diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/media/sound/SoundManager.java b/src/java/com/threerings/media/sound/SoundManager.java
index f64dc9de8..521d7c6cd 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/media/sound/SoundManager.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/media/sound/SoundManager.java
@@ -708,7 +708,8 @@ public class SoundManager
             String propPath = key.pkgPath + Sounds.PROP_NAME;
             Properties props = new Properties();
             try {
-                props.load(_rmgr.getResource(propPath + ".properties"));
+                props.load(_rmgr.getClassLoader().getResourceAsStream(
+                               propPath + ".properties"));
             } catch (IOException ioe) {
                 Log.warning("Failed to load sound properties " +
                             "[path=" + propPath + ", error=" + ioe + "].");
diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/resource/ResourceManager.java b/src/java/com/threerings/resource/ResourceManager.java
index 231d15c7a..d2a4a4633 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/resource/ResourceManager.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/resource/ResourceManager.java
@@ -363,6 +363,15 @@ public class ResourceManager
         unpack.start();
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Returns the class loader being used to load resources if/when there
+     * are no resource bundles from which to load them.
+     */
+    public ClassLoader getClassLoader ()
+    {
+        return _loader;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Fetches a resource from the local repository.
      *