diff --git a/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/io/DefaultResourceLoader.java b/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/io/DefaultResourceLoader.java
index 3cc1e18115..2f22b14c38 100644
--- a/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/io/DefaultResourceLoader.java
+++ b/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/io/DefaultResourceLoader.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2002-2012 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2002-2014 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.
@@ -88,7 +88,10 @@ public class DefaultResourceLoader implements ResourceLoader {
 	@Override
 	public Resource getResource(String location) {
 		Assert.notNull(location, "Location must not be null");
-		if (location.startsWith(CLASSPATH_URL_PREFIX)) {
+		if (location.startsWith("/")) {
+			return getResourceByPath(location);
+		}
+		else if (location.startsWith(CLASSPATH_URL_PREFIX)) {
 			return new ClassPathResource(location.substring(CLASSPATH_URL_PREFIX.length()), getClassLoader());
 		}
 		else {