diff --git a/pkg/ccl/kvccl/kvfollowerreadsccl/followerreads.go b/pkg/ccl/kvccl/kvfollowerreadsccl/followerreads.go
index 1bb28b69a566..11dc1a6c3578 100644
--- a/pkg/ccl/kvccl/kvfollowerreadsccl/followerreads.go
+++ b/pkg/ccl/kvccl/kvfollowerreadsccl/followerreads.go
@@ -77,16 +77,26 @@ func getGlobalReadsLead(clock *hlc.Clock) time.Duration {
 	return clock.MaxOffset()
 }
 
+// checkEnterpriseEnabled checks whether the enterprise feature for follower
+// reads is enabled, returning a detailed error if not. It is not suitable for
+// use in hot paths since a new error may be instantiated on each call.
 func checkEnterpriseEnabled(clusterID uuid.UUID, st *cluster.Settings) error {
 	org := sql.ClusterOrganization.Get(&st.SV)
 	return utilccl.CheckEnterpriseEnabled(st, clusterID, org, "follower reads")
 }
 
+// isEnterpriseEnabled is faster than checkEnterpriseEnabled, and suitable
+// for hot paths.
+func isEnterpriseEnabled(clusterID uuid.UUID, st *cluster.Settings) bool {
+	org := sql.ClusterOrganization.Get(&st.SV)
+	return utilccl.IsEnterpriseEnabled(st, clusterID, org, "follower reads")
+}
+
 func checkFollowerReadsEnabled(clusterID uuid.UUID, st *cluster.Settings) bool {
 	if !kvserver.FollowerReadsEnabled.Get(&st.SV) {
 		return false
 	}
-	return checkEnterpriseEnabled(clusterID, st) == nil
+	return isEnterpriseEnabled(clusterID, st)
 }
 
 func evalFollowerReadOffset(clusterID uuid.UUID, st *cluster.Settings) (time.Duration, error) {
diff --git a/pkg/ccl/utilccl/license_check.go b/pkg/ccl/utilccl/license_check.go
index b3e27afd149c..d2c494f7ac34 100644
--- a/pkg/ccl/utilccl/license_check.go
+++ b/pkg/ccl/utilccl/license_check.go
@@ -57,6 +57,11 @@ const (
 	testingEnterpriseEnabled  = 1
 )
 
+// errEnterpriseRequired is returned by check() when the caller does
+// not request detailed errors.
+var errEnterpriseRequired = pgerror.New(pgcode.CCLValidLicenseRequired,
+	"a valid enterprise license is required")
+
 // TestingEnableEnterprise allows overriding the license check in tests.
 func TestingEnableEnterprise() func() {
 	before := atomic.LoadInt32(&testingEnterprise)
@@ -78,11 +83,21 @@ func TestingDisableEnterprise() func() {
 // CheckEnterpriseEnabled returns a non-nil error if the requested enterprise
 // feature is not enabled, including information or a link explaining how to
 // enable it.
+//
+// This should not be used in hot paths, since an unavailable feature will
+// result in a new error being instantiated for every call -- use
+// IsEnterpriseEnabled() instead.
 func CheckEnterpriseEnabled(st *cluster.Settings, cluster uuid.UUID, org, feature string) error {
-	if atomic.LoadInt32(&testingEnterprise) == testingEnterpriseEnabled {
-		return nil
-	}
-	return checkEnterpriseEnabledAt(st, timeutil.Now(), cluster, org, feature)
+	return checkEnterpriseEnabledAt(st, timeutil.Now(), cluster, org, feature, true /* withDetails */)
+}
+
+// IsEnterpriseEnabled returns whether the requested enterprise feature is
+// enabled. It is faster than CheckEnterpriseEnabled, since it does not return
+// details about why the feature is unavailable, and can therefore be used in
+// hot paths.
+func IsEnterpriseEnabled(st *cluster.Settings, cluster uuid.UUID, org, feature string) bool {
+	return checkEnterpriseEnabledAt(
+		st, timeutil.Now(), cluster, org, feature, false /* withDetails */) == nil
 }
 
 func init() {
@@ -114,8 +129,11 @@ func TimeToEnterpriseLicenseExpiry(
 }
 
 func checkEnterpriseEnabledAt(
-	st *cluster.Settings, at time.Time, cluster uuid.UUID, org, feature string,
+	st *cluster.Settings, at time.Time, cluster uuid.UUID, org, feature string, withDetails bool,
 ) error {
+	if atomic.LoadInt32(&testingEnterprise) == testingEnterpriseEnabled {
+		return nil
+	}
 	var lic *licenseccl.License
 	// FIXME(tschottdorf): see whether it makes sense to cache the decoded
 	// license.
@@ -125,7 +143,7 @@ func checkEnterpriseEnabledAt(
 			return err
 		}
 	}
-	return check(lic, at, cluster, org, feature)
+	return check(lic, at, cluster, org, feature, withDetails)
 }
 
 func getLicenseType(st *cluster.Settings) (string, error) {
@@ -149,9 +167,15 @@ func decode(s string) (*licenseccl.License, error) {
 	return lic, err
 }
 
-// check returns an error if the license is empty or not currently valid.
-func check(l *licenseccl.License, at time.Time, cluster uuid.UUID, org, feature string) error {
+// check returns an error if the license is empty or not currently valid. If
+// withDetails is false, a generic error message is returned for performance.
+func check(
+	l *licenseccl.License, at time.Time, cluster uuid.UUID, org, feature string, withDetails bool,
+) error {
 	if l == nil {
+		if !withDetails {
+			return errEnterpriseRequired
+		}
 		// TODO(dt): link to some stable URL that then redirects to a helpful page
 		// that explains what to do here.
 		link := "https://cockroachlabs.com/pricing?cluster="
@@ -168,6 +192,9 @@ func check(l *licenseccl.License, at time.Time, cluster uuid.UUID, org, feature
 	// suddenly throwing errors at them.
 	if l.ValidUntilUnixSec > 0 && l.Type != licenseccl.License_Enterprise {
 		if expiration := timeutil.Unix(l.ValidUntilUnixSec, 0); at.After(expiration) {
+			if !withDetails {
+				return errEnterpriseRequired
+			}
 			licensePrefix := redact.SafeString("")
 			switch l.Type {
 			case licenseccl.License_NonCommercial:
@@ -190,6 +217,9 @@ func check(l *licenseccl.License, at time.Time, cluster uuid.UUID, org, feature
 		if strings.EqualFold(l.OrganizationName, org) {
 			return nil
 		}
+		if !withDetails {
+			return errEnterpriseRequired
+		}
 		return pgerror.Newf(pgcode.CCLValidLicenseRequired,
 			"license valid only for %q", l.OrganizationName)
 	}
@@ -201,6 +231,9 @@ func check(l *licenseccl.License, at time.Time, cluster uuid.UUID, org, feature
 	}
 
 	// no match, so compose an error message.
+	if !withDetails {
+		return errEnterpriseRequired
+	}
 	var matches bytes.Buffer
 	for i, c := range l.ClusterID {
 		if i > 0 {