diff --git a/modules/kobalt-plugin-api/src/main/kotlin/com/beust/kobalt/internal/KobaltPluginXml.kt b/modules/kobalt-plugin-api/src/main/kotlin/com/beust/kobalt/internal/KobaltPluginXml.kt
index 2b36f2e7..396b4c41 100644
--- a/modules/kobalt-plugin-api/src/main/kotlin/com/beust/kobalt/internal/KobaltPluginXml.kt
+++ b/modules/kobalt-plugin-api/src/main/kotlin/com/beust/kobalt/internal/KobaltPluginXml.kt
@@ -172,9 +172,8 @@ class PluginInfo(val xml: KobaltPluginXml, val pluginClassLoader: ClassLoader?,
             }
 
             val result = loadClass(className, classLoader)
-                    ?: Class.forName(className)
                     ?: loadClass(className, pluginClassLoader)
-                    ?: throw ClassNotFoundException(className)
+                    ?: Class.forName(className)
 
             return result
         }