diff --git a/handler/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/ssl/OpenSsl.java b/handler/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/ssl/OpenSsl.java
index 4b52e44130..d2f091ac72 100644
--- a/handler/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/ssl/OpenSsl.java
+++ b/handler/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/ssl/OpenSsl.java
@@ -389,7 +389,7 @@ public final class OpenSsl {
         String os = normalizeOs(SystemPropertyUtil.get("os.name", ""));
         String arch = normalizeArch(SystemPropertyUtil.get("os.arch", ""));
 
-        Set<String> libNames = new LinkedHashSet<String>(3);
+        Set<String> libNames = new LinkedHashSet<String>(4);
         // First, try loading the platform-specific library. Platform-specific
         // libraries will be available if using a tcnative uber jar.
         libNames.add("netty-tcnative-" + os + '-' + arch);
@@ -399,6 +399,8 @@ public final class OpenSsl {
         }
         // finally the default library.
         libNames.add("netty-tcnative");
+        // in Java 8, statically compiled JNI code is namespaced
+        libNames.add("netty_tcnative");
 
         NativeLibraryLoader.loadFirstAvailable(SSL.class.getClassLoader(),
             libNames.toArray(new String[libNames.size()]));
diff --git a/transport-native-epoll/src/main/c/netty_epoll_linuxsocket.c b/transport-native-epoll/src/main/c/netty_epoll_linuxsocket.c
index 1a05fec24f..8fe73ca3eb 100644
--- a/transport-native-epoll/src/main/c/netty_epoll_linuxsocket.c
+++ b/transport-native-epoll/src/main/c/netty_epoll_linuxsocket.c
@@ -26,11 +26,13 @@
 #include <errno.h>
 #include <netinet/in.h>
 #include <linux/tcp.h> // TCP_NOTSENT_LOWAT is a linux specific define
-#include "netty_unix_filedescriptor.h"
-#include "netty_unix_socket.h"
-#include "netty_unix_errors.h"
-#include "netty_unix_util.h"
+
 #include "netty_epoll_linuxsocket.h"
+#include "netty_unix_errors.h"
+#include "netty_unix_filedescriptor.h"
+#include "netty_unix_jni.h"
+#include "netty_unix_socket.h"
+#include "netty_unix_util.h"
 
 // TCP_FASTOPEN is defined in linux 3.7. We define this here so older kernels can compile.
 #ifndef TCP_FASTOPEN
@@ -349,7 +351,7 @@ jint netty_epoll_linuxsocket_JNI_OnLoad(JNIEnv* env, const char* packagePrefix)
         return JNI_ERR;
     }
 
-    return JNI_VERSION_1_6;
+    return NETTY_JNI_VERSION;
 }
 
 void netty_epoll_linuxsocket_JNI_OnUnLoad(JNIEnv* env) {
diff --git a/transport-native-epoll/src/main/c/netty_epoll_native.c b/transport-native-epoll/src/main/c/netty_epoll_native.c
index 1bd165d5a5..69ee37032c 100644
--- a/transport-native-epoll/src/main/c/netty_epoll_native.c
+++ b/transport-native-epoll/src/main/c/netty_epoll_native.c
@@ -36,12 +36,14 @@
 #include <inttypes.h>
 #include <link.h>
 #include <time.h>
-#include "netty_unix_filedescriptor.h"
-#include "netty_unix_socket.h"
-#include "netty_unix_errors.h"
-#include "netty_unix_util.h"
-#include "netty_unix_limits.h"
+
 #include "netty_epoll_linuxsocket.h"
+#include "netty_unix_errors.h"
+#include "netty_unix_filedescriptor.h"
+#include "netty_unix_jni.h"
+#include "netty_unix_limits.h"
+#include "netty_unix_socket.h"
+#include "netty_unix_util.h"
 
 // TCP_FASTOPEN is defined in linux 3.7. We define this here so older kernels can compile.
 #ifndef TCP_FASTOPEN
@@ -575,7 +577,7 @@ static jint netty_epoll_native_JNI_OnLoad(JNIEnv* env, const char* packagePrefix
       return JNI_ERR;
     }
 
-    return JNI_VERSION_1_6;
+    return NETTY_JNI_VERSION;
 }
 
 static void netty_epoll_native_JNI_OnUnLoad(JNIEnv* env) {
@@ -586,12 +588,14 @@ static void netty_epoll_native_JNI_OnUnLoad(JNIEnv* env) {
     netty_epoll_linuxsocket_JNI_OnUnLoad(env);
 }
 
