diff --git a/makefile b/makefile
index 01d78bb444..17a577ff08 100644
--- a/makefile
+++ b/makefile
@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
 #MAKEFLAGS = -s
 
-input = $(cls)/Hello.class
-
 build-arch = $(shell uname -m)
 ifeq ($(build-arch),i586)
 	build-arch = i386
@@ -24,12 +22,16 @@ process = interpret
 
 mode = debug
 
-bld = build/$(platform)/$(arch)/$(mode)
-cls = build/classes
+build = build
+native-build = $(build)/$(platform)/$(arch)/$(mode)
+classpath-build = $(build)/classpath
+test-build = $(build)/test
 src = src
 classpath = classpath
 test = test
 
+input = $(test-build)/Hello.class
+
 build-cxx = g++
 build-cc = gcc
 
@@ -44,6 +46,7 @@ vg = nice valgrind --suppressions=valgrind.supp --undef-value-errors=no \
 	--num-callers=32 --db-attach=yes --freelist-vol=100000000
 db = gdb --args
 javac = javac
+zip = zip
 strip = :
 show-size = :
 
@@ -54,8 +57,8 @@ warnings = -Wall -Wextra -Werror -Wunused-parameter \
 	-Winit-self -Wconversion
 
 common-cflags = $(warnings) -fno-rtti -fno-exceptions \
-	-I$(JAVA_HOME)/include -idirafter $(src) -I$(bld) -D__STDC_LIMIT_MACROS \
-	-D_JNI_IMPLEMENTATION_
+	-I$(JAVA_HOME)/include -idirafter $(src) -I$(native-build) \
+	-D__STDC_LIMIT_MACROS -D_JNI_IMPLEMENTATION_
 
 system = posix
 asm = x86
@@ -116,18 +119,18 @@ endif
 
 cpp-objects = $(foreach x,$(1),$(patsubst $(2)/%.cpp,$(3)/%.o,$(x)))
 asm-objects = $(foreach x,$(1),$(patsubst $(2)/%.S,$(3)/%-asm.o,$(x)))
-java-classes = $(foreach x,$(1),$(patsubst $(2)/%.java,$(cls)/%.class,$(x)))
+java-classes = $(foreach x,$(1),$(patsubst $(2)/%.java,$(3)/%.class,$(x)))
 
 jni-sources = $(shell find $(classpath) -name '*.cpp')
-jni-objects = $(call cpp-objects,$(jni-sources),$(classpath),$(bld))
+jni-objects = $(call cpp-objects,$(jni-sources),$(classpath),$(native-build))
 jni-cflags = $(cflags)
 
 generated-code = \
-	$(bld)/type-enums.cpp \
-	$(bld)/type-declarations.cpp \
-	$(bld)/type-constructors.cpp \
-	$(bld)/type-initializations.cpp \
-	$(bld)/type-java-initializations.cpp
+	$(native-build)/type-enums.cpp \
+	$(native-build)/type-declarations.cpp \
+	$(native-build)/type-constructors.cpp \
+	$(native-build)/type-initializations.cpp \
+	$(native-build)/type-java-initializations.cpp
 
 interpreter-depends = \
 	$(generated-code) \
@@ -158,63 +161,67 @@ ifeq ($(process),compile)
 endif
 
 interpreter-cpp-objects = \
-	$(call cpp-objects,$(interpreter-sources),$(src),$(bld))
+	$(call cpp-objects,$(interpreter-sources),$(src),$(native-build))
 interpreter-asm-objects = \
-	$(call asm-objects,$(interpreter-asm-sources),$(src),$(bld))
+	$(call asm-objects,$(interpreter-asm-sources),$(src),$(native-build))
 interpreter-objects = \
 	$(interpreter-cpp-objects) \
 	$(interpreter-asm-objects)
 
 driver-sources = $(src)/main.cpp
 
-driver-objects = $(call cpp-objects,$(driver-sources),$(src),$(bld))
+driver-objects = $(call cpp-objects,$(driver-sources),$(src),$(native-build))
 
 generator-headers = \
 	$(src)/input.h \
 	$(src)/output.h
-generator-sources = \
-	$(src)/type-generator.cpp
-generator-objects = $(call cpp-objects,$(generator-sources),$(src),$(bld))
-generator-executable = $(bld)/generator
+generator-sources = $(src)/type-generator.cpp
+generator-objects = \
+	$(call cpp-objects,$(generator-sources),$(src),$(native-build))
+generator = $(native-build)/generator
 
