diff --git a/pmd-java/pom.xml b/pmd-java/pom.xml
index 44275b453b..1b25ad4b65 100644
--- a/pmd-java/pom.xml
+++ b/pmd-java/pom.xml
@@ -248,11 +248,6 @@
         </dependency>
 
         <!-- the following dependencies are there to support typeresolution in test cases -->
-        <dependency>
-            <groupId>org.slf4j</groupId>
-            <artifactId>slf4j-api</artifactId>
-            <scope>test</scope>
-        </dependency>
         <dependency>
             <groupId>org.apache.logging.log4j</groupId>
             <artifactId>log4j-api</artifactId>
diff --git a/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/ast/internal/ImportWrapper.java b/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/ast/internal/ImportWrapper.java
index a16fbae33e..a3b15bd4fe 100644
--- a/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/ast/internal/ImportWrapper.java
+++ b/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/ast/internal/ImportWrapper.java
@@ -12,8 +12,9 @@ import java.util.Collections;
 import java.util.HashSet;
 import java.util.Objects;
 import java.util.Set;
-import java.util.logging.Level;
-import java.util.logging.Logger;
+
+import org.slf4j.Logger;
+import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;
 
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.java.ast.ASTImportDeclaration;
 
@@ -21,7 +22,7 @@ import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.java.ast.ASTImportDeclaration;
  * Helper class to analyze {@link ASTImportDeclaration}s.
  */
 public final class ImportWrapper {
-    private static final Logger LOG = Logger.getLogger(ImportWrapper.class.getName());
+    private static final Logger LOG = LoggerFactory.getLogger(ImportWrapper.class);
 
     private final ASTImportDeclaration node;
     private final String name;
@@ -78,7 +79,7 @@ public final class ImportWrapper {
             return names;
         } catch (LinkageError e) {
             // This is an incomplete classpath, report the missing class
-            LOG.log(Level.FINE, "Possible incomplete auxclasspath: Error while processing imports", e);
+            LOG.debug("Possible incomplete auxclasspath: Error while processing imports", e);
             return Collections.emptySet();
         }
     }
diff --git a/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/internal/JavaAstProcessor.java b/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/internal/JavaAstProcessor.java
index b9c7d32353..f0b87004cf 100644
--- a/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/internal/JavaAstProcessor.java
+++ b/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/internal/JavaAstProcessor.java
@@ -5,10 +5,13 @@
 package net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.java.internal;
 
 import java.util.IdentityHashMap;
+import java.util.Locale;
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.function.Supplier;
-import java.util.logging.Level;
-import java.util.logging.Logger;
+
+import org.slf4j.Logger;
+import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;
+import org.slf4j.event.Level;
 
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.benchmark.TimeTracker;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.benchmark.TimedOperation;
@@ -40,7 +43,7 @@ import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.java.types.internal.infer.TypeInferenceLogger.Ve
  */
 public final class JavaAstProcessor {
 
-    private static final Logger DEFAULT_LOG = Logger.getLogger(JavaAstProcessor.class.getName());
+    private static final Logger DEFAULT_LOG = LoggerFactory.getLogger(JavaAstProcessor.class);
 
     private static final Map<ClassLoader, TypeSystem> TYPE_SYSTEMS = new IdentityHashMap<>();
     private static final Level INFERENCE_LOG_LEVEL;
@@ -49,9 +52,32 @@ public final class JavaAstProcessor {
     static {
         Level level;
         try {
-            level = Level.parse(System.getenv("PMD_DEBUG_LEVEL"));
+            switch (System.getenv("PMD_DEBUG_LEVEL").toLowerCase(Locale.ROOT)) {
+            case "error":
+                level = Level.ERROR;
+                break;
+            case "warn":
+            case "warning":
+                level = Level.WARN;
+                break;
+            case "info":
+                level = Level.INFO;
+                break;
+            case "debug":
+            case "fine":
+            case "finer":
+                level = Level.DEBUG;
+                break;
+            case "trace":
+            case "finest":
+                level = Level.TRACE;
+                break;
+            default:
+                level = null;
+                break;
+            }
         } catch (IllegalArgumentException | NullPointerException ignored) {
-            level = Level.OFF;
+            level = null;
         }
         INFERENCE_LOG_LEVEL = level;
     }
@@ -86,11 +112,10 @@ public final class JavaAstProcessor {
         return unresolvedTypes;
     }
 