-jint JNI_OnLoad(JavaVM* vm, void* reserved) {
+// Invoked by the JVM when statically linked
+jint JNI_OnLoad_netty_transport_native_epoll(JavaVM* vm, void* reserved) {
     JNIEnv* env;
-    if ((*vm)->GetEnv(vm, (void**) &env, JNI_VERSION_1_6) != JNI_OK) {
+    if ((*vm)->GetEnv(vm, (void**) &env, NETTY_JNI_VERSION) != JNI_OK) {
         return JNI_ERR;
     }
-
+    char* packagePrefix = NULL;
+#ifndef NETTY_NOT_DYNAMIC
     Dl_info dlinfo;
     jint status = 0;
     // We need to use an address of a function that is uniquely part of this library, so choose a static
@@ -600,12 +604,12 @@ jint JNI_OnLoad(JavaVM* vm, void* reserved) {
         fprintf(stderr, "FATAL: transport-native-epoll JNI call to dladdr failed!\n");
         return JNI_ERR;
     }
-    char* packagePrefix = netty_unix_util_parse_package_prefix(dlinfo.dli_fname, "netty-transport-native-epoll", &status);
+    packagePrefix = netty_unix_util_parse_package_prefix(dlinfo.dli_fname, "netty-transport-native-epoll", &status);
     if (status == JNI_ERR) {
         fprintf(stderr, "FATAL: transport-native-epoll JNI encountered unexpected dlinfo.dli_fname: %s\n", dlinfo.dli_fname);
         return JNI_ERR;
     }
-
+#endif /* NETTY_NOT_DYNAMIC */
     jint ret = netty_epoll_native_JNI_OnLoad(env, packagePrefix);
 
     if (packagePrefix != NULL) {
@@ -616,11 +620,20 @@ jint JNI_OnLoad(JavaVM* vm, void* reserved) {
     return ret;
 }
 
-void JNI_OnUnload(JavaVM* vm, void* reserved) {
+jint JNI_OnLoad(JavaVM* vm, void* reserved) {
+    return JNI_OnLoad_netty_transport_native_epoll(vm, reserved);
+}
+
+// Invoked by the JVM when statically linked
+void JNI_OnUnload_netty_transport_native_epoll(JavaVM* vm, void* reserved) {
     JNIEnv* env;
-    if ((*vm)->GetEnv(vm, (void**) &env, JNI_VERSION_1_6) != JNI_OK) {
+    if ((*vm)->GetEnv(vm, (void**) &env, NETTY_JNI_VERSION) != JNI_OK) {
         // Something is wrong but nothing we can do about this :(
         return;
     }
     netty_epoll_native_JNI_OnUnLoad(env);
 }
+
+void JNI_OnUnload(JavaVM* vm, void* reserved) {
+  JNI_OnUnload_netty_transport_native_epoll(vm, reserved);
+}
diff --git a/transport-native-epoll/src/main/java/io/netty/channel/epoll/Native.java b/transport-native-epoll/src/main/java/io/netty/channel/epoll/Native.java
index 8a00159e7e..6b9c85b050 100644
--- a/transport-native-epoll/src/main/java/io/netty/channel/epoll/Native.java
+++ b/transport-native-epoll/src/main/java/io/netty/channel/epoll/Native.java
@@ -188,7 +188,11 @@ public final class Native {
         if (!name.startsWith("linux")) {
             throw new IllegalStateException("Only supported on Linux");
         }
-        NativeLibraryLoader.load("netty-transport-native-epoll", PlatformDependent.getClassLoader(Native.class));
+        String []libraryNames = new String[] {
+          "netty-transport-native-epoll",
+          "netty_transport_native_epoll"
+        };
+        NativeLibraryLoader.loadFirstAvailable(PlatformDependent.getClassLoader(Native.class), libraryNames);
     }
 
     private Native() {
diff --git a/transport-native-kqueue/src/main/c/netty_kqueue_bsdsocket.c b/transport-native-kqueue/src/main/c/netty_kqueue_bsdsocket.c
index 60b2c67508..e522896ec8 100644
--- a/transport-native-kqueue/src/main/c/netty_kqueue_bsdsocket.c
+++ b/transport-native-kqueue/src/main/c/netty_kqueue_bsdsocket.c
@@ -24,11 +24,13 @@
 #include <sys/ucred.h>
 #include <netinet/in.h>
 #include <netinet/tcp.h>
-#include "netty_unix_filedescriptor.h"
-#include "netty_unix_socket.h"
-#include "netty_unix_errors.h"
-#include "netty_unix_util.h"
+
 #include "netty_kqueue_bsdsocket.h"
+#include "netty_unix_errors.h"
+#include "netty_unix_filedescriptor.h"
+#include "netty_unix_jni.h"
+#include "netty_unix_socket.h"
+#include "netty_unix_util.h"
 
