diff --git a/config/src/main/java/com/typesafe/config/ConfigFactory.java b/config/src/main/java/com/typesafe/config/ConfigFactory.java
index c3012db0..31acf3de 100644
--- a/config/src/main/java/com/typesafe/config/ConfigFactory.java
+++ b/config/src/main/java/com/typesafe/config/ConfigFactory.java
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Properties;
 
 import com.typesafe.config.impl.ConfigImpl;
+import com.typesafe.config.impl.ConfigUtil;
 import com.typesafe.config.impl.Parseable;
 
 /**
@@ -173,7 +174,11 @@ public final class ConfigFactory {
      * @return configuration for an application
      */
     public static Config load() {
-        return DefaultConfigHolder.defaultConfig;
+        try {
+            return DefaultConfigHolder.defaultConfig;
+        } catch (ExceptionInInitializerError e) {
+            throw ConfigUtil.extractInitializerError(e);
+        }
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/config/src/main/java/com/typesafe/config/impl/ConfigImpl.java b/config/src/main/java/com/typesafe/config/impl/ConfigImpl.java
index ddb81049..8c016d6f 100644
--- a/config/src/main/java/com/typesafe/config/impl/ConfigImpl.java
+++ b/config/src/main/java/com/typesafe/config/impl/ConfigImpl.java
@@ -305,7 +305,11 @@ public class ConfigImpl {
     }
 
     static ConfigIncluder defaultIncluder() {
-        return DefaultIncluderHolder.defaultIncluder;
+        try {
+            return DefaultIncluderHolder.defaultIncluder;
+        } catch (ExceptionInInitializerError e) {
+            throw ConfigUtil.extractInitializerError(e);
+        }
     }
 
     private static AbstractConfigObject loadSystemProperties() {
@@ -319,7 +323,11 @@ public class ConfigImpl {
     }
 
     static AbstractConfigObject systemPropertiesAsConfigObject() {
-        return SystemPropertiesHolder.systemProperties;
+        try {
+            return SystemPropertiesHolder.systemProperties;
+        } catch (ExceptionInInitializerError e) {
+            throw ConfigUtil.extractInitializerError(e);
+        }
     }
 
     /** For use ONLY by library internals, DO NOT TOUCH not guaranteed ABI */
@@ -351,7 +359,11 @@ public class ConfigImpl {
     }
 
     static AbstractConfigObject envVariablesAsConfigObject() {
-        return EnvVariablesHolder.envVariables;
+        try {
+            return EnvVariablesHolder.envVariables;
+        } catch (ExceptionInInitializerError e) {
+            throw ConfigUtil.extractInitializerError(e);
+        }
     }
 
     /** For use ONLY by library internals, DO NOT TOUCH not guaranteed ABI */
@@ -369,6 +381,10 @@ public class ConfigImpl {
 
     /** For use ONLY by library internals, DO NOT TOUCH not guaranteed ABI */
     public static Config defaultReference() {
-        return ReferenceHolder.referenceConfig;
+        try {
+            return ReferenceHolder.referenceConfig;
+        } catch (ExceptionInInitializerError e) {
+            throw ConfigUtil.extractInitializerError(e);
+        }
     }
 }
diff --git a/config/src/main/java/com/typesafe/config/impl/ConfigUtil.java b/config/src/main/java/com/typesafe/config/impl/ConfigUtil.java
index bfd8f055..c3f0edf5 100644
--- a/config/src/main/java/com/typesafe/config/impl/ConfigUtil.java
+++ b/config/src/main/java/com/typesafe/config/impl/ConfigUtil.java
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
  */
 package com.typesafe.config.impl;
 
+import com.typesafe.config.ConfigException;
+
 
 /** This is public just for the "config" package to use, don't touch it */
 final public class ConfigUtil {
@@ -118,4 +120,14 @@ final public class ConfigUtil {
         }
         return s.substring(start, end);
     }
+
+    /** This is public just for the "config" package to use, don't touch it! */
+    public static ConfigException extractInitializerError(ExceptionInInitializerError e) {
+        Throwable cause = e.getCause();
+        if (cause != null && cause instanceof ConfigException) {
+            return (ConfigException) cause;
+        } else {
+            throw e;
+        }
+    }
 }