diff --git a/org.graalvm.python.embedding/src/main/java/org/graalvm/python/embedding/VirtualFileSystem.java b/org.graalvm.python.embedding/src/main/java/org/graalvm/python/embedding/VirtualFileSystem.java
index f74ab3f..b5c4392 100644
--- a/org.graalvm.python.embedding/src/main/java/org/graalvm/python/embedding/VirtualFileSystem.java
+++ b/org.graalvm.python.embedding/src/main/java/org/graalvm/python/embedding/VirtualFileSystem.java
@@ -107,7 +107,8 @@ public static final class Builder {
 		private HostIO allowHostIO = HostIO.READ_WRITE;
 		private boolean caseInsensitive = VirtualFileSystemImpl.isWindows();
 
-		private Class<?> resourceLoadingClass;
+		private ClassLoader resourceClassLoader;
+
 		private String resourceDirectory;
 
 		private Builder() {
@@ -238,7 +239,7 @@ public Builder unixMountPoint(String unixMountPoint) {
 
 		/**
 		 * By default, virtual filesystem resources are loaded by delegating to
-		 * <code>VirtualFileSystem.class.getResource(name)</code>. Use
+		 * <code>VirtualFileSystem.class.getClassLoader().getResource(name)</code>. Use
 		 * <code>resourceLoadingClass</code> to determine where to locate resources in
 		 * cases when for example <code>VirtualFileSystem</code> is on module path and
 		 * the jar containing the resources is on class path.
@@ -249,7 +250,24 @@ public Builder unixMountPoint(String unixMountPoint) {
 		 * @since 24.2.0
 		 */
 		public Builder resourceLoadingClass(Class<?> c) {
-			resourceLoadingClass = c;
+			resourceClassLoader = c.getClassLoader();
+			return this;
+		}
+
+		/**
+		 * By default, virtual filesystem resources are loaded by delegating to
+		 * <code>VirtualFileSystem.class.getClassLoader().getResource(name)</code>. Use
+		 * <code>resourceClassLoader</code> to determine where to locate resources in
+		 * cases when for example <code>VirtualFileSystem</code> is on module path and
+		 * the jar containing the resources is on class path.
+		 *
+		 * @param cl
+		 *            the classloader used to load resources
+		 * @return this builder
+		 * @since 26.0.0
+		 */
+		public Builder resourceClassLoader(ClassLoader cl) {
+			resourceClassLoader = cl;
 			return this;
 		}
 
@@ -292,8 +310,8 @@ public VirtualFileSystem build() {
 						? Path.of(DEFAULT_WINDOWS_MOUNT_POINT)
 						: Path.of(DEFAULT_UNIX_MOUNT_POINT);
 			}
-			return new VirtualFileSystem(extractFilter, mountPoint, allowHostIO, resourceLoadingClass,
-					resourceDirectory, caseInsensitive);
+			return new VirtualFileSystem(extractFilter, mountPoint, allowHostIO, resourceClassLoader, resourceDirectory,
+					caseInsensitive);
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -308,10 +326,10 @@ private static Path getMountPointAsPath(String mp) {
 	}
 
 	private VirtualFileSystem(Predicate<Path> extractFilter, Path mountPoint, HostIO allowHostIO,
-			Class<?> resourceLoadingClass, String resourceDirectory, boolean caseInsensitive) {
+			ClassLoader resourceClassLoader, String resourceDirectory, boolean caseInsensitive) {
 
 		this.impl = new VirtualFileSystemImpl(extractFilter, mountPoint, resourceDirectory, allowHostIO,
-				resourceLoadingClass, caseInsensitive);
+				resourceClassLoader, caseInsensitive);
 		this.delegatingFileSystem = VirtualFileSystemImpl.createDelegatingFileSystem(impl);
 	}
 
diff --git a/org.graalvm.python.embedding/src/main/java/org/graalvm/python/embedding/VirtualFileSystemImpl.java b/org.graalvm.python.embedding/src/main/java/org/graalvm/python/embedding/VirtualFileSystemImpl.java
index 1bfa25c..8f5a8f6 100644
--- a/org.graalvm.python.embedding/src/main/java/org/graalvm/python/embedding/VirtualFileSystemImpl.java
+++ b/org.graalvm.python.embedding/src/main/java/org/graalvm/python/embedding/VirtualFileSystemImpl.java
@@ -171,10 +171,10 @@ private static String absoluteResourcePath(String... components) {
 	private final Map<String, BaseEntry> vfsEntries = new HashMap<>();
 
