innerMoveToSecondPhase();
             } catch (Throwable e) {
                 if (logger.isDebugEnabled()) {
-                    logger.debug(shardIt.shardId() + ": Failed to execute [" + request + "] while moving to second phase", e);
+                    logger.debug("{}: Failed to execute [{}] while moving to second phase", e, shardIt.shardId(), request);
                 }
                 raiseEarlyFailure(new ReduceSearchPhaseException(firstPhaseName(), "", e, buildShardFailures()));
             }
@@ -210,11 +210,7 @@ abstract class AbstractSearchAsyncAction<FirstResult extends SearchPhaseResult>
         if (totalOps.incrementAndGet() == expectedTotalOps) {
             if (logger.isDebugEnabled()) {
                 if (t != null && !TransportActions.isShardNotAvailableException(t)) {
-                    if (shard != null) {
-                        logger.debug(shard.shortSummary() + ": Failed to execute [" + request + "]", t);
-                    } else {
-                        logger.debug(shardIt.shardId() + ": Failed to execute [" + request + "]", t);
-                    }
+                    logger.debug("{}: Failed to execute [{}]", t, shard != null ? shard.shortSummary() : shardIt.shardId(), request);
                 } else if (logger.isTraceEnabled()) {
                     logger.trace("{}: Failed to execute [{}]", t, shard, request);
                 }
@@ -239,7 +235,8 @@ abstract class AbstractSearchAsyncAction<FirstResult extends SearchPhaseResult>
             final boolean lastShard = nextShard == null;
             // trace log this exception
             if (logger.isTraceEnabled()) {
-                logger.trace(executionFailureMsg(shard, shardIt, request, lastShard), t);
+                logger.trace("{}: Failed to execute [{}] lastShard [{}]", t, shard != null ? shard.shortSummary() : shardIt.shardId(),
+                    request, lastShard);
             }
             if (!lastShard) {
                 try {
@@ -251,22 +248,14 @@ abstract class AbstractSearchAsyncAction<FirstResult extends SearchPhaseResult>
                 // no more shards active, add a failure
                 if (logger.isDebugEnabled() && !logger.isTraceEnabled()) { // do not double log this exception
                     if (t != null && !TransportActions.isShardNotAvailableException(t)) {
-                        logger.debug(executionFailureMsg(shard, shardIt, request, lastShard), t);
+                        logger.debug("{}: Failed to execute [{}] lastShard [{}]", t,
+                            shard != null ? shard.shortSummary() : shardIt.shardId(), request, lastShard);
                     }
                 }
             }
         }
     }
 
