diff --git a/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/execution/repository/snapshot/SerializedFlowExecutionSnapshot.java b/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/execution/repository/snapshot/SerializedFlowExecutionSnapshot.java
index a91af8e7..cb0b726d 100644
--- a/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/execution/repository/snapshot/SerializedFlowExecutionSnapshot.java
+++ b/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/execution/repository/snapshot/SerializedFlowExecutionSnapshot.java
@@ -248,7 +248,12 @@ public class SerializedFlowExecutionSnapshot extends FlowExecutionSnapshot imple
 
 		public ConfigurableObjectInputStream(InputStream in, ClassLoader classLoader) throws IOException {
 			super(in);
-			this.classLoader = classLoader;
+			this.classLoader = initClassLoader(classLoader);
+		}
+
+		private static ClassLoader initClassLoader(ClassLoader defaultClassLoader) {
+			ClassLoader result = Thread.currentThread().getContextClassLoader();
+			return result != null ? result : defaultClassLoader;
 		}
 
 		protected Class<?> resolveClass(ObjectStreamClass desc) throws IOException, ClassNotFoundException {