-archive = $(bld)/libvm.a
-executable = $(bld)/vm
+bin2c-sources = $(src)/bin2c.cpp
+bin2c-objects = $(call cpp-objects,$(bin2c-sources),$(src),$(native-build))
+bin2c = $(native-build)/bin2c
+
+archive = $(native-build)/libvm.a
+interpreter = $(native-build)/vm
 
 classpath-sources = $(shell find $(classpath) -name '*.java')
-classpath-classes = $(call java-classes,$(classpath-sources),$(classpath))
-
-classpath-objects = $(classpath-classes)
+classpath-classes = \
+	$(call java-classes,$(classpath-sources),$(classpath),$(classpath-build))
+classpath-object = $(native-build)/classpath.o
 
 test-sources = $(shell find $(test) -name '*.java')
-test-classes = $(call java-classes,$(test-sources),$(test))
+test-classes = $(call java-classes,$(test-sources),$(test),$(test-build))
 
-class-name = $(patsubst $(cls)/%.class,%,$(1))
+class-name = $(patsubst $(1)/%.class,%,$(2))
 class-names = $(foreach x,$(1),$(call class-name,$(x)))
 
-flags = -cp $(cls)
-args = $(flags) $(call class-name,$(input))
+flags = -cp $(test-build)
+args = $(flags) $(call class-name,$(test-build),$(input))
 
 .PHONY: build
-build: $(executable) $(classpath-objects) $(test-classes)
+build: $(interpreter) $(classpath-classes) $(test-classes)
 
 $(input): $(classpath-classes)
 
 .PHONY: run
 run: build
-	$(executable) $(args)
+	$(interpreter) $(args)
 
 .PHONY: debug
 debug: build
-	gdb --args $(executable) $(args)
+	gdb --args $(interpreter) $(args)
 
 .PHONY: vg
 vg: build
-	$(vg) $(executable) $(args)
+	$(vg) $(interpreter) $(args)
 
 .PHONY: test
 test: build
 	/bin/bash $(test)/test.sh 2>/dev/null \
-		$(executable) $(mode) "$(flags)" $(call class-names,$(test-classes))
+		$(interpreter) $(mode) "$(flags)" $(call class-names,$(test-classes))
 
 .PHONY: clean
 clean:
@@ -223,31 +230,39 @@ clean:
 
 .PHONY: clean-native
 clean-native:
-	@echo "removing $(bld)"
-	rm -rf $(bld)
+	@echo "removing $(native-build)"
+	rm -rf $(native-build)
 
-gen-arg = $(shell echo $(1) | sed -e 's:$(bld)/type-\(.*\)\.cpp:\1:')
-$(generated-code): %.cpp: $(src)/types.def $(generator-executable)
+gen-arg = $(shell echo $(1) | sed -e 's:$(native-build)/type-\(.*\)\.cpp:\1:')
+$(generated-code): %.cpp: $(src)/types.def $(generator)
 	@echo "generating $(@)"
 	@mkdir -p -m 1777 $(dir $(@))
-	$(generator-executable) $(call gen-arg,$(@)) < $(<) > $(@)
+	$(generator) $(call gen-arg,$(@)) < $(<) > $(@)
 
