diff --git a/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/bootstrap/ESPolicy.java b/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/bootstrap/ESPolicy.java
index 2f824aee56af..e23d183884bb 100644
--- a/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/bootstrap/ESPolicy.java
+++ b/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/bootstrap/ESPolicy.java
@@ -20,8 +20,10 @@
 import java.security.Permissions;
 import java.security.Policy;
 import java.security.ProtectionDomain;
+import java.util.Arrays;
 import java.util.Collections;
 import java.util.Map;
+import java.util.Optional;
 import java.util.function.Predicate;
 
 /** custom policy for union of static and dynamic permissions */
@@ -58,6 +60,26 @@ final class ESPolicy extends Policy {
         this.plugins = plugins;
     }
 
+    private static final Predicate<StackTraceElement> JDK_BOOT = f -> f.getClassName().startsWith("java.lang.")
+        || f.getClassName().startsWith("java.security.");
+    private static final Predicate<StackTraceElement> ES_BOOTSTRAP = f -> f.getClassName().startsWith("org.elasticsearch.bootstrap");
+    private static final Predicate<StackTraceElement> IS_LOG4J = f -> "org.apache.logging.log4j.util.LoaderUtil".equals(f.getClassName())
+        && "getClassLoaders".equals(f.getMethodName());
+
+    /**
+     *  Returns true if the top of the call stack has:
+     *   1) Only frames belonging from the JDK's boot loader or org.elasticsearch.bootstrap, followed directly by
+     *   2) org.apache.logging.log4j.util.LoaderUtil.getClassLoaders
+     */
+    private static boolean isLoaderUtilGetClassLoaders() {
+        Optional<StackTraceElement> frame = Arrays.stream(Thread.currentThread().getStackTrace())
+            .filter(JDK_BOOT.or(ES_BOOTSTRAP).negate())
+            .limit(1)
+            .findFirst()
+            .filter(IS_LOG4J);
+        return frame.isPresent();
+    }
+
     @Override
     @SuppressForbidden(reason = "fast equals check is desired")
     public boolean implies(ProtectionDomain domain, Permission permission) {
@@ -101,6 +123,10 @@ public boolean implies(ProtectionDomain domain, Permission permission) {
             return true;
         }
 
+        if (permission instanceof RuntimePermission && "getClassLoader".equals(permission.getName()) && isLoaderUtilGetClassLoaders()) {
+            return true;
+        }
+
         // otherwise defer to template + dynamic file permissions
         return template.implies(domain, permission) || dynamic.implies(permission) || system.implies(domain, permission);
     }