diff --git a/grpclog/internal/loggerv2.go b/grpclog/internal/loggerv2.go
index 07df71e98a87..ed90060c3cba 100644
--- a/grpclog/internal/loggerv2.go
+++ b/grpclog/internal/loggerv2.go
@@ -101,6 +101,22 @@ var severityName = []string{
 	fatalLog:   "FATAL",
 }
 
+// sprintf is fmt.Sprintf.
+// These vars exist to make it possible to test that expensive format calls aren't made unnecessarily.
+var sprintf = fmt.Sprintf
+
+// sprint is fmt.Sprint.
+// These vars exist to make it possible to test that expensive format calls aren't made unnecessarily.
+var sprint = fmt.Sprint
+
+// sprintln is fmt.Sprintln.
+// These vars exist to make it possible to test that expensive format calls aren't made unnecessarily.
+var sprintln = fmt.Sprintln
+
+// exit is os.Exit.
+// This var exists to make it possible to test functions calling os.Exit.
+var exit = os.Exit
+
 // loggerT is the default logger used by grpclog.
 type loggerT struct {
 	m          []*log.Logger
@@ -111,7 +127,7 @@ type loggerT struct {
 func (g *loggerT) output(severity int, s string) {
 	sevStr := severityName[severity]
 	if !g.jsonFormat {
-		g.m[severity].Output(2, fmt.Sprintf("%v: %v", sevStr, s))
+		g.m[severity].Output(2, sevStr+": "+s)
 		return
 	}
 	// TODO: we can also include the logging component, but that needs more
@@ -123,55 +139,79 @@ func (g *loggerT) output(severity int, s string) {
 	g.m[severity].Output(2, string(b))
 }
 
+func (g *loggerT) printf(severity int, format string, args ...any) {
+	// Note the discard check is duplicated in each print func, rather than in
+	// output, to avoid the expensive Sprint calls.
+	// De-duplicating this by moving to output would be a significant performance regression!
+	if lg := g.m[severity]; lg.Writer() == io.Discard {
+		return
+	}
+	g.output(severity, sprintf(format, args...))
+}
+
+func (g *loggerT) print(severity int, v ...any) {
+	if lg := g.m[severity]; lg.Writer() == io.Discard {
+		return
+	}
+	g.output(severity, sprint(v...))
+}
+
+func (g *loggerT) println(severity int, v ...any) {
+	if lg := g.m[severity]; lg.Writer() == io.Discard {
+		return
+	}
+	g.output(severity, sprintln(v...))
+}
+
 func (g *loggerT) Info(args ...any) {
-	g.output(infoLog, fmt.Sprint(args...))
+	g.print(infoLog, args...)
 }
 
 func (g *loggerT) Infoln(args ...any) {
-	g.output(infoLog, fmt.Sprintln(args...))
+	g.println(infoLog, args...)
 }
 
 func (g *loggerT) Infof(format string, args ...any) {
-	g.output(infoLog, fmt.Sprintf(format, args...))
+	g.printf(infoLog, format, args...)
 }
 
 func (g *loggerT) Warning(args ...any) {
-	g.output(warningLog, fmt.Sprint(args...))
+	g.print(warningLog, args...)
 }
 
 func (g *loggerT) Warningln(args ...any) {
-	g.output(warningLog, fmt.Sprintln(args...))
+	g.println(warningLog, args...)
 }
 
 func (g *loggerT) Warningf(format string, args ...any) {
-	g.output(warningLog, fmt.Sprintf(format, args...))
+	g.printf(warningLog, format, args...)
 }
 
 func (g *loggerT) Error(args ...any) {
-	g.output(errorLog, fmt.Sprint(args...))
+	g.print(errorLog, args...)
 }
 
 func (g *loggerT) Errorln(args ...any) {
-	g.output(errorLog, fmt.Sprintln(args...))
+	g.println(errorLog, args...)
 }
 
 func (g *loggerT) Errorf(format string, args ...any) {
-	g.output(errorLog, fmt.Sprintf(format, args...))
+	g.printf(errorLog, format, args...)
 }
 