-    private String executionFailureMsg(@Nullable ShardRouting shard, final ShardIterator shardIt, SearchRequest request,
-                                       boolean lastShard) {
-        if (shard != null) {
-            return shard.shortSummary() + ": Failed to execute [" + request + "] lastShard [" + lastShard + "]";
-        } else {
-            return shardIt.shardId() + ": Failed to execute [" + request + "] lastShard [" + lastShard + "]";
-        }
-    }
-
     protected final ShardSearchFailure[] buildShardFailures() {
         AtomicArray<ShardSearchFailure> shardFailures = this.shardFailures;
         if (shardFailures == null) {
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/search/SearchScrollQueryAndFetchAsyncAction.java b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/search/SearchScrollQueryAndFetchAsyncAction.java
index 4e0ee3ff5e5..90bb0937327 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/search/SearchScrollQueryAndFetchAsyncAction.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/search/SearchScrollQueryAndFetchAsyncAction.java
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ class SearchScrollQueryAndFetchAsyncAction extends AbstractAsyncAction {
                 executePhase(i, node, target.getScrollId());
             } else {
                 if (logger.isDebugEnabled()) {
-                    logger.debug("Node [" + target.getNode() + "] not available for scroll request [" + scrollId.getSource() + "]");
+                    logger.debug("Node [{}] not available for scroll request [{}]", target.getNode(), scrollId.getSource());
                 }
                 successfulOps.decrementAndGet();
                 if (counter.decrementAndGet() == 0) {
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ class SearchScrollQueryAndFetchAsyncAction extends AbstractAsyncAction {
             DiscoveryNode node = nodes.get(target.getNode());
             if (node == null) {
                 if (logger.isDebugEnabled()) {
-                    logger.debug("Node [" + target.getNode() + "] not available for scroll request [" + scrollId.getSource() + "]");
+                    logger.debug("Node [{}] not available for scroll request [{}]", target.getNode(), scrollId.getSource());
                 }
                 successfulOps.decrementAndGet();
                 if (counter.decrementAndGet() == 0) {
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/search/SearchScrollQueryThenFetchAsyncAction.java b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/search/SearchScrollQueryThenFetchAsyncAction.java
index 8e822302d2f..694ee16beac 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/search/SearchScrollQueryThenFetchAsyncAction.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/search/SearchScrollQueryThenFetchAsyncAction.java
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ class SearchScrollQueryThenFetchAsyncAction extends AbstractAsyncAction {
                 executeQueryPhase(i, counter, node, target.getScrollId());
             } else {
                 if (logger.isDebugEnabled()) {
-                    logger.debug("Node [" + target.getNode() + "] not available for scroll request [" + scrollId.getSource() + "]");
+                    logger.debug("Node [{}] not available for scroll request [{}]", target.getNode(), scrollId.getSource());
                 }
                 successfulOps.decrementAndGet();
                 if (counter.decrementAndGet() == 0) {
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/NodeConnectionsService.java b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/NodeConnectionsService.java
index 698f9d1090c..404ae57d5f7 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/NodeConnectionsService.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/NodeConnectionsService.java
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ public class NodeConnectionsService extends AbstractLifecycleComponent<NodeConne
                 try {
                     transportService.disconnectFromNode(node);
                 } catch (Throwable e) {
-                    logger.warn("failed to disconnect to node [" + node + "]", e);
+                    logger.warn("failed to disconnect to node [{}]", e, node);
                 }
             }
         }
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/common/logging/ESLogger.java b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/common/logging/ESLogger.java
index 597619e61b4..b2a2aa333c7 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/common/logging/ESLogger.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/common/logging/ESLogger.java
@@ -21,12 +21,14 @@ package org.elasticsearch.common.logging;
 
 import org.apache.log4j.Level;
 import org.apache.log4j.Logger;
+import org.elasticsearch.common.SuppressLoggerChecks;
 
 import static org.elasticsearch.common.logging.LoggerMessageFormat.format;
 
 /**
  * Elasticsearch's logger wrapper.
  */
+@SuppressLoggerChecks(reason = "safely delegates to itself")
 public class ESLogger {
     private static final String FQCN = ESLogger.class.getName();
 
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/discovery/zen/elect/ElectMasterService.java b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/discovery/zen/elect/ElectMasterService.java
index 76b7de6da08..3ef9138f933 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/discovery/zen/elect/ElectMasterService.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/discovery/zen/elect/ElectMasterService.java
@@ -94,11 +94,10 @@ public class ElectMasterService extends AbstractComponent {
     public void logMinimumMasterNodesWarningIfNecessary(ClusterState oldState, ClusterState newState) {
         // check if min_master_nodes setting is too low and log warning
         if (hasTooManyMasterNodes(oldState.nodes()) == false && hasTooManyMasterNodes(newState.nodes())) {
-            logger.warn("value for setting \""
-                    + ElectMasterService.DISCOVERY_ZEN_MINIMUM_MASTER_NODES_SETTING.getKey()
-                    + "\" is too low. This can result in data loss! Please set it to at least a quorum of master-eligible nodes "
-                    + "(current value: [{}], total number of master-eligible nodes used for publishing in this round: [{}])",
-                minimumMasterNodes(), newState.getNodes().getMasterNodes().size());
+            logger.warn("value for setting \"{}\" is too low. This can result in data loss! Please set it to at least a quorum of master-" +
+                    "eligible nodes (current value: [{}], total number of master-eligible nodes used for publishing in this round: [{}])",
+                ElectMasterService.DISCOVERY_ZEN_MINIMUM_MASTER_NODES_SETTING.getKey(), minimumMasterNodes(),
+                newState.getNodes().getMasterNodes().size());
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/threadpool/ThreadPool.java b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/threadpool/ThreadPool.java
index 3f6a65c82c5..551eeea838d 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/threadpool/ThreadPool.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/threadpool/ThreadPool.java
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ public class ThreadPool extends AbstractComponent implements Closeable {
             if (executors.containsKey(executorHolder.info.getName())) {
                 throw new IllegalStateException("duplicate executors with name [" + executorHolder.info.getName() + "] registered");
             }
-            logger.debug("created thread pool: " + entry.getValue().formatInfo(executorHolder.info));
+            logger.debug("created thread pool: {}", entry.getValue().formatInfo(executorHolder.info));
             executors.put(entry.getKey(), executorHolder);
         }
 
