diff --git a/lucene/core/src/java/org/apache/lucene/search/Query.java b/lucene/core/src/java/org/apache/lucene/search/Query.java
index 560df421e6e3..bc3877418e5b 100644
--- a/lucene/core/src/java/org/apache/lucene/search/Query.java
+++ b/lucene/core/src/java/org/apache/lucene/search/Query.java
@@ -52,12 +52,30 @@ public abstract class Query {
       new VirtualMethod<>(Query.class, "rewrite", IndexReader.class);
   private static final VirtualMethod<Query> newMethod =
       new VirtualMethod<>(Query.class, "rewrite", IndexSearcher.class);
-  private final boolean isDeprecatedRewriteMethodOverridden =
-      AccessController.doPrivileged(
-          (PrivilegedAction<Boolean>)
-              () ->
-                  VirtualMethod.compareImplementationDistance(this.getClass(), oldMethod, newMethod)
-                      > 0);
+  private final boolean isDeprecatedRewriteMethodOverridden;
+
+  /** Constructor for query classes. */
+  public Query() {
+    var clazz = this.getClass();
+    if (clazz.getName().startsWith("org.apache.lucene.")) {
+      // we know that all Lucene's own classes have been updated to use new API, so reflection is
+      // not needed
+      isDeprecatedRewriteMethodOverridden = false;
+    } else {
+      isDeprecatedRewriteMethodOverridden = detectDeprectatedRewriteMethodOverridden(clazz);
+    }
+  }
+
+  /** Test only method (used to test backwards layer) */
+  Query(Void forTestOnly) {
+    isDeprecatedRewriteMethodOverridden = detectDeprectatedRewriteMethodOverridden(this.getClass());
+  }
+
+  private static boolean detectDeprectatedRewriteMethodOverridden(Class<? extends Query> clazz) {
+    final PrivilegedAction<Boolean> action =
+        () -> VirtualMethod.compareImplementationDistance(clazz, oldMethod, newMethod) > 0;
+    return AccessController.doPrivileged(action);
+  }
 
   /**
    * Prints a query to a string, with <code>field</code> assumed to be the default field and
diff --git a/lucene/core/src/test/org/apache/lucene/search/TestQueryRewriteBackwardsCompatibility.java b/lucene/core/src/test/org/apache/lucene/search/TestQueryRewriteBackwardsCompatibility.java
index a9534b7f191e..7c86e78d83fb 100644
--- a/lucene/core/src/test/org/apache/lucene/search/TestQueryRewriteBackwardsCompatibility.java
+++ b/lucene/core/src/test/org/apache/lucene/search/TestQueryRewriteBackwardsCompatibility.java
@@ -158,6 +158,10 @@ public Query rewrite(IndexReader reader) throws IOException {
   private abstract static class RewriteCountingQuery extends Query {
     int rewriteCount = 0;
 
+    RewriteCountingQuery() {
+      super(null); // enforce usage of backwards compatibility mode
+    }
+
     abstract RewriteCountingQuery getInnerQuery();
   }