diff --git a/benchmarks/micro/bench_custom_payload_guard.py b/benchmarks/micro/bench_custom_payload_guard.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..25e375bf63
--- /dev/null
+++ b/benchmarks/micro/bench_custom_payload_guard.py
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+"""
+Benchmark: guard update_custom_payload calls vs unconditional method calls.
+
+In the common case both query.custom_payload and custom_payload are None,
+so the method calls are pure overhead (enter function, check 'if other:',
+return).  Guarding with a truthiness check at the call site avoids the
+function-call overhead entirely.
+"""
+
+import sys
+import time
+
+ITERS = 5_000_000
+
+
+class FakeMessage:
+    custom_payload = None
+
+    def update_custom_payload(self, other):
+        if other:
+            if not self.custom_payload:
+                self.custom_payload = {}
+            self.custom_payload.update(other)
+
+
+class FakeQuery:
+    custom_payload = None
+
+
+def bench_unconditional(msg, query, custom_payload, n):
+    """Two unconditional method calls (old path)."""
+    t0 = time.perf_counter_ns()
+    for _ in range(n):
+        msg.update_custom_payload(query.custom_payload)
+        msg.update_custom_payload(custom_payload)
+    return (time.perf_counter_ns() - t0) / n
+
+
+def bench_guarded(msg, query, custom_payload, n):
+    """Guarded: skip calls when payloads are None/falsy (new path)."""
+    t0 = time.perf_counter_ns()
+    for _ in range(n):
+        if query.custom_payload:
+            msg.update_custom_payload(query.custom_payload)
+        if custom_payload:
+            msg.update_custom_payload(custom_payload)
+    return (time.perf_counter_ns() - t0) / n
+
+
+def main():
+    print(f"Python {sys.version}\n")
+
+    msg = FakeMessage()
+    query = FakeQuery()
+    custom_payload = None  # common case: no execute_as
+
+    ns_old = bench_unconditional(msg, query, custom_payload, ITERS)
+    ns_new = bench_guarded(msg, query, custom_payload, ITERS)
+    saving = ns_old - ns_new
+    speedup = ns_old / ns_new if ns_new else float('inf')
+
+    print(f"=== update_custom_payload guard ({ITERS:,} iters, common case: both None) ===\n")
+    print(f"  Unconditional calls (old): {ns_old:.1f} ns")
+    print(f"  Guarded calls (new):       {ns_new:.1f} ns")
+    print(f"  Saving: {saving:.1f} ns ({speedup:.2f}x)")
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()
diff --git a/cassandra/cluster.py b/cassandra/cluster.py
index 9eace8810d..750dc1a8c2 100644
--- a/cassandra/cluster.py
+++ b/cassandra/cluster.py
@@ -2751,8 +2751,9 @@ def execute_async(self, query, parameters=None, trace=False, custom_payload=None
             ...     log.exception("Operation failed:")
 
         """
-        custom_payload = custom_payload if custom_payload else {}
         if execute_as:
+            if not custom_payload:
+                custom_payload = {}
             custom_payload[_proxy_execute_key] = execute_as.encode()
 
         future = self._create_response_future(
@@ -3018,8 +3019,13 @@ def _create_response_future(self, query, parameters, trace, custom_payload,
                                    continuous_paging_options)
 
         message.tracing = trace
-        message.update_custom_payload(query.custom_payload)
-        message.update_custom_payload(custom_payload)
+        # Guard: skip method calls when payloads are None (common case).
+        # update_custom_payload() already has an internal 'if other:' guard,
+        # but avoiding the function-call overhead entirely saves ~100-200ns.
+        if query.custom_payload:
+            message.update_custom_payload(query.custom_payload)
+        if custom_payload:
+            message.update_custom_payload(custom_payload)
         message.allow_beta_protocol_version = self.cluster.allow_beta_protocol_version
 
         spec_exec_plan = spec_exec_policy.new_plan(query.keyspace or self.keyspace, query) if query.is_idempotent and spec_exec_policy else None