-    @SuppressWarnings("PMD.LiteralsFirstInComparisons") // see #3315
     static TypeInferenceLogger defaultTypeInfLogger() {
-        if (Level.FINEST.equals(INFERENCE_LOG_LEVEL)) {
+        if (INFERENCE_LOG_LEVEL == Level.TRACE) {
             return new VerboseLogger(System.err);
-        } else if (Level.FINE.equals(INFERENCE_LOG_LEVEL)) {
+        } else if (INFERENCE_LOG_LEVEL == Level.DEBUG) {
             return new SimpleLogger(System.err);
         } else {
             return TypeInferenceLogger.noop();
diff --git a/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/rule/bestpractices/GuardLogStatementRule.java b/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/rule/bestpractices/GuardLogStatementRule.java
index ac31f9017d..c102432ec3 100644
--- a/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/rule/bestpractices/GuardLogStatementRule.java
+++ b/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/rule/bestpractices/GuardLogStatementRule.java
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Locale;
 import java.util.Map;
-import java.util.logging.Level;
 
 import org.checkerframework.checker.nullness.qual.Nullable;
 
@@ -227,7 +226,7 @@ public class GuardLogStatementRule extends AbstractJavaRulechainRule {
 
     private @Nullable String getJutilLogLevelInFirstArg(ASTMethodCall methodCall) {
         ASTExpression firstArg = methodCall.getArguments().toStream().get(0);
-        if (TypeTestUtil.isA(Level.class, firstArg) && firstArg instanceof ASTNamedReferenceExpr) {
+        if (TypeTestUtil.isA("java.util.logging.Level", firstArg) && firstArg instanceof ASTNamedReferenceExpr) {
             return ((ASTNamedReferenceExpr) firstArg).getName().toLowerCase(Locale.ROOT);
         }
         return null;
diff --git a/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/rule/documentation/CommentRequiredRule.java b/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/rule/documentation/CommentRequiredRule.java
index dfb7f2d8eb..318c97c7c2 100644
--- a/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/rule/documentation/CommentRequiredRule.java
+++ b/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/rule/documentation/CommentRequiredRule.java
@@ -11,7 +11,9 @@ import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Locale;
 import java.util.Map;
-import java.util.logging.Logger;
+
+import org.slf4j.Logger;
+import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;
 
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.RuleContext;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.java.ast.ASTBodyDeclaration;
@@ -35,7 +37,7 @@ import net.sourceforge.pmd.properties.PropertyFactory;
  * @author Brian Remedios
  */
 public class CommentRequiredRule extends AbstractJavaRulechainRule {
-    private static final Logger LOG = Logger.getLogger(CommentRequiredRule.class.getName());
+    private static final Logger LOG = LoggerFactory.getLogger(CommentRequiredRule.class);
 
     // Used to pretty print a message
     private static final Map<String, String> DESCRIPTOR_NAME_TO_COMMENT_TYPE = new HashMap<>();
@@ -101,7 +103,7 @@ public class CommentRequiredRule extends AbstractJavaRulechainRule {
         boolean classCommentRequirementValueOverridden = classCommentRequirementValue != CommentRequirement.Required;
 
         if (headerCommentRequirementValueOverridden && !classCommentRequirementValueOverridden) {
-            LOG.warning("Rule CommentRequired uses deprecated property 'headerCommentRequirement'. "
+            LOG.warn("Rule CommentRequired uses deprecated property 'headerCommentRequirement'. "
                     + "Future versions of PMD will remove support for this property. "
                     + "Please use 'classCommentRequirement' instead!");
             propertyValues.put(CLASS_CMT_REQUIREMENT_DESCRIPTOR, headerCommentRequirementValue);
diff --git a/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/symbols/internal/asm/ParseLock.java b/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/symbols/internal/asm/ParseLock.java
index adf2cd8a92..7869406868 100644
--- a/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/symbols/internal/asm/ParseLock.java
+++ b/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/symbols/internal/asm/ParseLock.java
@@ -4,7 +4,8 @@
 
 package net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.java.symbols.internal.asm;
 
-import java.util.logging.Logger;
+import org.slf4j.Logger;
+import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;
 