diff --git a/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/bootstrap/MaxMapCountCheckTests.java b/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/bootstrap/MaxMapCountCheckTests.java
index 86965a679da..b48fcc78c6c 100644
--- a/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/bootstrap/MaxMapCountCheckTests.java
+++ b/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/bootstrap/MaxMapCountCheckTests.java
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 package org.elasticsearch.bootstrap;
 
 import org.apache.lucene.util.Constants;
+import org.elasticsearch.common.SuppressLoggerChecks;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.io.PathUtils;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.logging.ESLogger;
 import org.elasticsearch.test.ESTestCase;
@@ -46,6 +47,7 @@ public class MaxMapCountCheckTests extends ESTestCase {
         }
     }
 
+    @SuppressLoggerChecks(reason = "mock usage")
     public void testGetMaxMapCount() throws IOException {
         final long procSysVmMaxMapCount = randomIntBetween(1, Integer.MAX_VALUE);
         final BufferedReader reader = mock(BufferedReader.class);
diff --git a/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/routing/PrimaryTermsTests.java b/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/routing/PrimaryTermsTests.java
index 4dceb42cfbc..2d3e44db68a 100644
--- a/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/routing/PrimaryTermsTests.java
+++ b/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/routing/PrimaryTermsTests.java
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ public class PrimaryTermsTests extends ESAllocationTestCase {
                 .build());
         this.numberOfShards = randomIntBetween(1, 5);
         this.numberOfReplicas = randomIntBetween(1, 5);
-        logger.info("Setup test with " + this.numberOfShards + " shards and " + this.numberOfReplicas + " replicas.");
+        logger.info("Setup test with {} shards and {} replicas.", this.numberOfShards, this.numberOfReplicas);
         this.primaryTermsPerIndex.clear();
         MetaData metaData = MetaData.builder()
                 .put(createIndexMetaData(TEST_INDEX_1))
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ public class PrimaryTermsTests extends ESAllocationTestCase {
      * puts primary shard routings into initializing state
      */
     private void initPrimaries() {
-        logger.info("adding " + (this.numberOfReplicas + 1) + " nodes and performing rerouting");
+        logger.info("adding {} nodes and performing rerouting", this.numberOfReplicas + 1);
         Builder discoBuilder = DiscoveryNodes.builder();
         for (int i = 0; i < this.numberOfReplicas + 1; i++) {
             discoBuilder = discoBuilder.put(newNode("node" + i));
diff --git a/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/common/util/concurrent/AbstractLifecycleRunnableTests.java b/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/common/util/concurrent/AbstractLifecycleRunnableTests.java
index 8d4efab8fa1..4c2e4700943 100644
--- a/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/common/util/concurrent/AbstractLifecycleRunnableTests.java
+++ b/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/common/util/concurrent/AbstractLifecycleRunnableTests.java
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
  */
 package org.elasticsearch.common.util.concurrent;
 
+import org.elasticsearch.common.SuppressLoggerChecks;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.component.Lifecycle;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.logging.ESLogger;
 import org.elasticsearch.test.ESTestCase;
@@ -67,6 +68,7 @@ public class AbstractLifecycleRunnableTests extends ESTestCase {
         inOrder.verifyNoMoreInteractions();
     }
 
