diff --git a/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/common/inject/spi/Elements.java b/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/common/inject/spi/Elements.java
index 9d4eed47b38..d9b9c06e482 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/common/inject/spi/Elements.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/common/inject/spi/Elements.java
@@ -19,12 +19,15 @@ package org.elasticsearch.common.inject.spi;
 import com.google.common.collect.ImmutableList;
 import com.google.common.collect.Lists;
 import com.google.common.collect.Sets;
+import org.elasticsearch.bootstrap.Bootstrap;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.inject.*;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.inject.binder.AnnotatedBindingBuilder;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.inject.binder.AnnotatedConstantBindingBuilder;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.inject.binder.AnnotatedElementBuilder;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.inject.internal.*;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.inject.matcher.Matcher;
+import org.elasticsearch.common.logging.ESLogger;
+import org.elasticsearch.common.logging.Loggers;
 
 import java.lang.annotation.Annotation;
 import java.util.*;
@@ -309,10 +312,18 @@ public final class Elements {
             return builder;
         }
 
+        private static ESLogger logger = Loggers.getLogger(Bootstrap.class);
+
         protected Object getSource() {
-            return sourceProvider != null
-                    ? sourceProvider.get()
-                    : source;
+            Object ret;
+            if (logger.isDebugEnabled()) {
+                ret = sourceProvider != null
+                        ? sourceProvider.get()
+                        : source;
+            } else {
+                ret = source;
+            }
+            return ret == null ? "_unknown_" : ret;
         }
 
         @Override