 /**
  * A simple double-checked initializer, that parses something (a class,
@@ -13,7 +14,7 @@ import java.util.logging.Logger;
 @SuppressWarnings({"PMD.AvoidUsingVolatile", "PMD.AvoidCatchingThrowable"})
 abstract class ParseLock {
 
-    private static final Logger LOG = Logger.getLogger(ParseLock.class.getName());
+    private static final Logger LOG = LoggerFactory.getLogger(ParseLock.class);
 
     private volatile ParseStatus status = ParseStatus.NOT_PARSED;
 
@@ -36,8 +37,7 @@ abstract class ParseLock {
                     } catch (Throwable t) {
                         status = ParseStatus.FAILED;
                         this.status = status;
-                        LOG.severe(t.toString());
-                        t.printStackTrace();
+                        LOG.error(t.toString(), t);
                         finishParse(true);
                     }
                     assert status.isFinished : "Inconsistent status " + status;
diff --git a/pmd-java/src/test/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/JavaParsingHelper.java b/pmd-java/src/test/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/JavaParsingHelper.java
index 2ce3b7e540..cdc29ad493 100644
--- a/pmd-java/src/test/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/JavaParsingHelper.java
+++ b/pmd-java/src/test/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/JavaParsingHelper.java
@@ -9,12 +9,13 @@ import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
-import java.util.logging.Level;
-import java.util.logging.Logger;
 
 import org.checkerframework.checker.nullness.qual.NonNull;
 import org.jetbrains.annotations.NotNull;
+import org.slf4j.Logger;
+import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;
 
+import net.sourceforge.pmd.internal.Slf4jSimpleConfiguration;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.LanguageVersion;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.LanguageVersionHandler;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.ast.Node;
@@ -99,10 +100,10 @@ public class JavaParsingHelper extends BaseParsingHelper<JavaParsingHelper, ASTC
         }
 
         public TestCheckLogger(boolean doLogOnConsole) {
-            Logger consoleLogger = Logger.getAnonymousLogger();
             if (!doLogOnConsole) {
-                consoleLogger.setLevel(Level.OFF);
+                Slf4jSimpleConfiguration.disableLogging(TestCheckLogger.class);
             }
+            Logger consoleLogger = LoggerFactory.getLogger(TestCheckLogger.class);
             baseLogger = SemanticErrorReporter.reportToLogger(consoleLogger);
         }
 
diff --git a/pmd-java/src/test/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/QuickstartRulesetTest.java b/pmd-java/src/test/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/QuickstartRulesetTest.java
index 209f80b27f..2d0cd9d22c 100644
--- a/pmd-java/src/test/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/QuickstartRulesetTest.java
+++ b/pmd-java/src/test/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/QuickstartRulesetTest.java
@@ -4,11 +4,6 @@
 
 package net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.java;
 
-import java.util.logging.Handler;
-import java.util.logging.LogRecord;
-import java.util.logging.Logger;
-
-import org.junit.After;
 import org.junit.Assert;
 import org.junit.Rule;
 import org.junit.Test;
@@ -22,33 +17,11 @@ public class QuickstartRulesetTest {
     @Rule
     public final SystemErrRule systemErrRule = new SystemErrRule().enableLog().muteForSuccessfulTests();
 
-    @After
-    public void cleanup() {
-        Handler[] handlers = Logger.getLogger(RuleSetLoader.class.getName()).getHandlers();
-        for (Handler handler : handlers) {
-            Logger.getLogger(RuleSetLoader.class.getName()).removeHandler(handler);
-        }
-    }
-
     @Test
     public void noDeprecations() {
-        Logger.getLogger(RuleSetLoader.class.getName()).addHandler(new Handler() {
-            @Override
-            public void publish(LogRecord record) {
-                Assert.fail("No Logging expected: " + record.getMessage());
-            }
-
-            @Override
-            public void flush() {
-            }
-
-            @Override
-            public void close() throws SecurityException {
-            }
-        });
-
         RuleSetLoader ruleSetLoader = new RuleSetLoader().enableCompatibility(false);
         RuleSet quickstart = ruleSetLoader.loadFromResource("rulesets/java/quickstart.xml");
         Assert.assertFalse(quickstart.getRules().isEmpty());
+        Assert.assertTrue(systemErrRule.getLog().isEmpty());
     }
 }