diff --git a/impl/src/main/java/org/jboss/seam/solder/core/CoreExtension.java b/impl/src/main/java/org/jboss/seam/solder/core/CoreExtension.java
index a8395353..29dd0676 100644
--- a/impl/src/main/java/org/jboss/seam/solder/core/CoreExtension.java
+++ b/impl/src/main/java/org/jboss/seam/solder/core/CoreExtension.java
@@ -61,7 +61,8 @@ public class CoreExtension implements Extension
 
    static final Logger log = Logger.getLogger(CoreExtension.class);
 
-   CoreExtension()
+   //this must be public for the service loader to work properly
+   public CoreExtension()
    {
       this.additionalBeans = new ArrayList<Bean<?>>();
    }