 func (g *loggerT) Fatal(args ...any) {
-	g.output(fatalLog, fmt.Sprint(args...))
-	os.Exit(1)
+	g.print(fatalLog, args...)
+	exit(1)
 }
 
 func (g *loggerT) Fatalln(args ...any) {
-	g.output(fatalLog, fmt.Sprintln(args...))
-	os.Exit(1)
+	g.println(fatalLog, args...)
+	exit(1)
 }
 
 func (g *loggerT) Fatalf(format string, args ...any) {
-	g.output(fatalLog, fmt.Sprintf(format, args...))
-	os.Exit(1)
+	g.printf(fatalLog, format, args...)
+	exit(1)
 }
 
 func (g *loggerT) V(l int) bool {
@@ -186,19 +226,42 @@ type LoggerV2Config struct {
 	FormatJSON bool
 }
 
+// combineLoggers returns a combined logger for both higher & lower severity logs,
+// or only one if the other is io.Discard.
+//
+// This uses io.Discard instead of io.MultiWriter when all loggers
+// are set to io.Discard. Both this package and the standard log package have
+// significant optimizations for io.Discard, which io.MultiWriter lacks (as of
+// this writing).
+func combineLoggers(lower, higher io.Writer) io.Writer {
+	if lower == io.Discard {
+		return higher
+	}
+	if higher == io.Discard {
+		return lower
+	}
+	return io.MultiWriter(lower, higher)
+}
+
 // NewLoggerV2 creates a new LoggerV2 instance with the provided configuration.
 // The infoW, warningW, and errorW writers are used to write log messages of
 // different severity levels.
 func NewLoggerV2(infoW, warningW, errorW io.Writer, c LoggerV2Config) LoggerV2 {
-	var m []*log.Logger
 	flag := log.LstdFlags
 	if c.FormatJSON {
 		flag = 0
 	}
-	m = append(m, log.New(infoW, "", flag))
-	m = append(m, log.New(io.MultiWriter(infoW, warningW), "", flag))
-	ew := io.MultiWriter(infoW, warningW, errorW) // ew will be used for error and fatal.
-	m = append(m, log.New(ew, "", flag))
-	m = append(m, log.New(ew, "", flag))
+
+	warningW = combineLoggers(infoW, warningW)
+	errorW = combineLoggers(errorW, warningW)
+
+	fatalW := errorW
+
+	m := []*log.Logger{
+		log.New(infoW, "", flag),
+		log.New(warningW, "", flag),
+		log.New(errorW, "", flag),
+		log.New(fatalW, "", flag),
+	}
 	return &loggerT{m: m, v: c.Verbosity, jsonFormat: c.FormatJSON}
 }
diff --git a/grpclog/internal/loggerv2_test.go b/grpclog/internal/loggerv2_test.go
index b22ecbde82a0..3369448bef5f 100644
--- a/grpclog/internal/loggerv2_test.go
+++ b/grpclog/internal/loggerv2_test.go
@@ -20,11 +20,86 @@ package internal
 
 import (
 	"bytes"
+	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
+	"io"
+	"os"
+	"reflect"
 	"regexp"
+	"strings"
 	"testing"
 )
 
