diff --git a/webclient/api/src/main/java/io/helidon/webclient/api/DefaultAddressLookupFinder.java b/webclient/api/src/main/java/io/helidon/webclient/api/DefaultAddressLookupFinder.java
index 5f1f5942fe7..68941d93f9f 100644
--- a/webclient/api/src/main/java/io/helidon/webclient/api/DefaultAddressLookupFinder.java
+++ b/webclient/api/src/main/java/io/helidon/webclient/api/DefaultAddressLookupFinder.java
@@ -41,10 +41,14 @@ final class DefaultAddressLookupFinder {
 
     private static final LazyValue<DnsAddressLookup> DEFAULT_IP_VERSION = LazyValue.create(() -> {
         if (IPV4_PREFERRED.get() || !IPV6_PREFERRED.get()) {
-            LOGGER.log(Level.DEBUG, "Preferring IPv4 over IPv6 address resolution");
+            if (LOGGER.isLoggable(Level.DEBUG)) {
+                LOGGER.log(Level.DEBUG, "Preferring IPv4 over IPv6 address resolution");
+            }
             return DnsAddressLookup.IPV4_PREFERRED;
         }
-        LOGGER.log(Level.DEBUG, "Preferring IPv6 over IPv4 address resolution");
+        if (LOGGER.isLoggable(Level.DEBUG)) {
+            LOGGER.log(Level.DEBUG, "Preferring IPv6 over IPv4 address resolution");
+        }
         return DnsAddressLookup.IPV6_PREFERRED;
     });
 
diff --git a/webclient/api/src/main/java/io/helidon/webclient/spi/DnsResolver.java b/webclient/api/src/main/java/io/helidon/webclient/spi/DnsResolver.java
index ba376096af3..930a8df9e6f 100644
--- a/webclient/api/src/main/java/io/helidon/webclient/spi/DnsResolver.java
+++ b/webclient/api/src/main/java/io/helidon/webclient/spi/DnsResolver.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 2022, 2023 Oracle and/or its affiliates.
+ * Copyright (c) 2022, 2024 Oracle and/or its affiliates.
  *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -27,11 +27,13 @@ public interface DnsResolver {
 
     /**
      * Whether to use standard Java DNS resolver.
-     * If this method returns true, {@link #resolveAddress(String, io.helidon.webclient.api.DnsAddressLookup)} method is not invoked and
-     * no {@link DnsAddressLookup} preferences will be applied.
+     * If this method returns true, {@link #resolveAddress(String, io.helidon.webclient.api.DnsAddressLookup)}
+     * method is not invoked and no {@link DnsAddressLookup} preferences will be applied.
      *
      * @return use standard Java resolver
+     * @deprecated this method is no longer invoked and may be removed in the future
      */
+    @Deprecated(forRemoval = true, since = "4.0.4")
     default boolean useDefaultJavaResolver() {
         return false;
     }