diff --git a/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/util/ClassUtils.java b/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/util/ClassUtils.java
index e3d55f358f..4bac34884e 100644
--- a/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/util/ClassUtils.java
+++ b/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/util/ClassUtils.java
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ import java.lang.reflect.Constructor;
 import java.lang.reflect.Method;
 import java.lang.reflect.Modifier;
 import java.lang.reflect.Proxy;
-import java.security.AccessControlException;
 import java.util.Arrays;
 import java.util.Collection;
 import java.util.Collections;
@@ -215,7 +214,7 @@ public abstract class ClassUtils {
 
 	/**
 	 * Replacement for {@code Class.forName()} that also returns Class instances
-	 * for primitives (e.g."int") and array class names (e.g. "String[]").
+	 * for primitives (e.g. "int") and array class names (e.g. "String[]").
 	 * Furthermore, it is also capable of resolving inner class names in Java source
 	 * style (e.g. "java.lang.Thread.State" instead of "java.lang.Thread$State").
 	 * @param name the name of the Class
@@ -397,21 +396,27 @@ public abstract class ClassUtils {
 	 */
 	public static boolean isCacheSafe(Class<?> clazz, ClassLoader classLoader) {
 		Assert.notNull(clazz, "Class must not be null");
-		ClassLoader target = clazz.getClassLoader();
-		if (target == null) {
-			return true;
-		}
-		ClassLoader cur = classLoader;
-		if (cur == target) {
-			return true;
-		}
-		while (cur != null) {
-			cur = cur.getParent();
+		try {
+			ClassLoader target = clazz.getClassLoader();
+			if (target == null) {
+				return true;
+			}
+			ClassLoader cur = classLoader;
 			if (cur == target) {
 				return true;
 			}
+			while (cur != null) {
+				cur = cur.getParent();
+				if (cur == target) {
+					return true;
+				}
+			}
+			return false;
+		}
+		catch (SecurityException ex) {
+			// Probably from the system ClassLoader - let's consider it safe.
+			return true;
 		}
-		return false;
 	}
 
 
@@ -800,7 +805,7 @@ public abstract class ClassUtils {
 					return (specificMethod != null ? specificMethod : method);
 				}
 			}
-			catch (AccessControlException ex) {
+			catch (SecurityException ex) {
 				// Security settings are disallowing reflective access; fall back to 'method' below.
 			}
 		}