diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/springframework/ws/soap/saaj/support/SaajUtils.java b/core/src/main/java/org/springframework/ws/soap/saaj/support/SaajUtils.java
index 41cf8085..b3bc484d 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/springframework/ws/soap/saaj/support/SaajUtils.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/springframework/ws/soap/saaj/support/SaajUtils.java
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ import javax.xml.soap.SOAPMessage;
 
 import org.springframework.core.io.Resource;
 import org.springframework.util.Assert;
+import org.springframework.util.ClassUtils;
 import org.springframework.util.StringUtils;
 import org.springframework.xml.namespace.QNameUtils;
 import org.w3c.dom.Element;
@@ -56,7 +57,7 @@ public abstract class SaajUtils {
 
     static {
         try {
-            Class.forName(SAAJ_13_CLASS_NAME);
+            ClassUtils.forName(SAAJ_13_CLASS_NAME);
             saajVersion = SAAJ_13;
         }
         catch (ClassNotFoundException ex) {
diff --git a/oxm/src/main/java/org/springframework/oxm/jaxb/JaxbUtils.java b/oxm/src/main/java/org/springframework/oxm/jaxb/JaxbUtils.java
index e117115e..9e269934 100644
--- a/oxm/src/main/java/org/springframework/oxm/jaxb/JaxbUtils.java
+++ b/oxm/src/main/java/org/springframework/oxm/jaxb/JaxbUtils.java
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import javax.xml.bind.UnmarshalException;
 import javax.xml.bind.ValidationException;
 
 import org.springframework.oxm.XmlMappingException;
+import org.springframework.util.ClassUtils;
 
 /**
  * Generic utility methods for working with JAXB. Mainly for internal use within the framework.
@@ -39,7 +40,7 @@ public abstract class JaxbUtils {
 
     static {
         try {
-            Class.forName(JAXB_2_CLASS_NAME);
+            ClassUtils.forName(JAXB_2_CLASS_NAME);
             jaxbVersion = JAXB_2;
         }
         catch (ClassNotFoundException ex1) {
diff --git a/xml/src/main/java/org/springframework/xml/JaxpVersion.java b/xml/src/main/java/org/springframework/xml/JaxpVersion.java
index f59127ca..b9d610f6 100644
--- a/xml/src/main/java/org/springframework/xml/JaxpVersion.java
+++ b/xml/src/main/java/org/springframework/xml/JaxpVersion.java
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@
 
 package org.springframework.xml;
 
+import org.springframework.util.ClassUtils;
+
 /**
  * Helper class used to find the current version of JAXP. We cannot depend on the Java version, since JAXP can be
  * upgraded idenpendantly of the Java version.
@@ -45,17 +47,17 @@ public abstract class JaxpVersion {
 
     static {
         try {
-            Class.forName(JAXP_14_CLASS_NAME);
+            ClassUtils.forName(JAXP_14_CLASS_NAME);
             jaxpVersion = JAXP_14;
         }
         catch (ClassNotFoundException ex1) {
             try {
-                Class.forName(JAXP_13_CLASS_NAME);
+                ClassUtils.forName(JAXP_13_CLASS_NAME);
                 jaxpVersion = JAXP_13;
             }
             catch (ClassNotFoundException ex2) {
                 try {
-                    Class.forName(JAXP_11_CLASS_NAME);
+                    ClassUtils.forName(JAXP_11_CLASS_NAME);
                     jaxpVersion = JAXP_11;
                 }
                 catch (ClassNotFoundException ex3) {
@@ -66,7 +68,7 @@ public abstract class JaxpVersion {
     }
 
     /**
-     * Gets the major JAXP version. This means we can do things like if <code>(getJaxpVersion() < JAXP_13)</code>.
+     * Gets the JAXP version. This means we can do things like if <code>(getJaxpVersion() < JAXP_13)</code>.
      *
      * @return a code comparable to the JAXP_XX codes in this class
      * @see #JAXP_10
diff --git a/xml/src/main/java/org/springframework/xml/xpath/XPathExpressionFactory.java b/xml/src/main/java/org/springframework/xml/xpath/XPathExpressionFactory.java
index 837393ef..523871c6 100644
--- a/xml/src/main/java/org/springframework/xml/xpath/XPathExpressionFactory.java
+++ b/xml/src/main/java/org/springframework/xml/xpath/XPathExpressionFactory.java
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import java.util.Map;
 import org.apache.commons.logging.Log;
 import org.apache.commons.logging.LogFactory;
 import org.springframework.util.Assert;
+import org.springframework.util.ClassUtils;
 import org.springframework.xml.JaxpVersion;
 
 /**
@@ -52,7 +53,7 @@ public abstract class XPathExpressionFactory {
             logger.info("JAXP 1.3 available");
         }
         try {
-            Class.forName(JAXEN_CLASS_NAME);
+            ClassUtils.forName(JAXEN_CLASS_NAME);
             jaxenAvailable = true;
             logger.info("Jaxen available");
         }
@@ -60,7 +61,7 @@ public abstract class XPathExpressionFactory {
             jaxenAvailable = false;
         }
         try {
-            Class.forName(XALAN_XPATH_CLASS_NAME);
+            ClassUtils.forName(XALAN_XPATH_CLASS_NAME);
             xalanXPathAvailable = true;
             logger.info("Xalan available");
         }