-$(bld)/type-generator.o: \
+$(native-build)/type-generator.o: \
 	$(generator-headers)
 
 define compile-class
 	@echo "compiling $(@)"
 	@mkdir -p -m 1777 $(dir $(@))
 	$(javac) -bootclasspath $(classpath) -classpath $(classpath) \
-		-d $(cls) $(<)
+		-d $(1) $(<)
 	@touch $(@)
 endef
 
-$(cls)/%.class: $(classpath)/%.java
-	$(compile-class)
+$(classpath-build)/%.class: $(classpath)/%.java
+	@echo "compiling $(@)"
+	@mkdir -p -m 1777 $(dir $(@))
+	$(javac) -bootclasspath $(classpath) -classpath $(classpath) \
+		-d $(classpath-build) $(<)
+	@touch $(@)
 
-$(cls)/%.class: $(test)/%.java
-	$(compile-class)
+$(test-build)/%.class: $(test)/%.java
+	@echo "compiling $(@)"
+	@mkdir -p -m 1777 $(dir $(@))
+	$(javac) -bootclasspath $(classpath) -classpath $(classpath) \
+		-d $(test-build) $(<)
+	@touch $(@)
 
 define compile-object
 	@echo "compiling $(@)"
@@ -255,46 +270,66 @@ define compile-object
 	$(cxx) $(cflags) -c $(<) -o $(@)
 endef
 
-$(interpreter-cpp-objects): $(bld)/%.o: $(src)/%.cpp $(interpreter-depends)
+$(interpreter-cpp-objects): \
+		$(native-build)/%.o: $(src)/%.cpp $(interpreter-depends)
 	$(compile-object)
 
-$(interpreter-asm-objects): $(bld)/%-asm.o: $(src)/%.S
+$(interpreter-asm-objects): $(native-build)/%-asm.o: $(src)/%.S
 	$(compile-object)
 
-$(driver-objects): $(bld)/%.o: $(src)/%.cpp
+$(driver-objects): $(native-build)/%.o: $(src)/%.cpp
 	$(compile-object)
 
-$(generator-objects): $(bld)/%.o: $(src)/%.cpp
+$(bin2c-objects): $(native-build)/%.o: $(src)/%.cpp
+	$(compile-object)
+
+$(build)/classpath.zip: $(classpath-classes)
+	echo $(classpath-classes)
+	wd=$$(pwd); \
+	cd $(classpath-build); \
+	$(zip) -q -0 $${wd}/$(@) $$(find -name '*.class'); \
+	cd -
+
+$(build)/classpath.c: $(build)/classpath.zip $(bin2c)
+	$(bin2c) $(<) vmClasspath >$(@)
+
+$(classpath-object): $(build)/classpath.c
+	$(cxx) $(cflags) -c $(<) -o $(@)
+
+$(generator-objects): $(native-build)/%.o: $(src)/%.cpp
 	@echo "compiling $(@)"
 	@mkdir -p -m 1777 $(dir $(@))
 	$(build-cxx) -DPOINTER_SIZE=$(pointer-size) $(cflags) -c $(<) -o $(@)
 
-$(jni-objects): $(bld)/%.o: $(classpath)/%.cpp
+$(jni-objects): $(native-build)/%.o: $(classpath)/%.cpp
 	@echo "compiling $(@)"
 	@mkdir -p -m 1777 $(dir $(@))
 	$(cxx) $(jni-cflags) -c $(<) -o $(@)
 
+$(archive): $(interpreter-objects) $(jni-objects) $(classpath-object)
 ifeq ($(platform),windows)
-$(archive): $(interpreter-objects) $(jni-objects)
 	@echo "creating $(@)"
 	$(dlltool) -z $(@).def $(^)
 	$(dlltool) -k -d $(@).def -e $(@).exp
 	$(ar) cru $(@) $(@).exp $(^)
 	$(ranlib) $(@)
 else
-$(archive): $(interpreter-objects) $(jni-objects)
 	@echo "creating $(@)"
 	$(ar) cru $(@) $(^)
 	$(ranlib) $(@)
 endif
 
