diff --git a/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/impl/AbstractMeta.java b/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/impl/AbstractMeta.java
index 9142f42989..b03cc7e98e 100644
--- a/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/impl/AbstractMeta.java
+++ b/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/impl/AbstractMeta.java
@@ -306,4 +306,9 @@ abstract class AbstractMeta extends AbstractScope implements Meta, Serializable
     public /* non-final */ InformationSchema informationSchema() {
         return InformationSchemaExport.exportCatalogs(configuration(), getCatalogs());
     }
+
+    @Override
+    public String toString() {
+        return ddl().toString();
+    }
 }
diff --git a/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/impl/MetaImpl.java b/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/impl/MetaImpl.java
index f91d5a390e..1288cab10d 100644
--- a/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/impl/MetaImpl.java
+++ b/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/impl/MetaImpl.java
@@ -940,4 +940,10 @@ final class MetaImpl extends AbstractMeta {
                 return DSL.constraint(getName()).unique(getFieldsArray());
         }
     }
+
+    @Override
+    public String toString() {
+        // [#9428] Prevent long running toString() calls
+        return "MetaImpl";
+    }
 }