+    @SuppressLoggerChecks(reason = "mock usage")
     public void testDoRunDoesNotRunWhenStoppedOrClosed() throws Exception {
         Callable<?> runCallable = mock(Callable.class);
 
diff --git a/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/gateway/GatewayIndexStateIT.java b/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/gateway/GatewayIndexStateIT.java
index 049fd90cad6..129495ea15e 100644
--- a/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/gateway/GatewayIndexStateIT.java
+++ b/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/gateway/GatewayIndexStateIT.java
@@ -343,7 +343,7 @@ public class GatewayIndexStateIT extends ESIntegTestCase {
         } else {
             // test with a shadow replica index
             final Path dataPath = createTempDir();
-            logger.info("--> created temp data path for shadow replicas [" + dataPath + "]");
+            logger.info("--> created temp data path for shadow replicas [{}]", dataPath);
             logger.info("--> starting a cluster with " + numNodes + " nodes");
             final Settings nodeSettings = Settings.builder()
                                                   .put("node.add_id_to_custom_path", false)
diff --git a/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/indices/store/IndicesStoreIntegrationIT.java b/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/indices/store/IndicesStoreIntegrationIT.java
index b500ffb7dd2..b4f66c2e17b 100644
--- a/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/indices/store/IndicesStoreIntegrationIT.java
+++ b/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/indices/store/IndicesStoreIntegrationIT.java
@@ -263,7 +263,7 @@ public class IndicesStoreIntegrationIT extends ESIntegTestCase {
         assertThat(waitForShardDeletion(node_3, index, 0), equalTo(false));
 
         Path server2Shard = shardDirectory(node_2, index, 0);
-        logger.info("--> stopping node " + node_2);
+        logger.info("--> stopping node {}", node_2);
         internalCluster().stopRandomNode(InternalTestCluster.nameFilter(node_2));
 
         logger.info("--> running cluster_health");
diff --git a/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/recovery/RelocationIT.java b/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/recovery/RelocationIT.java
index bc9909b21c1..620dfeb94c2 100644
--- a/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/recovery/RelocationIT.java
+++ b/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/recovery/RelocationIT.java
@@ -479,7 +479,7 @@ public class RelocationIT extends ESIntegTestCase {
         indexRandom(true, docs);
         numDocs *= 2;
 
-        logger.info(" --> waiting for relocation to complete", numDocs);
+        logger.info(" --> waiting for relocation to complete");
         ensureGreen("test");// move all shards to the new node (it waits on relocation)
         final int numIters = randomIntBetween(10, 20);
         for (int i = 0; i < numIters; i++) {
diff --git a/modules/reindex/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/index/reindex/AbstractAsyncBulkByScrollAction.java b/modules/reindex/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/index/reindex/AbstractAsyncBulkByScrollAction.java
index ceb00b2f81f..3403a8077b9 100644
--- a/modules/reindex/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/index/reindex/AbstractAsyncBulkByScrollAction.java
+++ b/modules/reindex/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/index/reindex/AbstractAsyncBulkByScrollAction.java
@@ -404,7 +404,7 @@ public abstract class AbstractAsyncBulkByScrollAction<Request extends AbstractBu
 
