diff --git a/src/integrant/core.cljc b/src/integrant/core.cljc
index d45dd3a..928964b 100644
--- a/src/integrant/core.cljc
+++ b/src/integrant/core.cljc
@@ -115,7 +115,9 @@
 (defn reflike?
   "Return true if its argument is a ref or a refset."
   [x]
-  (satisfies? RefLike x))
+  ;; satisfies? is slow on the JVM for values that do not implement the protocol
+  #?(:clj  (instance? integrant.core.RefLike x)
+     :cljs (satisfies? RefLike x)))
 
 (defrecord Profile [])
 
diff --git a/test/integrant/core_test.cljc b/test/integrant/core_test.cljc
index dfdbe92..8a3be4b 100644
--- a/test/integrant/core_test.cljc
+++ b/test/integrant/core_test.cljc
@@ -88,6 +88,16 @@
   (is (ig/reflike? (ig/refset ::foo)))
   (is (ig/reflike? (ig/refset [::foo ::bar]))))
 
+(deftest reflike-test
+  (are [x] (not (ig/reflike? x))
+    nil
+    ::foo
+    "foo"
+    {:key ::foo}
+    [(ig/ref ::foo)]
+    (ig/profile :dev 1)
+    (ig/var 'foo)))
+
 (deftest composite-keyword-test
   (let [k (ig/composite-keyword [::a ::b])]
     (is (isa? k ::a))