diff --git a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/context/annotation/ImportCandidates.java b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/context/annotation/ImportCandidates.java
index 24450a9aaab..59fe569e94f 100644
--- a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/context/annotation/ImportCandidates.java
+++ b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/context/annotation/ImportCandidates.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2012-2025 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2012-2022 the original author or authors.
  *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@ import java.util.List;
 
 import org.springframework.core.io.UrlResource;
 import org.springframework.util.Assert;
-import org.springframework.util.ClassUtils;
 
 /**
  * Contains {@code @Configuration} import candidates, usually auto-configurations.
@@ -75,8 +74,7 @@ public final class ImportCandidates implements Iterable<String> {
 	 * Every line contains the full qualified name of the candidate class. Comments are
 	 * supported using the # character.
 	 * @param annotation annotation to load
-	 * @param classLoader class loader to use for loading, or {@code null} to use the
-	 * {@link ClassUtils#getDefaultClassLoader() default class loader}
+	 * @param classLoader class loader to use for loading
 	 * @return list of names of annotated classes
 	 */
 	public static ImportCandidates load(Class<?> annotation, ClassLoader classLoader) {
@@ -94,7 +92,7 @@ public final class ImportCandidates implements Iterable<String> {
 
 	private static ClassLoader decideClassloader(ClassLoader classLoader) {
 		if (classLoader == null) {
-			return ClassUtils.getDefaultClassLoader();
+			return ImportCandidates.class.getClassLoader();
 		}
 		return classLoader;
 	}
diff --git a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/context/annotation/ImportCandidatesTests.java b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/context/annotation/ImportCandidatesTests.java
index 8af49ee43a1..b1056a86009 100644
--- a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/context/annotation/ImportCandidatesTests.java
+++ b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/context/annotation/ImportCandidatesTests.java
@@ -47,7 +47,8 @@ class ImportCandidatesTests {
 
 			""")
 	void loadReadsFromClasspathFile() {
-		ImportCandidates candidates = ImportCandidates.load(TestAnnotation.class, null);
+		ImportCandidates candidates = ImportCandidates.load(TestAnnotation.class,
+				Thread.currentThread().getContextClassLoader());
 		assertThat(candidates).containsExactly("class1", "class2", "class3");
 	}