diff --git c/kernel/api/src/main/java/org/sakaiproject/memory/api/ehcache.xml w/kernel/api/src/main/java/org/sakaiproject/memory/api/ehcache.xml
index a5e6ee0..9f85845 100644
--- c/kernel/api/src/main/java/org/sakaiproject/memory/api/ehcache.xml
+++ w/kernel/api/src/main/java/org/sakaiproject/memory/api/ehcache.xml
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
                             Optional attribute. A value of 0 means that and Element can live for infinity
         overflowToDisk    - Sets whether elements can overflow to disk when the in-memory cache
                             has reached the maxInMemory limit.
+        statistics        - Sets weather ehcache should collect statistics on the cache.
 
         -->
     <defaultCache
@@ -38,6 +39,7 @@
         timeToIdleSeconds="300"
         timeToLiveSeconds="300"
         overflowToDisk="false"
+        statistics="true"
         />
 
     <!--Predefined caches.  Add your cache configuration settings here.
@@ -60,6 +62,7 @@
                             Optional attribute. A value of 0 means that an Element can live for infinity
         overflowToDisk    - Sets whether elements can overflow to disk when the in-memory cache
                             has reached the maxInMemory limit.
+        statistics        - Sets weather ehcache should collect statistics on the cache.
 
         -->
 
@@ -71,7 +74,9 @@
       eternal="false"
       timeToIdleSeconds="300"
       timeToLiveSeconds="300"
-      overflowToDisk="false" />
+      overflowToDisk="false"
+      statistics="true"
+      />
 
     <cache 
       name="org.hibernate.cache.StandardQueryCache"
@@ -79,7 +84,9 @@
       eternal="false"
       timeToIdleSeconds="300"
       timeToLiveSeconds="300"
-      overflowToDisk="false" />
+      overflowToDisk="false"
+      statistics="true"
+      />
 
 
     <cache 
@@ -88,6 +95,8 @@
       eternal="false"
       timeToIdleSeconds="7200"
       timeToLiveSeconds="7200"
-      overflowToDisk="false" />
+      overflowToDisk="false"
+      statistics="true"
+      />
 
 </ehcache>
diff --git c/kernel/kernel-impl/src/main/java/org/sakaiproject/memory/impl/BasicMemoryService.java w/kernel/kernel-impl/src/main/java/org/sakaiproject/memory/impl/BasicMemoryService.java
index 2e1b556..48c5dbc 100644
--- c/kernel/kernel-impl/src/main/java/org/sakaiproject/memory/impl/BasicMemoryService.java
+++ w/kernel/kernel-impl/src/main/java/org/sakaiproject/memory/impl/BasicMemoryService.java
@@ -266,11 +266,17 @@ public abstract class BasicMemoryService implements MemoryService, Observer
 			final long misses = cache.getStatistics().getCacheMisses();
 			final long total = hits + misses;
 			final long hitRatio = ((total > 0) ? ((100l * hits) / total) : 0);
+			// Even when we're not collecting statistics ehcache knows how
+			// many objects are in the cache
 			buf.append(cache.getName() + ": " + 
-					" count:" + cache.getStatistics().getObjectCount() +
-					" hits:" + hits +
+					" count:" + cache.getStatistics().getObjectCount());
+			if (cache.isStatisticsEnabled()) {
+				buf.append(" hits:" + hits +
 					" misses:" + misses + 
 					" hit%:" + hitRatio);
+			} else {
+				buf.append(" no statistics");
+			}
 			buf.append("\n");
 		}