diff --git a/src/main/java/com/threerings/getdown/data/Application.java b/src/main/java/com/threerings/getdown/data/Application.java
index 3d864a1..feb97ac 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/threerings/getdown/data/Application.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/threerings/getdown/data/Application.java
@@ -1048,6 +1048,7 @@ public class Application
         System.setProperty("applet", "true");
 
         try {
+            Thread.currentThread().setContextClassLoader(loader);
             Class<?> appclass = loader.loadClass(_class);
             String[] args = _appargs.toArray(new String[_appargs.size()]);
             Method main;