src/java.base/share/classes/jdk/internal/loader/ClassLoaders.java

@@ -67,20 +67,21 @@
         String s = VM.getSavedProperty("jdk.boot.class.path.append");
         if (s != null && s.length() > 0)
             bcp = toURLClassPath(s);
 
         // we have a class path if -cp is specified or -m is not specified.
-        // If neither is specified then default to -cp <working directory>.
+        // If neither is specified then default to -cp <working directory>
+        // If -cp is not specified and -m is specified, the value of
+        // java.class.path is an empty string if defined, then no class path.
         URLClassPath ucp = null;
         String mainMid = System.getProperty("jdk.module.main");
         String cp = System.getProperty("java.class.path");
-        if (mainMid == null && cp == null)
+        if (cp == null)
             cp = "";
-        if (cp != null)
+        if (mainMid == null || cp.length() > 0)
             ucp = toURLClassPath(cp);
 
-
         // create the class loaders
         BOOT_LOADER = new BootClassLoader(bcp);
         PLATFORM_LOADER = new PlatformClassLoader(BOOT_LOADER);
         APP_LOADER = new AppClassLoader(PLATFORM_LOADER, ucp);
     }