--- java/org/apache/catalina/core/JreMemoryLeakPreventionListener.java	
+++ java/org/apache/catalina/core/JreMemoryLeakPreventionListener.java	
@@ -151,6 +151,15 @@ 
     public void lifecycleEvent(LifecycleEvent event) {
         // Initialise these classes when Tomcat starts
         if (Lifecycle.BEFORE_INIT_EVENT.equals(event.getType())) {
+
+            ClassLoader loader = Thread.currentThread().getContextClassLoader();
+
+            try
+            {
+                // Use the system classloader as the victim for all this
+                // ClassLoader pinning we're about to do.
+                Thread.currentThread().setContextClassLoader(ClassLoader.getSystemClassLoader());
+
             /*
              * Several components end up calling:
              * sun.awt.AppContext.getAppContext()
@@ -306,7 +315,10 @@ 
                     log.error(sm.getString("jreLeakListener.xmlParseFail"), e);
                 }
             }
+            } finally {
+                Thread.currentThread().setContextClassLoader(loader);
         }
     }
+    }
 
 }