JRubyApplet 'class not visible to class loader' error

Actually this happens if I try to use JRubyApplet OR if I try to roll my own applet class and require the same .rb file. It's complaining because I'm trying to include java classes that are 'not visible to the class loader'. I'm assuming (since the same classes are indeed visible to the applet class) that I have to do some fnaggeling with the class loader. If I could figure out what it was I would write a patch for JRubyApplet.java to incorporate it. Basically the issue (seems to) come from including_classes which are 3rd party stuff. For instance I jave the jogl.jar file in my classpath, and I can import/use it in my applet class. Also, I can import/use it just by running JRuby. For some reason, loading the jruby (with JRubyApplet or otherwise) is giving me the 'not visible to class loader' error. Help??