 // Those are initialized in the init(...) method and cached for performance reasons
 static jclass stringCls = NULL;
@@ -288,7 +290,7 @@ jint netty_kqueue_bsdsocket_JNI_OnLoad(JNIEnv* env, const char* packagePrefix) {
         return JNI_ERR;
     }
 
-    return JNI_VERSION_1_6;
+    return NETTY_JNI_VERSION;
 }
 
 void netty_kqueue_bsdsocket_JNI_OnUnLoad(JNIEnv* env) {
diff --git a/transport-native-kqueue/src/main/c/netty_kqueue_eventarray.c b/transport-native-kqueue/src/main/c/netty_kqueue_eventarray.c
index 704ef084c7..524bbfbc7a 100644
--- a/transport-native-kqueue/src/main/c/netty_kqueue_eventarray.c
+++ b/transport-native-kqueue/src/main/c/netty_kqueue_eventarray.c
@@ -18,9 +18,11 @@
 #include <sys/types.h>
 #include <sys/event.h>
 #include <sys/time.h>
-#include "netty_unix_util.h"
-#include "netty_unix_errors.h"
+
 #include "netty_kqueue_eventarray.h"
+#include "netty_unix_errors.h"
+#include "netty_unix_jni.h"
+#include "netty_unix_util.h"
 
 jfieldID kqueueJniPtrFieldId = NULL;
 
@@ -117,7 +119,7 @@ jint netty_kqueue_eventarray_JNI_OnLoad(JNIEnv* env, const char* packagePrefix)
         return JNI_ERR;
     }
 
-    return JNI_VERSION_1_6;
+    return NETTY_JNI_VERSION;
 }
 
 void netty_kqueue_eventarray_JNI_OnUnLoad(JNIEnv* env) {
diff --git a/transport-native-kqueue/src/main/c/netty_kqueue_native.c b/transport-native-kqueue/src/main/c/netty_kqueue_native.c
index c080d0eb49..f9ebb42002 100644
--- a/transport-native-kqueue/src/main/c/netty_kqueue_native.c
+++ b/transport-native-kqueue/src/main/c/netty_kqueue_native.c
@@ -25,13 +25,16 @@
 #include <sys/event.h>
 #include <sys/socket.h>
 #include <sys/time.h>
-#include "netty_unix_filedescriptor.h"
-#include "netty_unix_socket.h"
-#include "netty_unix_errors.h"
-#include "netty_unix_util.h"
-#include "netty_unix_limits.h"
+
 #include "netty_kqueue_bsdsocket.h"
 #include "netty_kqueue_eventarray.h"
+#include "netty_unix_errors.h"
+#include "netty_unix_filedescriptor.h"
+#include "netty_unix_jni.h"
+#include "netty_unix_limits.h"
+#include "netty_unix_socket.h"
+#include "netty_unix_util.h"
+
 
 clockid_t waitClockId = 0; // initialized by netty_unix_util_initialize_wait_clock
 
@@ -255,7 +258,7 @@ static jint netty_kqueue_native_JNI_OnLoad(JNIEnv* env, const char* packagePrefi
       return JNI_ERR;
     }
 
-    return JNI_VERSION_1_6;
+    return NETTY_JNI_VERSION;
 }
 
 static void netty_kqueue_native_JNI_OnUnLoad(JNIEnv* env) {
@@ -267,12 +270,15 @@ static void netty_kqueue_native_JNI_OnUnLoad(JNIEnv* env) {
     netty_kqueue_eventarray_JNI_OnUnLoad(env);
 }
 
