diff --git a/core/types/transaction_signing.go b/core/types/transaction_signing.go
index 33522c873..e47fb5367 100644
--- a/core/types/transaction_signing.go
+++ b/core/types/transaction_signing.go
@@ -534,20 +534,28 @@ type CachedSigner struct {
 	cache SenderCache
 }
 
-func WrapWithCachedSigner(signer Signer, cache SenderCache) *CachedSigner {
-	return &CachedSigner{
+func WrapWithCachedSigner(signer Signer, cache SenderCache) CachedSigner {
+	return CachedSigner{
 		Signer: signer,
 		cache:  cache,
 	}
 }
 
+
+func (cs CachedSigner) Equal(s2 Signer) bool {
+	cs2, ok := s2.(CachedSigner)
+	if ok {
+		// unwrap the signer
+		return cs.Signer.Equal(cs2.Signer)
+	}
+	return cs.Signer.Equal(s2)
+}
+
 func (cs CachedSigner) Sender(tx *Transaction) (common.Address, error) {
-	if tx.from.Load() == nil {
-		// try to load the sender from the global cache
-		cached := cs.cache.Get(tx.Hash())
-		if cached != nil && cached.Signer.Equal(cs.Signer) {
-			return cached.From, nil
-		}
+	// try to load the sender from the global cache
+	cached := cs.cache.Get(tx.Hash())
+	if cached != nil && cached.Signer.Equal(cs.Signer) {
+		return cached.From, nil
 	}
 	from, err := cs.Signer.Sender(tx)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/log/format.go b/log/format.go
index baf8fddac..765b423d7 100644
--- a/log/format.go
+++ b/log/format.go
@@ -35,8 +35,16 @@ func PrintOrigins(print bool) {
 	} else {
 		atomic.StoreUint32(&locationEnabled, 0)
 	}
+	if print {
+		stackEnabled.Store(true)
+	}
 }
 
+// stackEnabled is an atomic flag controlling whether the log handler needs
+// to store the callsite stack. This is needed in case any handler wants to
+// print locations (locationEnabled), use vmodule, or print full stacks (BacktraceAt).
+var stackEnabled atomic.Bool
+
 // locationEnabled is an atomic flag controlling whether the terminal formatter
 // should append the log locations too when printing entries.
 var locationEnabled uint32
diff --git a/log/handler_glog.go b/log/handler_glog.go
index 9b1d4efaf..a71b1981b 100644
--- a/log/handler_glog.go
+++ b/log/handler_glog.go
@@ -140,6 +140,10 @@ func (h *GlogHandler) Vmodule(ruleset string) error {
 	h.siteCache = make(map[uintptr]Lvl)
 	atomic.StoreUint32(&h.override, uint32(len(filter)))
 
+	// Enable location storage (globally)
+	if len(h.patterns) > 0 {
+		stackEnabled.Store(true)
+	}
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -173,6 +177,8 @@ func (h *GlogHandler) BacktraceAt(location string) error {
 	h.location = location
 	atomic.StoreUint32(&h.backtrace, uint32(len(location)))
 
+	// Enable location storage (globally)
+	stackEnabled.Store(true)
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/log/logger.go b/log/logger.go
index 276d6969e..2e66d0841 100644
--- a/log/logger.go
+++ b/log/logger.go
@@ -131,19 +131,22 @@ type logger struct {
 }
 
 func (l *logger) write(msg string, lvl Lvl, ctx []interface{}, skip int) {
-	l.h.Log(&Record{
+	record := &Record{
 		Time: time.Now(),
 		Lvl:  lvl,
 		Msg:  msg,
 		Ctx:  newContext(l.ctx, ctx),
-		Call: stack.Caller(skip),
 		KeyNames: RecordKeyNames{
 			Time: timeKey,
 			Msg:  msgKey,
 			Lvl:  lvlKey,
 			Ctx:  ctxKey,
 		},
-	})
+	}
+	if stackEnabled.Load() {
+		record.Call = stack.Caller(skip)
+	}
+	l.h.Log(record)
 }
 
