diff --git a/jdk/src/java.base/share/classes/jdk/internal/jimage/BasicImageReader.java b/jdk/src/java.base/share/classes/jdk/internal/jimage/BasicImageReader.java
index b99b8b3fab9..731f36e786f 100644
--- a/jdk/src/java.base/share/classes/jdk/internal/jimage/BasicImageReader.java
+++ b/jdk/src/java.base/share/classes/jdk/internal/jimage/BasicImageReader.java
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ public class BasicImageReader implements AutoCloseable {
 
         try {
             substrate = ImageNativeSubstrate.openImage(imagePath, byteOrder);
-        } catch (UnsatisfiedLinkError ex) {
+        } catch (UnsatisfiedLinkError | NoClassDefFoundError ex) {
             substrate = ImageJavaSubstrate.openImage(imagePath, byteOrder);
         }