diff --git a/slf4j-api/src/main/java/org/slf4j/LoggerFactory.java b/slf4j-api/src/main/java/org/slf4j/LoggerFactory.java
index c6cee5db..0dc7a72c 100755
--- a/slf4j-api/src/main/java/org/slf4j/LoggerFactory.java
+++ b/slf4j-api/src/main/java/org/slf4j/LoggerFactory.java
@@ -220,8 +220,8 @@ public final class LoggerFactory {
     /**
      * The value of PROVIDER.getMDCAdapter() can be null while PROVIDER has not yet initialized.
      *
-     * However,
-     *
+     * However, SLF4JServiceProvider implementations are expected to initialize their internal
+     * MDCAdapter field in their constructor or on field declaration.
      */
     private static void earlyBindMDCAdapter() {
         MDCAdapter mdcAdapter = PROVIDER.getMDCAdapter();
diff --git a/slf4j-api/src/main/java/org/slf4j/helpers/SubstituteServiceProvider.java b/slf4j-api/src/main/java/org/slf4j/helpers/SubstituteServiceProvider.java
index 2c59530d..ad03eaef 100755
--- a/slf4j-api/src/main/java/org/slf4j/helpers/SubstituteServiceProvider.java
+++ b/slf4j-api/src/main/java/org/slf4j/helpers/SubstituteServiceProvider.java
@@ -7,8 +7,18 @@ import org.slf4j.spi.SLF4JServiceProvider;
 
 public class SubstituteServiceProvider implements SLF4JServiceProvider {
     private final SubstituteLoggerFactory loggerFactory = new SubstituteLoggerFactory();
-    private final IMarkerFactory markerFactory = new BasicMarkerFactory();
-    private final MDCAdapter mdcAdapter = new BasicMDCAdapter();
+
+    // LoggerFactory expects providers to initialize markerFactory as early as possible.
+    private final IMarkerFactory markerFactory;
+
+    // LoggerFactory expects providers to initialize their MDCAdapter field
+    // as early as possible, preferably at construction time.
+    private final MDCAdapter mdcAdapter;
+
+    public SubstituteServiceProvider() {
+        markerFactory = new BasicMarkerFactory();
+        mdcAdapter = new BasicMDCAdapter();
+    }
 
     @Override
     public ILoggerFactory getLoggerFactory() {
@@ -36,6 +46,5 @@ public class SubstituteServiceProvider implements SLF4JServiceProvider {
 
     @Override
     public void initialize() {
-
     }
 }
diff --git a/slf4j-jdk14/src/main/java/org/slf4j/jul/JULServiceProvider.java b/slf4j-jdk14/src/main/java/org/slf4j/jul/JULServiceProvider.java
index d3d48519..15f492f1 100755
--- a/slf4j-jdk14/src/main/java/org/slf4j/jul/JULServiceProvider.java
+++ b/slf4j-jdk14/src/main/java/org/slf4j/jul/JULServiceProvider.java
@@ -17,8 +17,16 @@ public class JULServiceProvider implements SLF4JServiceProvider {
     public static String REQUESTED_API_VERSION = "2.0.99"; // !final
 
     private ILoggerFactory loggerFactory;
-    private IMarkerFactory markerFactory = new BasicMarkerFactory();
-    private MDCAdapter mdcAdapter = new BasicMDCAdapter();
+    // LoggerFactory expects providers to initialize markerFactory as early as possible.
+    private final IMarkerFactory markerFactory;
+    // LoggerFactory expects providers to initialize their MDCAdapter field
+    // as early as possible, preferably at construction time.
+    private final MDCAdapter mdcAdapter;
+
+    public JULServiceProvider() {
+        markerFactory = new BasicMarkerFactory();
+        mdcAdapter = new BasicMDCAdapter();
+    }
 