                 @Override
                 public void onFailure(Throwable e) {
-                    logger.warn("Failed to clear scroll [" + scrollId + ']', e);
+                    logger.warn("Failed to clear scroll [{}]", e, scrollId);
                 }
             });
         }
diff --git a/test/logger-usage/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/test/loggerusage/ESLoggerUsageChecker.java b/test/logger-usage/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/test/loggerusage/ESLoggerUsageChecker.java
index 25d4052c162..041d21cc762 100644
--- a/test/logger-usage/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/test/loggerusage/ESLoggerUsageChecker.java
+++ b/test/logger-usage/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/test/loggerusage/ESLoggerUsageChecker.java
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ public class ESLoggerUsageChecker {
             Files.walkFileTree(root, new SimpleFileVisitor<Path>() {
                 @Override
                 public FileVisitResult visitFile(Path file, BasicFileAttributes attrs) throws IOException {
-                    if (Files.isRegularFile(file) && file.endsWith(".class")) {
+                    if (Files.isRegularFile(file) && file.getFileName().toString().endsWith(".class")) {
                         try (InputStream in = Files.newInputStream(file)) {
                             ESLoggerUsageChecker.check(wrongUsageCallback, in);
                         }
@@ -248,19 +248,6 @@ public class ESLoggerUsageChecker {
                     if (LOGGER_METHODS.contains(methodInsn.name) == false) {
                         continue;
                     }
-                    Type[] argumentTypes = Type.getArgumentTypes(methodInsn.desc);
-                    BasicValue logMessageLengthObject = getStackValue(stringFrames[i], argumentTypes.length - 1); // first argument
-                    if (logMessageLengthObject instanceof PlaceHolderStringBasicValue == false) {
-                        wrongUsageCallback.accept(new WrongLoggerUsage(className, methodNode.name, methodInsn.name, lineNumber,
-                            "First argument must be a string constant so that we can statically ensure proper place holder usage"));
-                        continue;
-                    }
-                    PlaceHolderStringBasicValue logMessageLength = (PlaceHolderStringBasicValue) logMessageLengthObject;
-                    if (logMessageLength.minValue != logMessageLength.maxValue) {
-                        wrongUsageCallback.accept(new WrongLoggerUsage(className, methodNode.name, methodInsn.name, lineNumber,
-                            "Multiple log messages with conflicting number of place holders"));
-                        continue;
-                    }
                     BasicValue varArgsSizeObject = getStackValue(arraySizeFrames[i], 0); // last argument
                     if (varArgsSizeObject instanceof ArraySizeBasicValue == false) {
                         wrongUsageCallback.accept(new WrongLoggerUsage(className, methodNode.name, methodInsn.name, lineNumber,
@@ -268,6 +255,24 @@ public class ESLoggerUsageChecker {
                         continue;
                     }
                     ArraySizeBasicValue varArgsSize = (ArraySizeBasicValue) varArgsSizeObject;
+                    Type[] argumentTypes = Type.getArgumentTypes(methodInsn.desc);
+                    BasicValue logMessageLengthObject = getStackValue(stringFrames[i], argumentTypes.length - 1); // first argument
+                    if (logMessageLengthObject instanceof PlaceHolderStringBasicValue == false) {
+                        if (varArgsSize.minValue > 0) {
+                            wrongUsageCallback.accept(new WrongLoggerUsage(className, methodNode.name, methodInsn.name, lineNumber,
+                                "First argument must be a string constant so that we can statically ensure proper place holder usage"));
+                            continue;
+                        } else {
+                            // don't check logger usage for logger.warn(someObject) as someObject will be fully logged
+                            continue;
+                        }
+                    }
+                    PlaceHolderStringBasicValue logMessageLength = (PlaceHolderStringBasicValue) logMessageLengthObject;
+                    if (logMessageLength.minValue != logMessageLength.maxValue) {
+                        wrongUsageCallback.accept(new WrongLoggerUsage(className, methodNode.name, methodInsn.name, lineNumber,
+                            "Multiple log messages with conflicting number of place holders"));
+                        continue;
+                    }
                     if (varArgsSize.minValue != varArgsSize.maxValue) {
                         wrongUsageCallback.accept(new WrongLoggerUsage(className, methodNode.name, methodInsn.name, lineNumber,
                             "Multiple parameter arrays with conflicting sizes"));
diff --git a/test/logger-usage/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/loggerusage/ESLoggerUsageTests.java b/test/logger-usage/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/loggerusage/ESLoggerUsageTests.java
index ab07ecbf45e..73449f4351c 100644
--- a/test/logger-usage/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/loggerusage/ESLoggerUsageTests.java
+++ b/test/logger-usage/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/loggerusage/ESLoggerUsageTests.java
@@ -129,8 +129,12 @@ public class ESLoggerUsageTests extends ESTestCase {
         logger.info("Hello {}, {}", "world", 42, new Exception());
     }
 
-    public void checkFailNonConstantMessage(boolean b) {
-        logger.info(Boolean.toString(b));
+    public void checkNonConstantMessageWithZeroArguments(boolean b) {
+        logger.info(Boolean.toString(b), new Exception());
+    }
+
+    public void checkFailNonConstantMessageWithArguments(boolean b) {
+        logger.info(Boolean.toString(b), new Exception(), 42);
     }
 
     public void checkComplexUsage(boolean b) {