Loading Spring context with specific classloader

Many Spring Context Loader (for example ClassPathXmlApplicationContext ) are subclass of DefaultResourceLoader.

DefaultResourceLoader has a constructor where you can specify the Classloader and also has a setClassLoader method.

So it is your task to find a constructor of the Spring Context Loader you need, where you can specify the classloader, or just create it, and then use the set to set the classloader you want.

    final ClassLoader properClassLoader = YourClass.class.getClassLoader();

    appContext = new ClassPathXmlApplicationContext("application-context.xml") {

        protected void initBeanDefinitionReader(XmlBeanDefinitionReader reader) {
            super.initBeanDefinitionReader(reader);
            reader.setValidationMode(XmlBeanDefinitionReader.VALIDATION_NONE);
            reader.setBeanClassLoader(properClassLoader);
            setClassLoader(properClassLoader);

See here if you are doing this for OSGI purposes: How do I use a Spring bean inside an OSGi bundle?