diff --git a/java/compiler/impl/src/com/intellij/compiler/server/BuildManager.java b/java/compiler/impl/src/com/intellij/compiler/server/BuildManager.java
index 187e48cebf3c..5b3c0b9d1e1b 100644
--- a/java/compiler/impl/src/com/intellij/compiler/server/BuildManager.java
+++ b/java/compiler/impl/src/com/intellij/compiler/server/BuildManager.java
@@ -135,6 +135,7 @@ public class BuildManager implements Disposable {
   private static final String COMPILER_PROCESS_JDK_PROPERTY = "compiler.process.jdk";
   public static final String SYSTEM_ROOT = "compile-server";
   public static final String TEMP_DIR_NAME = "_temp_";
+  private static final String JAVA_EXT_DIRS_PROPERTY = "java.ext.dirs";
   // do not make static in order not to access application on class load
   private final boolean IS_UNIT_TEST_MODE;
   private static final String IWS_EXTENSION = ".iws";
@@ -1163,6 +1164,10 @@ public class BuildManager implements Disposable {
       cmdLine.addParameters(args);
     }
 
+    if (!cmdLine.getParametersList().hasProperty(JAVA_EXT_DIRS_PROPERTY)) {
+      cmdLine.getParametersList().addProperty(JAVA_EXT_DIRS_PROPERTY, "\"\"");
+    }
+
     @SuppressWarnings("UnnecessaryFullyQualifiedName")
     final Class<?> launcherClass = org.jetbrains.jps.cmdline.Launcher.class;