diff --git a/persistent/ChangeLog.md b/persistent/ChangeLog.md
index ceb25f41a..7e3d9902c 100644
--- a/persistent/ChangeLog.md
+++ b/persistent/ChangeLog.md
@@ -1,5 +1,12 @@
 # Changelog for persistent
 
+## Unreleased
+
+* [#1541](https://github.com/yesodweb/persistent/pull/1541)
+    * `toPersistValueJSON` now uses `ToJSON`’s `toEncoding` instead of
+      `toJSON`. This provides a performance benefit because Aeson no
+      longer needs to construct intermediate `Value`s.
+
 ## 2.14.6.1
 
 * [#1528](https://github.com/yesodweb/persistent/pull/1528)
diff --git a/persistent/Database/Persist/Class/PersistEntity.hs b/persistent/Database/Persist/Class/PersistEntity.hs
index 81d019339..58f47deb9 100644
--- a/persistent/Database/Persist/Class/PersistEntity.hs
+++ b/persistent/Database/Persist/Class/PersistEntity.hs
@@ -53,9 +53,10 @@ import Data.Aeson
        , (.=)
        )
 import qualified Data.Aeson.Parser as AP
-import Data.Aeson.Text (encodeToTextBuilder)
+import Data.Aeson.Encoding (encodingToLazyByteString)
 import Data.Aeson.Types (Parser, Result(Error, Success))
 import Data.Attoparsec.ByteString (parseOnly)
+import qualified Data.ByteString as B
 import Data.Functor.Identity
 import Web.PathPieces (PathMultiPiece(..), PathPiece(..))
 
@@ -71,8 +72,6 @@ import Data.Maybe (isJust)
 import Data.Text (Text)
 import qualified Data.Text as T
 import qualified Data.Text.Encoding as TE
-import qualified Data.Text.Lazy as LT
-import qualified Data.Text.Lazy.Builder as TB
 import GHC.Generics
 import GHC.OverloadedLabels
 import GHC.TypeLits
@@ -452,7 +451,7 @@ idField = "_id"
 --   toPersistValue = toPersistValueJSON
 -- @
 toPersistValueJSON :: ToJSON a => a -> PersistValue
-toPersistValueJSON = PersistText . LT.toStrict . TB.toLazyText . encodeToTextBuilder . toJSON
+toPersistValueJSON = PersistText . LT.toStrict . encodeToLazyText
 
 -- | Convenience function for getting a free 'PersistField' instance
 -- from a type with JSON instances. The JSON parser used will accept JSON