 func (l *logger) New(ctx ...interface{}) Logger {
diff --git a/log/logger_test.go b/log/logger_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2e59b3fdf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/log/logger_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+package log
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"os"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+// TestLoggingWithTrace checks that if BackTraceAt is set, then the
+// gloghandler is capable of spitting out a stacktrace
+func TestLoggingWithTrace(t *testing.T) {
+	defer stackEnabled.Store(stackEnabled.Load())
+	out := new(bytes.Buffer)
+	logger := New()
+	{
+		glog := NewGlogHandler(StreamHandler(out, TerminalFormat(false)))
+		glog.Verbosity(LvlTrace)
+		if err := glog.BacktraceAt("logger_test.go:24"); err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+		logger.SetHandler(glog)
+	}
+	logger.Trace("a message", "foo", "bar") // Will be bumped to INFO
+	have := out.String()
+	if !strings.HasPrefix(have, "INFO") {
+		t.Fatalf("backtraceat should bump level to info: %s", have)
+	}
+	// The timestamp is locale-dependent, so we want to trim that off
+	// "INFO [01-01|00:00:00.000] a messag ..." -> "a messag..."
+	have = strings.Split(have, "]")[1]
+	wantPrefix := " a message\n\ngoroutine"
+	if !strings.HasPrefix(have, wantPrefix) {
+		t.Errorf("\nhave: %q\nwant: %q\n", have, wantPrefix)
+	}
+}
+
+// TestLoggingWithVmodule checks that vmodule works.
+func TestLoggingWithVmodule(t *testing.T) {
+	defer stackEnabled.Store(stackEnabled.Load())
+	out := new(bytes.Buffer)
+	logger := New()
+	{
+		glog := NewGlogHandler(StreamHandler(out, TerminalFormat(false)))
+		glog.Verbosity(LvlCrit)
+		logger.SetHandler(glog)
+		logger.Warn("This should not be seen", "ignored", "true")
+		glog.Vmodule("logger_test.go=5")
+	}
+	logger.Trace("a message", "foo", "bar")
+	have := out.String()
+	// The timestamp is locale-dependent, so we want to trim that off
+	// "INFO [01-01|00:00:00.000] a messag ..." -> "a messag..."
+	have = strings.Split(have, "]")[1]
+	want := " a message                                foo=bar\n"
+	if have != want {
+		t.Errorf("\nhave: %q\nwant: %q\n", have, want)
+	}
+}
+
+func BenchmarkTraceLogging(b *testing.B) {
+	Root().SetHandler(LvlFilterHandler(LvlInfo, StreamHandler(os.Stderr, TerminalFormat(true))))
+	b.ResetTimer()
+	for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
+		Trace("a message", "v", i)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/metrics/counter.go b/metrics/counter.go
index 2f78c90d5..55e1c5954 100644
--- a/metrics/counter.go
+++ b/metrics/counter.go
@@ -38,13 +38,13 @@ func NewCounter() Counter {
 	if !Enabled {
 		return NilCounter{}
 	}
-	return &StandardCounter{0}
+	return &StandardCounter{}
 }
 
 // NewCounterForced constructs a new StandardCounter and returns it no matter if
 // the global switch is enabled or not.
 func NewCounterForced() Counter {
-	return &StandardCounter{0}
+	return &StandardCounter{}
 }
 
 // NewRegisteredCounter constructs and registers a new StandardCounter.
@@ -115,27 +115,27 @@ func (NilCounter) Snapshot() Counter { return NilCounter{} }
 // StandardCounter is the standard implementation of a Counter and uses the
 // sync/atomic package to manage a single int64 value.
 type StandardCounter struct {
-	count int64
+	count atomic.Int64
 }
 
 // Clear sets the counter to zero.
 func (c *StandardCounter) Clear() {
-	atomic.StoreInt64(&c.count, 0)
+	c.count.Store(0)
 }
 
 // Count returns the current count.
 func (c *StandardCounter) Count() int64 {
-	return atomic.LoadInt64(&c.count)
+	return c.count.Load()
 }
 
 // Dec decrements the counter by the given amount.
 func (c *StandardCounter) Dec(i int64) {
-	atomic.AddInt64(&c.count, -i)
+	c.count.Add(-i)
 }
 
 // Inc increments the counter by the given amount.
 func (c *StandardCounter) Inc(i int64) {
-	atomic.AddInt64(&c.count, i)
+	c.count.Add(i)
 }
 
 // Snapshot returns a read-only copy of the counter.
diff --git a/metrics/ewma.go b/metrics/ewma.go
index 039286493..ed95cba19 100644
--- a/metrics/ewma.go
+++ b/metrics/ewma.go
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ func (NilEWMA) Update(n int64) {}
 // of uncounted events and processes them on each tick.  It uses the
 // sync/atomic package to manage uncounted events.
 type StandardEWMA struct {
-	uncounted int64 // /!\ this should be the first member to ensure 64-bit alignment
+	uncounted atomic.Int64
 	alpha     float64
 	rate      float64
 	init      bool
@@ -97,8 +97,8 @@ func (a *StandardEWMA) Snapshot() EWMA {
 // Tick ticks the clock to update the moving average.  It assumes it is called
 // every five seconds.
 func (a *StandardEWMA) Tick() {
-	count := atomic.LoadInt64(&a.uncounted)
-	atomic.AddInt64(&a.uncounted, -count)
+	count := a.uncounted.Load()
+	a.uncounted.Add(-count)
 	instantRate := float64(count) / float64(5*time.Second)
 	a.mutex.Lock()
 	defer a.mutex.Unlock()
@@ -112,5 +112,5 @@ func (a *StandardEWMA) Tick() {
 
