diff --git a/lib/sdk/self.js b/lib/sdk/self.js
index 58a2bacc5..c720be890 100644
--- a/lib/sdk/self.js
+++ b/lib/sdk/self.js
@@ -29,12 +29,11 @@ exports.name = name;
 exports.loadReason = loadReason;
 exports.version = version;
 // If `rootURI` is jar:file://...!/ than add-on is packed.
-exports.packed = rootURI.indexOf('jar:') === 0
+exports.packed = (rootURI || '').indexOf('jar:') === 0;
 exports.data = Object.freeze({
   url: uri,
   load: function read(path) {
     return readURISync(uri(path));
   }
 });
-exports.isPrivateBrowsingSupported = ((metadata.permissions || {})['private-browsing'] === true) ?
-                                     true : false;
+exports.isPrivateBrowsingSupported = ((metadata || {}).permissions || {})['private-browsing'] === true;
diff --git a/test/fixtures/loader/self/main.js b/test/fixtures/loader/self/main.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ab2b159da
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/loader/self/main.js
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+/* This Source Code Form is subject to the terms of the Mozilla Public
+ * License, v. 2.0. If a copy of the MPL was not distributed with this
+ * file, You can obtain one at http://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/. */
+
+"use strict";
+
+var self = require("sdk/self");
+exports.self = self;
diff --git a/test/test-self.js b/test/test-self.js
index 47b00fe77..0170a27f3 100644
--- a/test/test-self.js
+++ b/test/test-self.js
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@
 const { Cc, Ci, Cu, Cm, components } = require("chrome");
 const xulApp = require("sdk/system/xul-app");
 const self = require("sdk/self");
+const { Loader, main, unload } = require("toolkit/loader");
+const loaderOptions = require("@loader/options");
 
 const { AddonManager } = Cu.import("resource://gre/modules/AddonManager.jsm", {});
 
@@ -59,4 +61,19 @@ exports.testSelfID = function(assert, done) {
   });
 }
 
+exports.testSelfHandlesLackingLoaderOptions = function (assert) {
+  let root = module.uri.substr(0, module.uri.lastIndexOf('/'));
+  let uri = root + '/fixtures/loader/self/';
+  let sdkPath = loaderOptions.paths[''] + 'sdk';
+  let loader = Loader({ paths: { '': uri, 'sdk': sdkPath }});
+  let program = main(loader, 'main');
+  let self = program.self;
+  assert.pass("No errors thrown when including sdk/self without loader options");
+  assert.equal(self.isPrivateBrowsingSupported, false,
+    "safely checks sdk/self.isPrivateBrowsingSupported");
+  assert.equal(self.packed, false,
+    "safely checks sdk/self.packed");
+  unload(loader);
+};
+
 require("sdk/test").run(exports);