diff -r 2ab55d39fb5b -r 829bf950287e src/hotspot/share/classfile/verifier.hpp
--- a/src/hotspot/share/classfile/verifier.hpp	Wed Mar 13 22:05:09 2019 -0700
+++ b/src/hotspot/share/classfile/verifier.hpp	Thu Mar 14 18:56:25 2019 +0100
@@ -250,6 +250,8 @@
 class ClassVerifier : public StackObj {
  private:
   Thread* _thread;
+
+  Symbol* _previous_symbol;          // cache of the previously looked up symbol
   GrowableArray<Symbol*>* _symbols;  // keep a list of symbols created
 
   Symbol* _exception_type;
@@ -411,12 +413,18 @@
   // created, we can't use a TempNewSymbol.
   Symbol* create_temporary_symbol(const Symbol* s, int begin, int end, TRAPS);
   Symbol* create_temporary_symbol(const char *s, int length, TRAPS);
-
   Symbol* create_temporary_symbol(Symbol* s) {
-    // This version just updates the reference count and saves the symbol to be
-    // dereferenced later.
-    s->increment_refcount();
-    _symbols->push(s);
+    if (s == _previous_symbol) {
+      return s;
+    }
+    if (!s->is_permanent()) {
+      s->increment_refcount();
+      if (_symbols == NULL) {
+        _symbols = new GrowableArray<Symbol*>(50, 0, NULL);
+      }
+      _symbols->push(s);
+    }
+    _previous_symbol = s;
     return s;
   }