-jint JNI_OnLoad(JavaVM* vm, void* reserved) {
+// Invoked by the JVM when statically linked
+jint JNI_OnLoad_netty_transport_native_kqueue(JavaVM* vm, void* reserved) {
     JNIEnv* env;
-    if ((*vm)->GetEnv(vm, (void**) &env, JNI_VERSION_1_6) != JNI_OK) {
+    if ((*vm)->GetEnv(vm, (void**) &env, NETTY_JNI_VERSION) != JNI_OK) {
         return JNI_ERR;
     }
 
+    char* packagePrefix = NULL;
+#ifndef NETTY_NOT_DYNAMIC
     Dl_info dlinfo;
     jint status = 0;
     // We need to use an address of a function that is uniquely part of this library, so choose a static
@@ -281,12 +287,12 @@ jint JNI_OnLoad(JavaVM* vm, void* reserved) {
         fprintf(stderr, "FATAL: transport-native-kqueue JNI call to dladdr failed!\n");
         return JNI_ERR;
     }
-    char* packagePrefix = netty_unix_util_parse_package_prefix(dlinfo.dli_fname, "netty-transport-native-kqueue", &status);
+    packagePrefix = netty_unix_util_parse_package_prefix(dlinfo.dli_fname, "netty-transport-native-kqueue", &status);
     if (status == JNI_ERR) {
         fprintf(stderr, "FATAL: transport-native-kqueue JNI encountered unexpected dlinfo.dli_fname: %s\n", dlinfo.dli_fname);
         return JNI_ERR;
     }
-
+#endif /* NETTY_NOT_DYNAMIC */
     jint ret = netty_kqueue_native_JNI_OnLoad(env, packagePrefix);
 
     if (packagePrefix != NULL) {
@@ -297,11 +303,20 @@ jint JNI_OnLoad(JavaVM* vm, void* reserved) {
     return ret;
 }
 
-void JNI_OnUnload(JavaVM* vm, void* reserved) {
+jint JNI_OnLoad(JavaVM* vm, void* reserved) {
+    return JNI_OnLoad_netty_transport_native_kqueue(vm, reserved);
+}
+
+// Invoked by the JVM when statically linked
+void JNI_OnUnload_netty_transport_native_kqueue(JavaVM* vm, void* reserved) {
     JNIEnv* env;
-    if ((*vm)->GetEnv(vm, (void**) &env, JNI_VERSION_1_6) != JNI_OK) {
+    if ((*vm)->GetEnv(vm, (void**) &env, NETTY_JNI_VERSION) != JNI_OK) {
         // Something is wrong but nothing we can do about this :(
         return;
     }
     netty_kqueue_native_JNI_OnUnLoad(env);
 }
+
+void JNI_OnUnload(JavaVM* vm, void* reserved) {
+    return JNI_OnUnload_netty_transport_native_kqueue(vm, reserved);
+}
diff --git a/transport-native-kqueue/src/main/java/io/netty/channel/kqueue/Native.java b/transport-native-kqueue/src/main/java/io/netty/channel/kqueue/Native.java
index c97b69d0c8..f5548aa5af 100644
--- a/transport-native-kqueue/src/main/java/io/netty/channel/kqueue/Native.java
+++ b/transport-native-kqueue/src/main/java/io/netty/channel/kqueue/Native.java
@@ -100,7 +100,11 @@ final class Native {
         if (!name.startsWith("mac") && !name.contains("bsd") && !name.startsWith("darwin")) {
             throw new IllegalStateException("Only supported on BSD");
         }
-        NativeLibraryLoader.load("netty-transport-native-kqueue", PlatformDependent.getClassLoader(Native.class));
+        String []libraryNames = new String[] {
+            "netty-transport-native-kqueue",
+            "netty_transport_native_kqueue"
+        };
+        NativeLibraryLoader.loadFirstAvailable(PlatformDependent.getClassLoader(Native.class), libraryNames);
     }
 
     private Native() {
diff --git a/transport-native-unix-common/src/main/c/netty_unix_errors.c b/transport-native-unix-common/src/main/c/netty_unix_errors.c
index f6bc7d83af..6a92604de2 100644
--- a/transport-native-unix-common/src/main/c/netty_unix_errors.c
+++ b/transport-native-unix-common/src/main/c/netty_unix_errors.c
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 #include <errno.h>
 #include <jni.h>
 #include "netty_unix_errors.h"
+#include "netty_unix_jni.h"
 #include "netty_unix_util.h"
 
 static jclass runtimeExceptionClass = NULL;
@@ -206,7 +207,7 @@ jint netty_unix_errors_JNI_OnLoad(JNIEnv* env, const char* packagePrefix) {
         return JNI_ERR;
     }
 
