diff --git a/src/org/jgroups/protocols/JDBC_PING.java b/src/org/jgroups/protocols/JDBC_PING.java
index 6ca2e0f989..b11cf75a30 100644
--- a/src/org/jgroups/protocols/JDBC_PING.java
+++ b/src/org/jgroups/protocols/JDBC_PING.java
@@ -271,7 +271,7 @@ protected void loadDriver() {
             return;
         log.debug("Registering JDBC Driver named '%s'", connection_driver);
         try {
-            Class.forName(connection_driver);
+            Util.loadClass(connection_driver, this.getClass().getClassLoader());
         } catch (ClassNotFoundException e) {
             throw new IllegalArgumentException("JDBC Driver required for JDBC_PING "
                         + " protocol could not be loaded: '" + connection_driver + "'");