diff --git a/libjava/ChangeLog b/libjava/ChangeLog
index 90d2fe4bde9..1393ebcc85a 100644
--- a/libjava/ChangeLog
+++ b/libjava/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+2005-01-05  Tom Tromey  <tromey@redhat.com>
+
+	* java/lang/natRuntime.cc (insertSystemProperties): Set
+	java.ext.dirs earlier.
+
 2005-01-05  Eric Botcazou  <ebotcazou@libertysurf.fr>
 
 	* java/lang/natObject.cc (_Jv_ObjectCheckMonitor): Initialize the
diff --git a/libjava/java/lang/natRuntime.cc b/libjava/java/lang/natRuntime.cc
index 332f2c7b625..bf86522dd29 100644
--- a/libjava/java/lang/natRuntime.cc
+++ b/libjava/java/lang/natRuntime.cc
@@ -537,8 +537,13 @@ java::lang::Runtime::insertSystemProperties (java::util::Properties *newprops)
       SET ("user.region", "US");
     }  
 
+  // The java extensions directory.
+  SET ("java.ext.dirs", JAVA_EXT_DIRS);
+
   // Set some properties according to whatever was compiled in with
-  // `-D'.
+  // `-D'.  Important: after this point, the only properties that
+  // should be set are those which either the user cannot meaningfully
+  // override, or which augment whatever value the user has provided.
   for (int i = 0; _Jv_Compiler_Properties[i]; ++i)
     {
       const char *s, *p;
@@ -595,9 +600,6 @@ java::lang::Runtime::insertSystemProperties (java::util::Properties *newprops)
   // The name used to invoke this process (argv[0] in C).
   SET ("gnu.gcj.progname", _Jv_GetSafeArg (0));
 
-  // The java extensions directory.
-  SET ("java.ext.dirs", JAVA_EXT_DIRS);
-
   // Allow platform specific settings and overrides.
   _Jv_platform_initProperties (newprops);