-$(executable): $(archive) $(driver-objects)
+$(interpreter): $(archive) $(driver-objects)
 	@echo "linking $(@)"
 	$(cc) $(begin-merge-archive) $(^) $(end-merge-archive) \
 		$(lflags) $(rdynamic) -o $(@)
 	@$(strip) --strip-all $(@)
 	@$(show-size) $(@)
 
-$(generator-executable): $(generator-objects)
+$(generator): $(generator-objects)
+	@echo "linking $(@)"
+	$(build-cc) $(^) -o $(@)
+
+$(bin2c): $(bin2c-objects)
 	@echo "linking $(@)"
 	$(build-cc) $(^) -o $(@)
diff --git a/src/bin2c.cpp b/src/bin2c.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..970b90b0db
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/bin2c.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+#include "stdio.h"
+#include "stdint.h"
+#include "stdlib.h"
+
+namespace {
+
+void
+writeCode(FILE* in, FILE* out, const char* procedure)
+{
+  fprintf(out, "#ifdef __MINGW32__\n");
+  fprintf(out, "#  define EXPORT __declspec(dllexport)\n");
+  fprintf(out, "#else\n");
+  fprintf(out, "#  define EXPORT __attribute__"
+          "((visibility(\"default\")))\n");
+  fprintf(out, "#endif\n\n");
+
+  fprintf(out, "namespace { const unsigned char data[] = {\n");
+
+  const unsigned size = 4096;
+  uint8_t buffer[size];
+  while (not feof(in)) {
+    unsigned c = fread(buffer, 1, size, in);
+    for (unsigned i = 0; i < c; ++i) {
+      fprintf(out, "0x%x,", buffer[i]);
+    }
+  }
+
+  fprintf(out, "}; }\n\n");
+
+  fprintf(out, "extern \"C\" EXPORT const unsigned char*\n");
+  fprintf(out, "%s(unsigned* size)\n", procedure);
+  fprintf(out, "{\n");
+  fprintf(out, "  *size = sizeof(data);\n");
+  fprintf(out, "  return data;\n");
+  fprintf(out, "}\n");
+}
+
+void
+usageAndExit(const char* name)
+{
+  fprintf(stderr, "usage: %s <input file> <procedure name>\n", name);
+  exit(-1);
+}
+
+} // namespace
+
+int
+main(int ac, const char** av)
+{
+  if (ac != 3) {
+    usageAndExit(av[0]);
+  }
+
+  FILE* in = fopen(av[1], "rb");
+  if (in) {
+    writeCode(in, stdout, av[2]);
+    fclose(in);
+  } else {
+    fprintf(stderr, "trouble opening %s\n", av[1]);
+    exit(-1);
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/compile.cpp b/src/compile.cpp
index 0f84841d04..d3b6582911 100644
--- a/src/compile.cpp
+++ b/src/compile.cpp
@@ -4881,7 +4881,10 @@ class MyProcessor: public Processor {
   virtual Thread*
   makeThread(Machine* m, object javaThread, Thread* parent)
   {
-    return new (s->allocate(sizeof(MyThread))) MyThread(m, javaThread, parent);
+    MyThread* t = new (s->allocate(sizeof(Thread)))
+      MyThread(m, javaThread, parent);
+    t->init();
+    return t;
   }
 
   virtual void*
diff --git a/src/finder.cpp b/src/finder.cpp
index c742006da0..0510c0d52d 100644
--- a/src/finder.cpp
+++ b/src/finder.cpp
@@ -325,13 +325,13 @@ class JarIndex {
 class JarElement: public Element {
  public:
   JarElement(System* s, const char* name):
-    s(s), name(name), region(0), index(0)
+    s(s), name(name), index(0)
   { }
 
