diff --git a/java/external/src/javax/xml/parsers/FactoryFinder.java b/java/external/src/javax/xml/parsers/FactoryFinder.java
index 26147c7..a41ac66 100644
--- a/java/external/src/javax/xml/parsers/FactoryFinder.java
+++ b/java/external/src/javax/xml/parsers/FactoryFinder.java
@@ -105,7 +105,12 @@ class FactoryFinder {
                     if (doFallback) {
                         // Fall back to current classloader
                         cl = FactoryFinder.class.getClassLoader();
-                        providerClass = cl.loadClass(className);
+                        if (cl != null) {
+                            providerClass = cl.loadClass(className);
+                        }
+                        else {
+                            providerClass = Class.forName(className);
+                        }
                     } else {
                         throw x;
                     }
diff --git a/java/external/src/javax/xml/transform/FactoryFinder.java b/java/external/src/javax/xml/transform/FactoryFinder.java
index 1c9f5a8..c7542c2 100644
--- a/java/external/src/javax/xml/transform/FactoryFinder.java
+++ b/java/external/src/javax/xml/transform/FactoryFinder.java
@@ -105,7 +105,12 @@ class FactoryFinder {
                     if (doFallback) {
                         // Fall back to current classloader
                         cl = FactoryFinder.class.getClassLoader();
-                        providerClass = cl.loadClass(className);
+                        if (cl != null) {
+                            providerClass = cl.loadClass(className);
+                        }
+                        else {
+                            providerClass = Class.forName(className);
+                        }
                     } else {
                         throw x;
                     }