 	/**
-	 * Class used to read resources with getResource(name). By default
+	 * Classloader used to read resources. By defaut, the classloader of
 	 * VirtualFileSystem.class.
 	 */
-	private Class<?> resourceLoadingClass;
+	private final ClassLoader resourceClassLoader;
 
 	static final String PLATFORM_SEPARATOR = Paths.get("").getFileSystem().getSeparator();
 	private static final char RESOURCE_SEPARATOR_CHAR = '/';
@@ -310,11 +310,11 @@ private void removeExtractDir() {
 	 * argument may be {@code null} causing that no extraction will happen.
 	 */
 	VirtualFileSystemImpl(Predicate<Path> extractFilter, Path mountPoint, String resourceDirectory, HostIO allowHostIO,
-			Class<?> resourceLoadingClass, boolean caseInsensitive) {
-		if (resourceLoadingClass != null) {
-			this.resourceLoadingClass = resourceLoadingClass;
+			ClassLoader resourceClassLoader, boolean caseInsensitive) {
+		if (resourceClassLoader != null) {
+			this.resourceClassLoader = resourceClassLoader;
 		} else {
-			this.resourceLoadingClass = VirtualFileSystem.class;
+			this.resourceClassLoader = VirtualFileSystem.class.getClassLoader();
 		}
 		this.caseInsensitive = caseInsensitive;
 		this.mountPoint = mountPoint;
@@ -323,10 +323,14 @@ private void removeExtractDir() {
 		this.platformVenvPath = resourcePathToPlatformPath(absoluteResourcePath(vfsRoot, VFS_VENV));
 		this.platformSrcPath = resourcePathToPlatformPath(absoluteResourcePath(vfsRoot, VFS_SRC));
 
-		fine("VirtualFilesystem %s, allowHostIO: %s, resourceLoadingClass: %s, caseInsensitive: %s, extractOnStartup: %s%s",
-				mountPoint, allowHostIO.toString(), this.resourceLoadingClass.getName(), caseInsensitive,
-				extractOnStartup, extractFilter != null ? "" : ", extractFilter: null");
-
+		if (LOGGER.isLoggable(Level.FINE)) {
+			var classLoaderLabel = this.resourceClassLoader == VirtualFileSystem.class.getClassLoader()
+					? "VirtualFileSystem"
+					: "custom";
+			fine("VirtualFilesystem %s, allowHostIO: %s, resourceClassLoader: %s, caseInsensitive: %s, extractOnStartup: %s%s",
+					mountPoint, allowHostIO.toString(), classLoaderLabel, caseInsensitive, extractOnStartup,
+					extractFilter != null ? "" : ", extractFilter: null");
+		}
 		this.extractFilter = extractFilter;
 		if (extractFilter != null) {
 			try {
@@ -670,7 +674,7 @@ public boolean equals(Object obj) {
 	private List<URL> getFilelistURLs(String filelistPath) {
 		List<URL> filelistUrls;
 		try {
-			filelistUrls = Collections.list(this.resourceLoadingClass.getClassLoader().getResources(filelistPath));
+			filelistUrls = Collections.list(resourceClassLoader.getResources(filelistPath));
 		} catch (IOException e) {
 			throw new IllegalStateException("IO error during reading the VirtualFileSystem metadata", e);
 		}
@@ -745,8 +749,7 @@ private void validateMultipleVFSLocations(List<URL> filelistUrls) {
 		// by the Maven/Gradle plugin and should contain "pip freeze" of the venv
 		ArrayList<URL> installedUrls;
 		try {
-			installedUrls = Collections.list(
-					this.resourceLoadingClass.getClassLoader().getResources(resourcePath(vfsRoot, INSTALLED_FILE)));
+			installedUrls = Collections.list(resourceClassLoader.getResources(resourcePath(vfsRoot, INSTALLED_FILE)));
 		} catch (IOException e) {
 			warn("Cannot check compatibility of the merged virtual environments. Cannot read list of packages installed in the virtual environments. IOException: "
 					+ e.getMessage());
@@ -790,8 +793,7 @@ private void validateMultipleVFSLocations(List<URL> filelistUrls) {
 		// Check compatibility of GraalPy versions that were used to create the VFSs
 		ArrayList<URL> contentsUrls;
 		try {
-			contentsUrls = Collections.list(
-					this.resourceLoadingClass.getClassLoader().getResources(resourcePath(vfsRoot, CONTENTS_FILE)));
+			contentsUrls = Collections.list(resourceClassLoader.getResources(resourcePath(vfsRoot, CONTENTS_FILE)));
 		} catch (IOException e) {
 			warn("Cannot check compatibility of the merged virtual environments. Cannot read GraalPy version of the virtual environments. IOException: "
 					+ e.getMessage());
@@ -831,7 +833,7 @@ private void validateMultipleVFSLocations(List<URL> filelistUrls) {
 	}
 
 	private URL getResourceUrl(String path) throws IOException {
-		List<URL> urls = Collections.list(this.resourceLoadingClass.getClassLoader().getResources(path.substring(1)));
+		List<URL> urls = Collections.list(resourceClassLoader.getResources(path.substring(1)));
 		if (vfsRootURL != null) {
 			urls = getURLInRoot(urls);
 		}