-  void init() {
+  virtual void init() {
     if (index == 0) {
       System::Region* r;
-      if (s->success(s->map(&r, this->name))) {
+      if (s->success(s->map(&r, name))) {
         region = r;
         index = JarIndex::open(s, r);
       }
@@ -358,6 +358,8 @@ class JarElement: public Element {
     s->free(name);
     if (index) {
       index->dispose();
+    }
+    if (region) {
       region->dispose();
     }
     s->free(this);
@@ -369,6 +371,35 @@ class JarElement: public Element {
   JarIndex* index;
 };
 
+class BuiltinElement: public JarElement {
+ public:
+  BuiltinElement(System* s, const char* name):
+    JarElement(s, name)
+  { }
+
+  virtual void init() {
+    if (index == 0) {
+      System::Library* library;
+      if (s->success(s->load(&library, 0, false, 0))) {
+        void* p = library->resolve(name);
+        if (p) {
+          uint8_t* (*function)(unsigned*);
+          memcpy(&function, &p, BytesPerWord);
+
+          unsigned size;
+          uint8_t* data = function(&size);
+          if (data) {
+            region = new (s->allocate(sizeof(PointerRegion)))
+              PointerRegion(s, data, size);
+            index = JarIndex::open(s, region);
+          }
+        }
+        library->dispose();
+      }
+    }
+  }
+};
+
 Element*
 parsePath(System* s, const char* path)
 {
@@ -403,26 +434,34 @@ parsePath(System* s, const char* path)
   Element* prev = 0;
   for (Tokenizer t(path, s->pathSeparator()); t.hasMore();) {
     Tokenizer::Token token(t.next());
-    char* name = static_cast<char*>(s->allocate(token.length + 1));
-    memcpy(name, token.s, token.length);
-    name[token.length] = 0;
 
     Element* e;
-    switch (s->identify(name)) {
-    case System::File: {
-      e = new (s->allocate(sizeof(JarElement)))
-        JarElement(s, name);
-    } break;
+    if (*token.s == '[' and token.s[token.length - 1] == ']') {
+      char* name = static_cast<char*>(s->allocate(token.length - 1));
+      memcpy(name, token.s + 1, token.length - 1);
+      name[token.length - 2] = 0; 
+  
+      e = new (s->allocate(sizeof(BuiltinElement))) BuiltinElement(s, name);
+    } else {
+      char* name = static_cast<char*>(s->allocate(token.length + 1));
+      memcpy(name, token.s, token.length);
+      name[token.length] = 0;
 
-    case System::Directory: {
-      e = new (s->allocate(sizeof(DirectoryElement)))
-        DirectoryElement(s, name);
-    } break;
+      switch (s->identify(name)) {
+      case System::File: {
+        e = new (s->allocate(sizeof(JarElement))) JarElement(s, name);
+      } break;
 
-    default: {
-      s->free(name);
-      e = 0;
-    } break;
+      case System::Directory: {
+        e = new (s->allocate(sizeof(DirectoryElement)))
+          DirectoryElement(s, name);
+      } break;
+
+      default: {
+        s->free(name);
+        e = 0;
+      } break;
+      }
     }
 
     if (e) {
diff --git a/src/interpret.cpp b/src/interpret.cpp
index 4aa2b747e5..50ed9f9677 100644
--- a/src/interpret.cpp
+++ b/src/interpret.cpp
@@ -2870,7 +2870,10 @@ class MyProcessor: public Processor {
   virtual vm::Thread*
   makeThread(Machine* m, object javaThread, vm::Thread* parent)
   {
-    return new (s->allocate(sizeof(Thread))) Thread(m, javaThread, parent);
+    Thread* t = new (s->allocate(sizeof(Thread)))
+      Thread(m, javaThread, parent);
+    t->init();
+    return t;
   }
 
   virtual void*
diff --git a/src/jnienv.cpp b/src/jnienv.cpp
index 4084800e82..0c1c20530b 100644
--- a/src/jnienv.cpp
+++ b/src/jnienv.cpp
@@ -1842,6 +1842,7 @@ JNI_GetDefaultJavaVMInitArgs(void* args)
 }
 
