diff --git a/tools/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/tools/GenerateMIMAIgnore.scala b/tools/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/tools/GenerateMIMAIgnore.scala
index d9978b02a9f3e1e32afb03e515d597233733ceff..a433e8e2e89f419099e840c9173a752f08bd3634 100644
--- a/tools/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/tools/GenerateMIMAIgnore.scala
+++ b/tools/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/tools/GenerateMIMAIgnore.scala
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ object GenerateMIMAIgnore {
            is a module or class. */
 
         val privateAsClass = mirror
-          .staticClass(className)
+          .classSymbol(Class.forName(className, false, classLoader))
           .privateWithin
           .fullName
           .startsWith(packageName)