diff --git a/engine/src/main/java/org/hibernate/validator/messageinterpolation/ResourceBundleMessageInterpolator.java b/engine/src/main/java/org/hibernate/validator/messageinterpolation/ResourceBundleMessageInterpolator.java
index 6f327516f0..94f48e4cb0 100644
--- a/engine/src/main/java/org/hibernate/validator/messageinterpolation/ResourceBundleMessageInterpolator.java
+++ b/engine/src/main/java/org/hibernate/validator/messageinterpolation/ResourceBundleMessageInterpolator.java
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@
  */
 package org.hibernate.validator.messageinterpolation;
 
+import java.security.AccessController;
+import java.security.PrivilegedAction;
 import java.util.Locale;
 
 import javax.el.ExpressionFactory;
@@ -13,6 +15,8 @@
 import org.hibernate.validator.internal.engine.messageinterpolation.InterpolationTerm;
 import org.hibernate.validator.internal.util.logging.Log;
 import org.hibernate.validator.internal.util.logging.LoggerFactory;
+import org.hibernate.validator.internal.util.privilegedactions.GetClassLoader;
+import org.hibernate.validator.internal.util.privilegedactions.SetContextClassLoader;
 import org.hibernate.validator.spi.resourceloading.ResourceBundleLocator;
 
 /**
@@ -70,13 +74,45 @@ public String interpolate(Context context, Locale locale, String term) {
 		return expression.interpolate( context );
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * The javax.el FactoryFinder uses the TCCL to load the {@link ExpressionFactory} implementation so we need to be
+	 * extra careful when initializing it.
+	 *
+	 * @return the {@link ExpressionFactory}
+	 */
 	private static ExpressionFactory buildExpressionFactory() {
+		// First, we try to load the instance from the TCCL.
 		try {
 			return ExpressionFactory.newInstance();
 		}
+		catch (Throwable e) {
+			// we ignore the error in this case as we will try the Hibernate Validator class loader.
+		}
+
+		// Then we try the Hibernate Validator class loader. In a fully-functional modular environment such as
+		// WildFly or Jigsaw, it is the way to go.
+		final ClassLoader originalContextClassLoader = run( GetClassLoader.fromContext() );
+
+		try {
+			run( SetContextClassLoader.action( ResourceBundleMessageInterpolator.class.getClassLoader() ) );
+			return ExpressionFactory.newInstance();
+		}
 		catch (Throwable e) {
 			// HV-793 - We fail eagerly in case we have no EL dependencies on the classpath
 			throw LOG.getUnableToInitializeELExpressionFactoryException( e );
 		}
+		finally {
+			run( SetContextClassLoader.action( originalContextClassLoader ) );
+		}
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Runs the given privileged action, using a privileged block if required.
+	 * <p>
+	 * <b>NOTE:</b> This must never be changed into a publicly available method to avoid execution of arbitrary
+	 * privileged actions within HV's protection domain.
+	 */
+	private static <T> T run(PrivilegedAction<T> action) {
+		return System.getSecurityManager() != null ? AccessController.doPrivileged( action ) : action.run();
 	}
 }
diff --git a/osgi/integrationtest/src/test/java/org/hibernate/validator/osgi/integrationtest/OsgiIntegrationTest.java b/osgi/integrationtest/src/test/java/org/hibernate/validator/osgi/integrationtest/OsgiIntegrationTest.java
index db44ac2521..930c69728d 100644
--- a/osgi/integrationtest/src/test/java/org/hibernate/validator/osgi/integrationtest/OsgiIntegrationTest.java
+++ b/osgi/integrationtest/src/test/java/org/hibernate/validator/osgi/integrationtest/OsgiIntegrationTest.java
@@ -108,6 +108,8 @@ public static void setLocaleToEnglish() {
 
 	@Test
 	public void canObtainValidatorFactoryAndPerformValidation() {
+		Thread.currentThread().setContextClassLoader( getClass().getClassLoader() );
+
 		Set<ConstraintViolation<Customer>> constraintViolations = Validation.byDefaultProvider()
 				.providerResolver( new MyValidationProviderResolver() )
 				.configure()
@@ -116,11 +118,13 @@ public void canObtainValidatorFactoryAndPerformValidation() {
 				.validate( new Customer() );
 
 		assertEquals( 1, constraintViolations.size() );
-		assertEquals( "must be greater than or equal to 1", constraintViolations.iterator().next().getMessage() );
+		assertEquals( "must be greater than or equal to 2", constraintViolations.iterator().next().getMessage() );
 	}
 
 	@Test
 	public void canConfigureCustomConstraintValidatorFactoryViaValidationXml() {
+		Thread.currentThread().setContextClassLoader( getClass().getClassLoader() );
+
 		ExampleConstraintValidatorFactory.invocationCounter.set( 0 );
 
 		HibernateValidatorConfiguration configuration = Validation.byProvider( HibernateValidator.class )
@@ -146,6 +150,8 @@ public void canConfigureCustomConstraintValidatorFactoryViaValidationXml() {
 
 	@Test
 	public void canConfigureConstraintViaXmlMapping() {
+		Thread.currentThread().setContextClassLoader( getClass().getClassLoader() );
+
 		Set<ConstraintViolation<Customer>> constraintViolations = Validation.byProvider( HibernateValidator.class )
 				.providerResolver( new MyValidationProviderResolver() )
 				.configure()
@@ -160,6 +166,8 @@ public void canConfigureConstraintViaXmlMapping() {
 
 	@Test
 	public void canConfigureCustomConstraintViaXmlMapping() {
+		Thread.currentThread().setContextClassLoader( getClass().getClassLoader() );
+
 		Set<ConstraintViolation<Order>> constraintViolations = Validation.byProvider( HibernateValidator.class )
 				.providerResolver( new MyValidationProviderResolver() )
 				.configure()
@@ -174,6 +182,8 @@ public void canConfigureCustomConstraintViaXmlMapping() {
 
 	@Test
 	public void canObtainValuesFromValidationMessages() {
+		Thread.currentThread().setContextClassLoader( getClass().getClassLoader() );
+
 		Set<ConstraintViolation<RetailOrder>> constraintViolations = Validation.byProvider( HibernateValidator.class )
 				.providerResolver( new MyValidationProviderResolver() )
 				.configure()