diff --git a/Frameworks/Core/ERExtensions/Sources/er/extensions/jdbc/ERXJDBCConnectionBroker.java b/Frameworks/Core/ERExtensions/Sources/er/extensions/jdbc/ERXJDBCConnectionBroker.java
index 2ec75991718..d8d6d5236a3 100644
--- a/Frameworks/Core/ERExtensions/Sources/er/extensions/jdbc/ERXJDBCConnectionBroker.java
+++ b/Frameworks/Core/ERExtensions/Sources/er/extensions/jdbc/ERXJDBCConnectionBroker.java
@@ -402,7 +402,13 @@ public void freeConnection(Connection conn) {
 
     private Connection createConnection() throws SQLException {
         try {
-            Class.forName(dbDriver);
+        	
+        	// When dbDriver null or blank, the driver is automatically registered via the SPI. 
+        	// Manual loading of the driver class is generally unnecessary.
+            if(dbDriver != null && !dbDriver.isEmpty()) {
+            	Class.forName(dbDriver);
+            }
+            
             Connection conn = DriverManager.getConnection(dbServer, dbLogin, dbPassword);
             return conn;
         } catch (ClassNotFoundException e2) {
diff --git a/Frameworks/PlugIns/MySQLPlugIn/Sources/com/webobjects/jdbcadaptor/_MySQLPlugIn.java b/Frameworks/PlugIns/MySQLPlugIn/Sources/com/webobjects/jdbcadaptor/_MySQLPlugIn.java
index a22aadb03b5..8d9bcbbd132 100644
--- a/Frameworks/PlugIns/MySQLPlugIn/Sources/com/webobjects/jdbcadaptor/_MySQLPlugIn.java
+++ b/Frameworks/PlugIns/MySQLPlugIn/Sources/com/webobjects/jdbcadaptor/_MySQLPlugIn.java
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
 
 public class _MySQLPlugIn extends JDBCPlugIn {
 
-	private static final String DriverClassName = "com.mysql.jdbc.Driver";
+	private static final String DriverClassName = null;
 
 	private static final String DriverProductName = "MySQL";