diff --git a/src/main/java/org/java_websocket/WebSocketImpl.java b/src/main/java/org/java_websocket/WebSocketImpl.java
index aad172127..c2cd223b9 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/java_websocket/WebSocketImpl.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/java_websocket/WebSocketImpl.java
@@ -224,10 +224,11 @@ public WebSocketImpl(WebSocketListener listener, Draft draft) {
    */
   public void decode(ByteBuffer socketBuffer) {
     assert (socketBuffer.hasRemaining());
-    log.trace("process({}): ({})", socketBuffer.remaining(),
-        (socketBuffer.remaining() > 1000 ? "too big to display"
-            : new String(socketBuffer.array(), socketBuffer.position(), socketBuffer.remaining())));
-
+    if (log.isTraceEnabled()) {
+      log.trace("process({}): ({})", socketBuffer.remaining(),
+              (socketBuffer.remaining() > 1000 ? "too big to display"
+                      : new String(socketBuffer.array(), socketBuffer.position(), socketBuffer.remaining())));
+    }
     if (readyState != ReadyState.NOT_YET_CONNECTED) {
       if (readyState == ReadyState.OPEN) {
         decodeFrames(socketBuffer);