diff --git a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/SpringApplication.java b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/SpringApplication.java
index f87954d8ef..51abb0c7c5 100644
--- a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/SpringApplication.java
+++ b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/SpringApplication.java
@@ -463,7 +463,7 @@ public class SpringApplication {
 	}
 
 	private <T> List<T> getSpringFactoriesInstances(Class<T> type, ArgumentResolver argumentResolver) {
-		return SpringFactoriesLoader.forDefaultResourceLocation(getClassLoader()).load(type, argumentResolver);
+		return SpringFactoriesLoader.forDefaultResourceLocation(getClassLoader(null)).load(type, argumentResolver);
 	}
 
 	private ConfigurableEnvironment getOrCreateEnvironment() {
@@ -713,10 +713,11 @@ public class SpringApplication {
 	 * @return a ClassLoader (never null)
 	 */
 	public ClassLoader getClassLoader() {
-		if (this.resourceLoader != null) {
-			return this.resourceLoader.getClassLoader();
-		}
-		return ClassUtils.getDefaultClassLoader();
+		return getClassLoader(ClassUtils.getDefaultClassLoader());
+	}
+
+	private ClassLoader getClassLoader(ClassLoader fallback) {
+		return (this.resourceLoader != null) ? this.resourceLoader.getClassLoader() : fallback;
 	}
 
 	/**