diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/compilers/CompilerAdapterFactory.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/compilers/CompilerAdapterFactory.java
index 70bff2668..29e4e61eb 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/compilers/CompilerAdapterFactory.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/compilers/CompilerAdapterFactory.java
@@ -140,8 +140,11 @@ public class CompilerAdapterFactory {
             return true;
         } catch (ClassNotFoundException cnfe) {
             try {
-                CompilerAdapterFactory.class.getClassLoader().loadClass(MODERN_COMPILER);
-                return true;
+                ClassLoader cl = CompilerAdapterFactory.class.getClassLoader();
+                if (cl != null) {
+                    cl.loadClass(MODERN_COMPILER);
+                    return true;
+                }
             } catch (ClassNotFoundException cnfe2) {
             }
         }
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/types/selectors/modifiedselector/ModifiedSelector.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/types/selectors/modifiedselector/ModifiedSelector.java
index c57d2a4ca..4f0f71bd4 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/types/selectors/modifiedselector/ModifiedSelector.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/types/selectors/modifiedselector/ModifiedSelector.java
@@ -487,7 +487,15 @@ public class ModifiedSelector extends BaseExtendSelector implements BuildListene
     protected Object loadClass(String classname, String msg, Class type) {
         try {
             // load the specified class
-            Object rv = getClassLoader().loadClass(classname).newInstance();
+            ClassLoader cl = getClassLoader();
+            Class clazz = null;
+            if (cl != null) {
+                clazz = cl.loadClass(classname);
+            } else {
+                clazz = Class.forName(classname);
+            }
+            
+            Object rv = clazz.newInstance();
 
             if (!type.isInstance(rv)) {
                 throw new BuildException("Specified class (" + classname + ") " + msg);