diff --git a/engine/src/main/java/org/hibernate/validator/internal/metadata/core/ConstraintHelper.java b/engine/src/main/java/org/hibernate/validator/internal/metadata/core/ConstraintHelper.java
index ce4f07622f..0ad4ee8fa7 100644
--- a/engine/src/main/java/org/hibernate/validator/internal/metadata/core/ConstraintHelper.java
+++ b/engine/src/main/java/org/hibernate/validator/internal/metadata/core/ConstraintHelper.java
@@ -79,7 +79,6 @@
 import javax.validation.Constraint;
 import javax.validation.ConstraintTarget;
 import javax.validation.ConstraintValidator;
-import javax.validation.ValidationException;
 import javax.validation.constraints.AssertFalse;
 import javax.validation.constraints.AssertTrue;
 import javax.validation.constraints.DecimalMax;
@@ -348,7 +347,7 @@
 import org.hibernate.validator.internal.util.privilegedactions.GetAnnotationAttribute;
 import org.hibernate.validator.internal.util.privilegedactions.GetDeclaredMethods;
 import org.hibernate.validator.internal.util.privilegedactions.GetMethod;
-import org.hibernate.validator.internal.util.privilegedactions.LoadClass;
+import org.hibernate.validator.internal.util.privilegedactions.IsClassPresent;
 import org.hibernate.validator.internal.util.stereotypes.Immutable;
 
 /**
@@ -382,6 +381,12 @@ public class ConstraintHelper {
 
 	private final ValidatorDescriptorMap validatorDescriptors = new ValidatorDescriptorMap();
 
+	private Boolean javaMoneyInClasspath;
+
+	private Boolean jodaTimeInClassPath;
+
+	private Boolean jsoupInClasspath;
+
 	public static ConstraintHelper forAllBuiltinConstraints() {
 		return new ConstraintHelper( new HashSet<>( Arrays.asList( BuiltinConstraint.values() ) ) );
 	}
@@ -1092,16 +1097,25 @@ public void clear() {
 		multiValueConstraints.clear();
 	}
 
-	private static boolean isJodaTimeInClasspath() {
-		return isClassPresent( JODA_TIME_CLASS_NAME );
+	private boolean isJodaTimeInClasspath() {
+		if ( jodaTimeInClassPath == null ) {
+			jodaTimeInClassPath = isClassPresent( JODA_TIME_CLASS_NAME );
+		}
+		return jodaTimeInClassPath.booleanValue();
 	}
 
-	private static boolean isJavaMoneyInClasspath() {
-		return isClassPresent( JAVA_MONEY_CLASS_NAME );
+	private boolean isJavaMoneyInClasspath() {
+		if ( javaMoneyInClasspath == null ) {
+			javaMoneyInClasspath = isClassPresent( JAVA_MONEY_CLASS_NAME );
+		}
+		return javaMoneyInClasspath.booleanValue();
 	}
 
-	private static boolean isJsoupInClasspath() {
-		return isClassPresent( JSOUP_CLASS_NAME );
+	private boolean isJsoupInClasspath() {
+		if ( jsoupInClasspath == null ) {
+			jsoupInClasspath = isClassPresent( JSOUP_CLASS_NAME );
+		}
+		return jsoupInClasspath.booleanValue();
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -1133,13 +1147,7 @@ private <A extends Annotation> List<ConstraintValidatorDescriptor<A>> getDefault
 	}
 
 	private static boolean isClassPresent(String className) {
-		try {
-			run( LoadClass.action( className, ConstraintHelper.class.getClassLoader(), false ) );
-			return true;
-		}
-		catch (ValidationException e) {
-			return false;
-		}
+		return run( IsClassPresent.action( className, ConstraintHelper.class.getClassLoader() ) ).booleanValue();
 	}
 
 	/**
diff --git a/engine/src/main/java/org/hibernate/validator/internal/util/privilegedactions/IsClassPresent.java b/engine/src/main/java/org/hibernate/validator/internal/util/privilegedactions/IsClassPresent.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..dffd319ae1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/engine/src/main/java/org/hibernate/validator/internal/util/privilegedactions/IsClassPresent.java
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+/*
+ * Hibernate Validator, declare and validate application constraints
+ *
+ * License: Apache License, Version 2.0
+ * See the license.txt file in the root directory or <http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0>.
+ */
+package org.hibernate.validator.internal.util.privilegedactions;
+
+import java.security.PrivilegedAction;
+
+/**
+ * Checks if an external class is present in the provided class loader.
+ */
+public final class IsClassPresent implements PrivilegedAction<Boolean> {
+
+	private final String className;
+
+	private final ClassLoader classLoader;
+
+	public static IsClassPresent action(String className, ClassLoader classLoader) {
+		return new IsClassPresent( className, classLoader );
+	}
+
+	private IsClassPresent(String className, ClassLoader classLoader) {
+		this.className = className;
+		this.classLoader = classLoader;
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public Boolean run() {
+		try {
+			Class.forName( className, false, classLoader );
+			return Boolean.TRUE;
+		}
+		catch (ClassNotFoundException e) {
+			return Boolean.FALSE;
+		}
+	}
+}