+// logFuncStr is a string used via testCheckLogContainsFuncStr to test the
+// logger output.
+const logFuncStr = "called-func"
+
+func makeSprintfErr(t *testing.T) func(format string, a ...any) string {
+	return func(string, ...any) string {
+		t.Errorf("got: sprintf called on io.Discard logger, want: expensive sprintf to not be called for io.Discard")
+		return ""
+	}
+}
+
+func makeSprintErr(t *testing.T) func(a ...any) string {
+	return func(...any) string {
+		t.Errorf("got: sprint called on io.Discard logger, want: expensive sprint to not be called for io.Discard")
+		return ""
+	}
+}
+
+// checkLogContainsFuncStr checks that the logger buffer logBuf contains
+// logFuncStr.
+func checkLogContainsFuncStr(t *testing.T, logBuf []byte) {
+	if !bytes.Contains(logBuf, []byte(logFuncStr)) {
+		t.Errorf("got '%v', want logger func to be called and print '%v'", string(logBuf), logFuncStr)
+	}
+}
+
+// checkBufferWasWrittenAsExpected checks that the log buffer buf was written as expected,
+// per the discard, logTYpe, msg, and isJSON arguments.
+func checkBufferWasWrittenAsExpected(t *testing.T, buf *bytes.Buffer, discard bool, logType string, msg string, isJSON bool) {
+	bts, err := buf.ReadBytes('\n')
+	if discard {
+		if err == nil {
+			t.Fatalf("got '%v', want discard %v to not write", string(bts), logType)
+		} else if err != io.EOF {
+			t.Fatalf("got '%v', want discard %v buffer to be EOF", err, logType)
+		}
+	} else {
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("got '%v', want non-discard %v to not error", err, logType)
+		} else if !bytes.Contains(bts, []byte(msg)) {
+			t.Fatalf("got '%v', want non-discard %v buffer contain message '%v'", string(bts), logType, msg)
+		}
+		if isJSON {
+			obj := map[string]string{}
+			if err := json.Unmarshal(bts, &obj); err != nil {
+				t.Fatalf("got '%v', want non-discard json %v to unmarshal", err, logType)
+			} else if _, ok := obj["severity"]; !ok {
+				t.Fatalf("got '%v', want non-discard json %v to have severity field", "missing severity", logType)
+
+			} else if jsonMsg, ok := obj["message"]; !ok {
+				t.Fatalf("got '%v', want non-discard json %v to have message field", "missing message", logType)
+
+			} else if !strings.Contains(jsonMsg, msg) {
+				t.Fatalf("got '%v', want non-discard json %v buffer contain message '%v'", string(bts), logType, msg)
+			}
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// check if b is in the format of:
+//
+//	2017/04/07 14:55:42 WARNING: WARNING
+func checkLogForSeverity(s int, b []byte) error {
+	expected := regexp.MustCompile(fmt.Sprintf(`^[0-9]{4}/[0-9]{2}/[0-9]{2} [0-9]{2}:[0-9]{2}:[0-9]{2} %s: %s\n$`, severityName[s], severityName[s]))
+	if m := expected.Match(b); !m {
+		return fmt.Errorf("got: %v, want string in format of: %v", string(b), severityName[s]+": 2016/10/05 17:09:26 "+severityName[s])
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 func TestLoggerV2Severity(t *testing.T) {
 	buffers := []*bytes.Buffer{new(bytes.Buffer), new(bytes.Buffer), new(bytes.Buffer)}
 	l := NewLoggerV2(buffers[infoLog], buffers[warningLog], buffers[errorLog], LoggerV2Config{})
@@ -42,7 +117,7 @@ func TestLoggerV2Severity(t *testing.T) {
 		for j := i; j < fatalLog; j++ {
 			b, err := buf.ReadBytes('\n')
 			if err != nil {
-				t.Fatal(err)
+				t.Fatalf("level %d: %v", j, err)
 			}
 			if err := checkLogForSeverity(j, b); err != nil {
 				t.Fatal(err)
@@ -51,13 +126,225 @@ func TestLoggerV2Severity(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-// check if b is in the format of:
-//
-//	2017/04/07 14:55:42 WARNING: WARNING
-func checkLogForSeverity(s int, b []byte) error {
