diff --git a/common/src/main/java/io/netty/util/internal/PlatformDependent.java b/common/src/main/java/io/netty/util/internal/PlatformDependent.java
index d7a8a26218..6a534bcff0 100644
--- a/common/src/main/java/io/netty/util/internal/PlatformDependent.java
+++ b/common/src/main/java/io/netty/util/internal/PlatformDependent.java
@@ -79,8 +79,7 @@ public final class PlatformDependent {
     private static final boolean CAN_ENABLE_TCP_NODELAY_BY_DEFAULT = !isAndroid();
 
     private static final Throwable UNSAFE_UNAVAILABILITY_CAUSE = unsafeUnavailabilityCause0();
-    private static final boolean DIRECT_BUFFER_PREFERRED =
-            UNSAFE_UNAVAILABILITY_CAUSE == null && !SystemPropertyUtil.getBoolean("io.netty.noPreferDirect", false);
+    private static final boolean DIRECT_BUFFER_PREFERRED;
     private static final long MAX_DIRECT_MEMORY = maxDirectMemory0();
 
     private static final int MPSC_CHUNK_SIZE =  1024;
@@ -128,9 +127,6 @@ public final class PlatformDependent {
                 }
             };
         }
-        if (logger.isDebugEnabled()) {
-            logger.debug("-Dio.netty.noPreferDirect: {}", !DIRECT_BUFFER_PREFERRED);
-        }
 
         /*
          * We do not want to log this message if unsafe is explicitly disabled. Do not remove the explicit no unsafe
@@ -190,6 +186,13 @@ public final class PlatformDependent {
         } else {
             CLEANER = NOOP;
         }
+
+        // We should always prefer direct buffers by default if we can use a Cleaner to release direct buffers.
+        DIRECT_BUFFER_PREFERRED = CLEANER != NOOP
+                                  && !SystemPropertyUtil.getBoolean("io.netty.noPreferDirect", false);
+        if (logger.isDebugEnabled()) {
+            logger.debug("-Dio.netty.noPreferDirect: {}", !DIRECT_BUFFER_PREFERRED);
+        }
     }
 
     public static boolean hasDirectBufferNoCleanerConstructor() {