-    return JNI_VERSION_1_6;
+    return NETTY_JNI_VERSION;
 }
 
 void netty_unix_errors_JNI_OnUnLoad(JNIEnv* env) {
diff --git a/transport-native-unix-common/src/main/c/netty_unix_filedescriptor.c b/transport-native-unix-common/src/main/c/netty_unix_filedescriptor.c
index 8c9fb5bc4e..1831459334 100644
--- a/transport-native-unix-common/src/main/c/netty_unix_filedescriptor.c
+++ b/transport-native-unix-common/src/main/c/netty_unix_filedescriptor.c
@@ -20,9 +20,10 @@
 #include <unistd.h>
 #include <sys/uio.h>
 
-#include "netty_unix_util.h"
 #include "netty_unix_errors.h"
 #include "netty_unix_filedescriptor.h"
+#include "netty_unix_jni.h"
+#include "netty_unix_util.h"
 
 static jmethodID posId = NULL;
 static jmethodID limitId = NULL;
@@ -261,7 +262,7 @@ jint netty_unix_filedescriptor_JNI_OnLoad(JNIEnv* env, const char* packagePrefix
     }
 
     free(mem);
-    return JNI_VERSION_1_6;
+    return NETTY_JNI_VERSION;
 }
 
 void netty_unix_filedescriptor_JNI_OnUnLoad(JNIEnv* env) { }
diff --git a/transport-native-unix-common/src/main/c/netty_unix_jni.h b/transport-native-unix-common/src/main/c/netty_unix_jni.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5fabd77780
--- /dev/null
+++ b/transport-native-unix-common/src/main/c/netty_unix_jni.h
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2017 The Netty Project
+ *
+ * The Netty Project licenses this file to you under the Apache License,
+ * version 2.0 (the "License"); you may not use this file except in compliance
+ * with the License. You may obtain a copy of the License at:
+ *
+ *   http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT
+ * WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the
+ * License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
+ * under the License.
+ */
+#ifndef NETTY_UNIX_JNI_H_
+#define NETTY_UNIX_JNI_H_
+
+#include <jni.h>
+
+#ifndef NETTY_JNI_VERSION
+#define NETTY_JNI_VERSION JNI_VERSION_1_6
+#endif
+
+#endif /* NETTY_UNIX_JNI_H_ */
diff --git a/transport-native-unix-common/src/main/c/netty_unix_limits.c b/transport-native-unix-common/src/main/c/netty_unix_limits.c
index 4b09e8f505..80a7f0d83e 100644
--- a/transport-native-unix-common/src/main/c/netty_unix_limits.c
+++ b/transport-native-unix-common/src/main/c/netty_unix_limits.c
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <sys/types.h>
 #include <sys/un.h>
+#include "netty_unix_jni.h"
 #include "netty_unix_limits.h"
 #include "netty_unix_util.h"
 
@@ -75,7 +76,7 @@ jint netty_unix_limits_JNI_OnLoad(JNIEnv* env, const char* packagePrefix) {
         return JNI_ERR;
     }
 
-    return JNI_VERSION_1_6;
+    return NETTY_JNI_VERSION;
 }
 
 void netty_unix_limits_JNI_OnUnLoad(JNIEnv* env) { }
diff --git a/transport-native-unix-common/src/main/c/netty_unix_socket.c b/transport-native-unix-common/src/main/c/netty_unix_socket.c
index 38efb85b4e..2cfb5e4d7d 100644
--- a/transport-native-unix-common/src/main/c/netty_unix_socket.c
+++ b/transport-native-unix-common/src/main/c/netty_unix_socket.c
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 #include <netinet/tcp.h>
 
 #include "netty_unix_errors.h"
+#include "netty_unix_jni.h"
 #include "netty_unix_socket.h"
 #include "netty_unix_util.h"
 
@@ -974,7 +975,7 @@ jint netty_unix_socket_JNI_OnLoad(JNIEnv* env, const char* packagePrefix) {
     free(mem);
 
     socketType = socket_type(env);
-    return JNI_VERSION_1_6;
+    return NETTY_JNI_VERSION;
 }
 
 void netty_unix_socket_JNI_OnUnLoad(JNIEnv* env) {