-	expected := regexp.MustCompile(fmt.Sprintf(`^[0-9]{4}/[0-9]{2}/[0-9]{2} [0-9]{2}:[0-9]{2}:[0-9]{2} %s: %s\n$`, severityName[s], severityName[s]))
-	if m := expected.Match(b); !m {
-		return fmt.Errorf("got: %v, want string in format of: %v", string(b), severityName[s]+": 2016/10/05 17:09:26 "+severityName[s])
+// TestLoggerV2PrintFuncDiscardOnlyInfo ensures that logs at the INFO level are
+// discarded when set to io.Discard, while logs at other levels (WARN, ERROR)
+// are still printed. It does this by using a custom error function that raises
+// an error if the logger attempts to print at the INFO level, ensuring early
+// return when io.Discard is used.
+func TestLoggerV2PrintFuncDiscardOnlyInfo(t *testing.T) {
+	buffers := []*bytes.Buffer{nil, new(bytes.Buffer), new(bytes.Buffer)}
+	logger := NewLoggerV2(io.Discard, buffers[warningLog], buffers[errorLog], LoggerV2Config{})
+	loggerTp := logger.(*loggerT)
+
+	// test that output doesn't call expensive printf funcs on an io.Discard logger
+	sprintf = makeSprintfErr(t)
+	sprint = makeSprintErr(t)
+	sprintln = makeSprintErr(t)
+
+	loggerTp.output(infoLog, "something")
+
+	sprintf = fmt.Sprintf
+	sprint = fmt.Sprint
+	sprintln = fmt.Sprintln
+
+	loggerTp.output(errorLog, logFuncStr)
+	warnB, err := buffers[warningLog].ReadBytes('\n')
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("level %v: %v", warningLog, err)
+	}
+	checkLogContainsFuncStr(t, warnB)
+
+	errB, err := buffers[errorLog].ReadBytes('\n')
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("level %v: %v", errorLog, err)
+	}
+	checkLogContainsFuncStr(t, errB)
+}
+
+func TestLoggerV2PrintFuncNoDiscard(t *testing.T) {
+	buffers := []*bytes.Buffer{new(bytes.Buffer), new(bytes.Buffer), new(bytes.Buffer)}
+	logger := NewLoggerV2(buffers[infoLog], buffers[warningLog], buffers[errorLog], LoggerV2Config{})
+	loggerTp := logger.(*loggerT)
+
+	loggerTp.output(errorLog, logFuncStr)
+
+	infoB, err := buffers[infoLog].ReadBytes('\n')
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("level %v: %v", infoLog, err)
+	}
+	checkLogContainsFuncStr(t, infoB)
+
+	warnB, err := buffers[warningLog].ReadBytes('\n')
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("level %v: %v", warningLog, err)
+	}
+	checkLogContainsFuncStr(t, warnB)
+
+	errB, err := buffers[errorLog].ReadBytes('\n')
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("level %v: %v", errorLog, err)
+	}
+	checkLogContainsFuncStr(t, errB)
+}
+
+// TestLoggerV2PrintFuncAllDiscard tests that discard loggers don't log.
+func TestLoggerV2PrintFuncAllDiscard(t *testing.T) {
+	logger := NewLoggerV2(io.Discard, io.Discard, io.Discard, LoggerV2Config{})
+	loggerTp := logger.(*loggerT)
+
+	sprintf = makeSprintfErr(t)
+	sprint = makeSprintErr(t)
+	sprintln = makeSprintErr(t)
+
+	// test that printFunc doesn't call the log func on discard loggers
+	// makeLogFuncErr will fail the test if it's called
+	loggerTp.output(infoLog, logFuncStr)
+	loggerTp.output(warningLog, logFuncStr)
+	loggerTp.output(errorLog, logFuncStr)
+
+	sprintf = fmt.Sprintf
+	sprint = fmt.Sprint
+	sprintln = fmt.Sprintln
+}
+
+func TestLoggerV2PrintFuncAllCombinations(t *testing.T) {
+	const (
+		print int = iota
+		printf
+		println
+	)
+
+	type testDiscard struct {
+		discardInf  bool
+		discardWarn bool
+		discardErr  bool
+
+		printType  int
+		formatJSON bool
+	}
+
+	discardName := func(td testDiscard) string {
+		strs := []string{}
+		if td.discardInf {
+			strs = append(strs, "discardInfo")
+		}
+		if td.discardWarn {
+			strs = append(strs, "discardWarn")
+		}
+		if td.discardErr {
+			strs = append(strs, "discardErr")
+		}