     @Override
     public ILoggerFactory getLoggerFactory() {
diff --git a/slf4j-nop/src/main/java/org/slf4j/nop/NOPServiceProvider.java b/slf4j-nop/src/main/java/org/slf4j/nop/NOPServiceProvider.java
index 515cf23b..e4b85c8d 100755
--- a/slf4j-nop/src/main/java/org/slf4j/nop/NOPServiceProvider.java
+++ b/slf4j-nop/src/main/java/org/slf4j/nop/NOPServiceProvider.java
@@ -18,9 +18,18 @@ public class NOPServiceProvider implements SLF4JServiceProvider {
     public static String REQUESTED_API_VERSION = "2.0.99"; // !final
 
     private final ILoggerFactory loggerFactory = new NOPLoggerFactory();
-    private final IMarkerFactory markerFactory = new BasicMarkerFactory();
-    private final MDCAdapter mdcAdapter = new NOPMDCAdapter();
 
+    // LoggerFactory expects providers to initialize markerFactory as early as possible.
+    private final IMarkerFactory markerFactory;
+    
+    // LoggerFactory expects providers to initialize their MDCAdapter field
+    // as early as possible, preferably at construction time.
+    private final MDCAdapter mdcAdapter;
+
+    public NOPServiceProvider() {
+        markerFactory = new BasicMarkerFactory();
+        mdcAdapter = new NOPMDCAdapter();
+    }
     public ILoggerFactory getLoggerFactory() {
         return loggerFactory;
     }
@@ -39,7 +48,6 @@ public class NOPServiceProvider implements SLF4JServiceProvider {
     }
 
     public void initialize() {
-
     }
 
    
diff --git a/slf4j-reload4j/src/main/java/org/slf4j/reload4j/Reload4jServiceProvider.java b/slf4j-reload4j/src/main/java/org/slf4j/reload4j/Reload4jServiceProvider.java
index 170cbd92..b7990085 100644
--- a/slf4j-reload4j/src/main/java/org/slf4j/reload4j/Reload4jServiceProvider.java
+++ b/slf4j-reload4j/src/main/java/org/slf4j/reload4j/Reload4jServiceProvider.java
@@ -19,10 +19,17 @@ public class Reload4jServiceProvider implements SLF4JServiceProvider {
     public static String REQUESTED_API_VERSION = "2.0.99"; // !final
 
     private ILoggerFactory loggerFactory;
-    private IMarkerFactory markerFactory = new BasicMarkerFactory();
-    private MDCAdapter mdcAdapter = new Reload4jMDCAdapter();
+
+    // LoggerFactory expects providers to initialize markerFactory as early as possible.
+    private final IMarkerFactory markerFactory;
+
+    // LoggerFactory expects providers to have a valid MDCAdapter field
+    // as early as possible, preferably at construction time.
+    private final MDCAdapter mdcAdapter;
 
     public Reload4jServiceProvider() {
+        markerFactory = new BasicMarkerFactory();
+        mdcAdapter = new Reload4jMDCAdapter();
         try {
             @SuppressWarnings("unused")
             Level level = Level.TRACE;
diff --git a/slf4j-simple/src/main/java/org/slf4j/simple/SimpleServiceProvider.java b/slf4j-simple/src/main/java/org/slf4j/simple/SimpleServiceProvider.java
index f2462737..a73a4a9a 100755
--- a/slf4j-simple/src/main/java/org/slf4j/simple/SimpleServiceProvider.java
+++ b/slf4j-simple/src/main/java/org/slf4j/simple/SimpleServiceProvider.java
@@ -17,8 +17,16 @@ public class SimpleServiceProvider implements SLF4JServiceProvider {
     public static String REQUESTED_API_VERSION = "2.0.99"; // !final
 
     private ILoggerFactory loggerFactory;
-    private IMarkerFactory  = new BasicMarkerFactory();
-    private MDCAdapter mdcAdapter =  new NOPMDCAdapter();
+    // LoggerFactory expects providers to initialize markerFactory as early as possible.
+    private final IMarkerFactory  markerFactory;
+    // LoggerFactory expects providers to initialize their MDCAdapter field
+    // as early as possible, preferably at construction time.
+    private final MDCAdapter mdcAdapter;
+
+    public SimpleServiceProvider() {
+        markerFactory = new BasicMarkerFactory();
+        mdcAdapter =  new NOPMDCAdapter();
+    }
 
     public ILoggerFactory getLoggerFactory() {
         return loggerFactory;
@@ -42,6 +50,7 @@ public class SimpleServiceProvider implements SLF4JServiceProvider {
     @Override
     public void initialize() {
         loggerFactory = new SimpleLoggerFactory();
+
     }
 
 }