diff --git a/runtime/oat_file_assistant.cc b/runtime/oat_file_assistant.cc
index 713e2f3..fba10ca 100644
--- a/runtime/oat_file_assistant.cc
+++ b/runtime/oat_file_assistant.cc
@@ -771,7 +771,11 @@
   argv.push_back("--runtime-arg");
   argv.push_back("-classpath");
   argv.push_back("--runtime-arg");
-  argv.push_back(runtime->GetClassPathString());
+  std::string class_path = runtime->GetClassPathString();
+  if (class_path == "") {
+    class_path = OatFile::kSpecialSharedLibrary;
+  }
+  argv.push_back(class_path);
   if (runtime->IsDebuggable()) {
     argv.push_back("--debuggable");
   }