+		if len(strs) == 0 {
+			strs = append(strs, "noDiscard")
+		}
+		return strings.Join(strs, " ")
+	}
+	var printName = []string{
+		print:   "print",
+		printf:  "printf",
+		println: "println",
+	}
+	var jsonName = map[bool]string{
+		true:  "json",
+		false: "noJson",
+	}
+
+	discardTests := []testDiscard{}
+	for _, di := range []bool{true, false} {
+		for _, dw := range []bool{true, false} {
+			for _, de := range []bool{true, false} {
+				for _, pt := range []int{print, printf, println} {
+					for _, fj := range []bool{true, false} {
+						discardTests = append(discardTests, testDiscard{discardInf: di, discardWarn: dw, discardErr: de, printType: pt, formatJSON: fj})
+					}
+				}
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	for _, discardTest := range discardTests {
+		testName := fmt.Sprintf("%v %v %v", jsonName[discardTest.formatJSON], printName[discardTest.printType], discardName(discardTest))
+		t.Run(testName, func(t *testing.T) {
+			cfg := LoggerV2Config{FormatJSON: discardTest.formatJSON}
+
+			buffers := []*bytes.Buffer{new(bytes.Buffer), new(bytes.Buffer), new(bytes.Buffer)}
+			writers := []io.Writer{buffers[infoLog], buffers[warningLog], buffers[errorLog]}
+			if discardTest.discardInf {
+				writers[infoLog] = io.Discard
+			}
+			if discardTest.discardWarn {
+				writers[warningLog] = io.Discard
+			}
+			if discardTest.discardErr {
+				writers[errorLog] = io.Discard
+			}
+			logger := NewLoggerV2(writers[infoLog], writers[warningLog], writers[errorLog], cfg)
+
+			msgInf := "someinfo"
+			msgWarn := "somewarn"
+			msgErr := "someerr"
+			if discardTest.printType == print {
+				logger.Info(msgInf)
+				logger.Warning(msgWarn)
+				logger.Error(msgErr)
+			} else if discardTest.printType == printf {
+				logger.Infof("%v", msgInf)
+				logger.Warningf("%v", msgWarn)
+				logger.Errorf("%v", msgErr)
+			} else if discardTest.printType == println {
+				logger.Infoln(msgInf)
+				logger.Warningln(msgWarn)
+				logger.Errorln(msgErr)
+			}
+
+			// verify the test Discard, log type, message, and json arguments were logged as-expected
+
+			checkBufferWasWrittenAsExpected(t, buffers[infoLog], discardTest.discardInf, "info", msgInf, cfg.FormatJSON)
+			checkBufferWasWrittenAsExpected(t, buffers[warningLog], discardTest.discardWarn, "warning", msgWarn, cfg.FormatJSON)
+			checkBufferWasWrittenAsExpected(t, buffers[errorLog], discardTest.discardErr, "error", msgErr, cfg.FormatJSON)
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func TestLoggerV2Fatal(t *testing.T) {
+	const (
+		print   = "print"
+		println = "println"
+		printf  = "printf"
+	)
+	printFuncs := []string{print, println, printf}
+
+	exitCalls := []int{}
+
+	if reflect.ValueOf(exit).Pointer() != reflect.ValueOf(os.Exit).Pointer() {
+		t.Error("got: exit isn't os.Exit, want exit var to be os.Exit")
+	}
+
+	exit = func(code int) {
+		exitCalls = append(exitCalls, code)
+	}
+	defer func() {
+		exit = os.Exit
+	}()
+
+	for _, printFunc := range printFuncs {
+		buffers := []*bytes.Buffer{new(bytes.Buffer), new(bytes.Buffer), new(bytes.Buffer)}
+		logger := NewLoggerV2(buffers[infoLog], buffers[warningLog], buffers[errorLog], LoggerV2Config{})
+		switch printFunc {
+		case print:
+			logger.Fatal("fatal")
+		case println:
+			logger.Fatalln("fatalln")
+		case printf:
+			logger.Fatalf("fatalf %d", 42)
+		default:
+			t.Errorf("unknown print type '%v'", printFunc)
+		}
+
+		checkBufferWasWrittenAsExpected(t, buffers[errorLog], false, "fatal", "fatal", false)
+		if len(exitCalls) == 0 {
+			t.Error("got: no exit call, want fatal log to call exit")
+		}
+		exitCalls = []int{}
 	}
-	return nil
 }