diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/spark/Executor.scala b/core/src/main/scala/spark/Executor.scala
index c795b6c351..c8cb730d14 100644
--- a/core/src/main/scala/spark/Executor.scala
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/spark/Executor.scala
@@ -37,17 +37,17 @@ class Executor extends org.apache.mesos.Executor with Logging {
 
     // Make sure an appropriate class loader is set for remote actors
     RemoteActor.classLoader = getClass.getClassLoader
-
+    
+    // Create our ClassLoader (using spark properties) and set it on this thread
+    classLoader = createClassLoader()
+    Thread.currentThread.setContextClassLoader(classLoader)
+    
     // Initialize Spark environment (using system properties read above)
     env = SparkEnv.createFromSystemProperties(false)
     SparkEnv.set(env)
     // Old stuff that isn't yet using env
     Broadcast.initialize(false)
     
-    // Create our ClassLoader (using spark properties) and set it on this thread
-    classLoader = createClassLoader()
-    Thread.currentThread.setContextClassLoader(classLoader)
-    
     // Start worker thread pool
     threadPool = new ThreadPoolExecutor(
         1, 128, 600, TimeUnit.SECONDS, new SynchronousQueue[Runnable])
diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/spark/SparkEnv.scala b/core/src/main/scala/spark/SparkEnv.scala
index cd752f8b65..7e07811c90 100644
--- a/core/src/main/scala/spark/SparkEnv.scala
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/spark/SparkEnv.scala
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ object SparkEnv {
     val cache = Class.forName(cacheClass).newInstance().asInstanceOf[Cache]
     
     val serializerClass = System.getProperty("spark.serializer", "spark.JavaSerializer")
-    val serializer = Class.forName(serializerClass).newInstance().asInstanceOf[Serializer]
+    val serializer = Class.forName(serializerClass, true, Thread.currentThread.getContextClassLoader).newInstance().asInstanceOf[Serializer]
 
     val closureSerializerClass =
       System.getProperty("spark.closure.serializer", "spark.JavaSerializer")