diff --git a/mozilla/js/rhino/src/org/mozilla/javascript/jdk15/VMBridge_jdk15.java b/mozilla/js/rhino/src/org/mozilla/javascript/jdk15/VMBridge_jdk15.java
index 81c2fda9335..6c10b035394 100644
--- a/mozilla/js/rhino/src/org/mozilla/javascript/jdk15/VMBridge_jdk15.java
+++ b/mozilla/js/rhino/src/org/mozilla/javascript/jdk15/VMBridge_jdk15.java
@@ -45,11 +45,17 @@ import org.mozilla.javascript.*;
 
 public class VMBridge_jdk15 extends org.mozilla.javascript.jdk13.VMBridge_jdk13
 {
-    public VMBridge_jdk15() throws SecurityException, NoSuchMethodException {
-        // Just try and see if we can access isVarArgs() on this constructor;
-        // want to fail loading if the method doesn't exist so that we can
-        // load a bridge to an older JDK
-        VMBridge_jdk15.class.getConstructor(new Class[] {}).isVarArgs();
+    public VMBridge_jdk15() throws SecurityException, InstantiationException {
+        try {
+            // Just try and see if we can access the isVarArgs method.
+            // We want to fail loading if the method does not exist
+            // so that we can load a bridge to an older JDK instead.
+            Method.class.getMethod("isVarArgs", (Class[]) null);
+        } catch (NoSuchMethodException e) {
+            // Throw a fittitng exception that is handled by
+            // org.mozilla.javascript.Kit.newInstanceOrNull:
+            throw new InstantiationException(e.getMessage());
+        }
     }
 
     public boolean isVarArgs(Member member) {