 #define BUILTINS_PROPERTY "vm.builtins"
+#define BUILTIN_CLASSPATH "[vmClasspath]"
 
 extern "C" JNIEXPORT jint JNICALL
 JNI_CreateJavaVM(Machine** m, Thread** t, void* args)
@@ -1849,7 +1850,13 @@ JNI_CreateJavaVM(Machine** m, Thread** t, void* args)
   JDK1_1InitArgs* a = static_cast<JDK1_1InitArgs*>(args);
 
   System* s = makeSystem(a->maxHeapSize);
-  Finder* f = makeFinder(s, a->classpath);
+
+  unsigned size = sizeof(BUILTIN_CLASSPATH) + 1 + strlen(a->classpath);
+  char classpath[size];
+  snprintf(classpath, size, "%s%c%s",
+           BUILTIN_CLASSPATH, s->pathSeparator(), a->classpath);
+
+  Finder* f = makeFinder(s, classpath);
   Heap* h = makeHeap(s);
   Processor* p = makeProcessor(s);
 
diff --git a/src/machine.cpp b/src/machine.cpp
index e004be98c0..4afc085dd5 100644
--- a/src/machine.cpp
+++ b/src/machine.cpp
@@ -1394,7 +1394,6 @@ Machine::Machine(System* system, Heap* heap, Finder* finder,
   weakReferences(0),
   tenuredWeakReferences(0),
   unsafe(false),
-  active(false),
   heapPoolIndex(0)
 {
   populateJNITables(&javaVMVTable, &jniEnvVTable);
@@ -1451,6 +1450,10 @@ Thread::Thread(Machine* m, object javaThread, Thread* parent):
 #ifdef VM_STRESS
   , stress(false)
 #endif // VM_STRESS
+{ }
+
+void
+Thread::init()
 {
   if (parent == 0) {
     assert(this, m->rootThread == 0);
@@ -1458,7 +1461,6 @@ Thread::Thread(Machine* m, object javaThread, Thread* parent):
 
     m->rootThread = this;
     m->unsafe = true;
-    m->active = false;
 
     if (not m->system->success(m->system->attach(&runnable))) {
       abort(this);
@@ -1554,7 +1556,6 @@ Thread::Thread(Machine* m, object javaThread, Thread* parent):
 
   if (parent == 0) {
     enter(this, Thread::IdleState);
-    m->active = true;
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/machine.h b/src/machine.h
index 21c2f16b9b..4b0840ea2a 100644
--- a/src/machine.h
+++ b/src/machine.h
@@ -1148,7 +1148,6 @@ class Machine {
   object weakReferences;
   object tenuredWeakReferences;
   bool unsafe;
-  bool active;
   JavaVMVTable javaVMVTable;
   JNIEnvVTable jniEnvVTable;
   uintptr_t* heapPool[HeapPoolSize];
@@ -1242,6 +1241,7 @@ class Thread {
 
   Thread(Machine* m, object javaThread, Thread* parent);
 
+  void init();
   void exit();
   void dispose();
 
diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index fe78006bc2..db062ae8df 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #include "stdlib.h"
+#include "stdio.h"
 #include "string.h"
 #include "jni.h"
 
diff --git a/src/type-generator.cpp b/src/type-generator.cpp
index 045157aa75..df16cd50df 100644
--- a/src/type-generator.cpp
+++ b/src/type-generator.cpp
@@ -1426,7 +1426,13 @@ writeConstructors(Output* out, Object* declarations)
         out->write("    PROTECT(t, e);\n");
         out->write("#endif\n");
         out->write("    resolveClass(t, className(t, class__));\n");
-        out->write("    assert(t, t->exception == e);\n");
+
+        if (equal("classNotFoundException", typeName(o))) {
+          out->write("    t->exception = 0;\n");
+        } else {
+          out->write("    assert(t, t->exception == e);\n");
+        }
+
         out->write("  }\n");
       }