 // Update adds n uncounted events.
 func (a *StandardEWMA) Update(n int64) {
-	atomic.AddInt64(&a.uncounted, n)
+	a.uncounted.Add(n)
 }
diff --git a/metrics/gauge.go b/metrics/gauge.go
index b6b2758b0..81137d7f7 100644
--- a/metrics/gauge.go
+++ b/metrics/gauge.go
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ func NewGauge() Gauge {
 	if !Enabled {
 		return NilGauge{}
 	}
-	return &StandardGauge{0}
+	return &StandardGauge{}
 }
 
 // NewRegisteredGauge constructs and registers a new StandardGauge.
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ func (NilGauge) Value() int64 { return 0 }
 // StandardGauge is the standard implementation of a Gauge and uses the
 // sync/atomic package to manage a single int64 value.
 type StandardGauge struct {
-	value int64
+	value atomic.Int64
 }
 
 // Snapshot returns a read-only copy of the gauge.
@@ -111,22 +111,22 @@ func (g *StandardGauge) Snapshot() Gauge {
 
 // Update updates the gauge's value.
 func (g *StandardGauge) Update(v int64) {
-	atomic.StoreInt64(&g.value, v)
+	g.value.Store(v)
 }
 
 // Value returns the gauge's current value.
 func (g *StandardGauge) Value() int64 {
-	return atomic.LoadInt64(&g.value)
+	return g.value.Load()
 }
 
 // Dec decrements the gauge's current value by the given amount.
 func (g *StandardGauge) Dec(i int64) {
-	atomic.AddInt64(&g.value, -i)
+	g.value.Add(-i)
 }
 
 // Inc increments the gauge's current value by the given amount.
 func (g *StandardGauge) Inc(i int64) {
-	atomic.AddInt64(&g.value, i)
+	g.value.Add(i)
 }
 
 // FunctionalGauge returns value from given function
diff --git a/metrics/meter.go b/metrics/meter.go
index 60ae919d0..e8564d6a5 100644
--- a/metrics/meter.go
+++ b/metrics/meter.go
@@ -101,11 +101,7 @@ func NewRegisteredMeterForced(name string, r Registry) Meter {
 
 // MeterSnapshot is a read-only copy of another Meter.
 type MeterSnapshot struct {
-	// WARNING: The `temp` field is accessed atomically.
-	// On 32 bit platforms, only 64-bit aligned fields can be atomic. The struct is
-	// guaranteed to be so aligned, so take advantage of that. For more information,
-	// see https://golang.org/pkg/sync/atomic/#pkg-note-BUG.
-	temp                           int64
+	temp                           atomic.Int64
 	count                          int64
 	rate1, rate5, rate15, rateMean float64
 }
@@ -173,7 +169,7 @@ type StandardMeter struct {
 	snapshot    *MeterSnapshot
 	a1, a5, a15 EWMA
 	startTime   time.Time
-	stopped     uint32
+	stopped     atomic.Bool
 }
 
 func newStandardMeter() *StandardMeter {
@@ -188,8 +184,8 @@ func newStandardMeter() *StandardMeter {
 
 // Stop stops the meter, Mark() will be a no-op if you use it after being stopped.
 func (m *StandardMeter) Stop() {
-	stopped := atomic.SwapUint32(&m.stopped, 1)
-	if stopped != 1 {
+	stopped := m.stopped.Swap(true)
+	if !stopped {
 		arbiter.Lock()
 		delete(arbiter.meters, m)
 		arbiter.Unlock()
@@ -207,7 +203,7 @@ func (m *StandardMeter) Count() int64 {
 
 // Mark records the occurrence of n events.
 func (m *StandardMeter) Mark(n int64) {
-	atomic.AddInt64(&m.snapshot.temp, n)
+	m.snapshot.temp.Add(n)
 }
 
 // Rate1 returns the one-minute moving average rate of events per second.
@@ -241,7 +237,14 @@ func (m *StandardMeter) RateMean() float64 {
 // Snapshot returns a read-only copy of the meter.
 func (m *StandardMeter) Snapshot() Meter {
 	m.lock.RLock()
-	snapshot := *m.snapshot
+	snapshot := MeterSnapshot{
+		count:    m.snapshot.count,
+		rate1:    m.snapshot.rate1,
+		rate5:    m.snapshot.rate5,
+		rate15:   m.snapshot.rate15,
+		rateMean: m.snapshot.rateMean,
+	}
+	snapshot.temp.Store(m.snapshot.temp.Load())
 	m.lock.RUnlock()
 	return &snapshot
 }
@@ -257,7 +260,7 @@ func (m *StandardMeter) updateSnapshot() {
 
 func (m *StandardMeter) updateMeter() {
 	// should only run with write lock held on m.lock
-	n := atomic.SwapInt64(&m.snapshot.temp, 0)
+	n := m.snapshot.temp.Swap(0)
 	m.snapshot.count += n
 	m.a1.Update(n)
 	m.a5.Update(n)