diff --git a/spring-jdbc/src/main/java/org/springframework/jdbc/support/SQLErrorCodeSQLExceptionTranslator.java b/spring-jdbc/src/main/java/org/springframework/jdbc/support/SQLErrorCodeSQLExceptionTranslator.java
index 609f16325f..02943bdebf 100644
--- a/spring-jdbc/src/main/java/org/springframework/jdbc/support/SQLErrorCodeSQLExceptionTranslator.java
+++ b/spring-jdbc/src/main/java/org/springframework/jdbc/support/SQLErrorCodeSQLExceptionTranslator.java
@@ -77,6 +77,9 @@ public class SQLErrorCodeSQLExceptionTranslator extends AbstractFallbackSQLExcep
 	private static final int MESSAGE_SQL_THROWABLE_CONSTRUCTOR = 4;
 	private static final int MESSAGE_SQL_SQLEX_CONSTRUCTOR = 5;
 
+	private static final boolean USER_PROVIDED_ERROR_CODES_FILE_PRESENT =
+			new ClassPathResource(SQLErrorCodesFactory.SQL_ERROR_CODE_OVERRIDE_PATH, SQLErrorCodesFactory.class.getClassLoader()).exists();
+
 
 	/** Error codes used by this translator. */
 	@Nullable
@@ -424,8 +427,7 @@ public class SQLErrorCodeSQLExceptionTranslator extends AbstractFallbackSQLExcep
 	 * in the root of the classpath.
 	 */
 	static boolean hasUserProvidedErrorCodesFile() {
-		return new ClassPathResource(SQLErrorCodesFactory.SQL_ERROR_CODE_OVERRIDE_PATH,
-				SQLErrorCodesFactory.class.getClassLoader()).exists();
+		return USER_PROVIDED_ERROR_CODES_FILE_PRESENT;
 	}
 
 }
diff --git a/spring-jdbc/src/main/java/org/springframework/jdbc/support/SQLErrorCodesFactory.java b/spring-jdbc/src/main/java/org/springframework/jdbc/support/SQLErrorCodesFactory.java
index 45452f0bcd..12e8ba6cc3 100644
--- a/spring-jdbc/src/main/java/org/springframework/jdbc/support/SQLErrorCodesFactory.java
+++ b/spring-jdbc/src/main/java/org/springframework/jdbc/support/SQLErrorCodesFactory.java
@@ -68,14 +68,20 @@ public class SQLErrorCodesFactory {
 
 	/**
 	 * Keep track of a single instance so we can return it to classes that request it.
+	 * Lazily initialized in order to avoid making {@code SQLErrorCodesFactory} constructor
+	 * reachable on native images when not needed.
 	 */
-	private static final SQLErrorCodesFactory instance = new SQLErrorCodesFactory();
+	@Nullable
+	private static SQLErrorCodesFactory instance;
 
 
 	/**
 	 * Return the singleton instance.
 	 */
 	public static SQLErrorCodesFactory getInstance() {
+		if (instance == null) {
+			instance = new SQLErrorCodesFactory();
+		}
 		return instance;
 	}