diff --git a/transport-native-epoll/src/main/c/io_netty_channel_epoll_Native.c b/transport-native-epoll/src/main/c/io_netty_channel_epoll_Native.c
index b15450d346..903634ec7e 100644
--- a/transport-native-epoll/src/main/c/io_netty_channel_epoll_Native.c
+++ b/transport-native-epoll/src/main/c/io_netty_channel_epoll_Native.c
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@
 #include "netty_unix_filedescriptor.h"
 #include "netty_unix_socket.h"
 #include "netty_unix_errors.h"
+#include "netty_unix_util.h"
 
 // TCP_NOTSENT_LOWAT is defined in linux 3.12. We define this here so older kernels can compile.
 #ifndef TCP_NOTSENT_LOWAT
@@ -84,6 +85,9 @@ jfieldID packetScopeIdFieldId = NULL;
 jfieldID packetPortFieldId = NULL;
 jfieldID packetMemoryAddressFieldId = NULL;
 jfieldID packetCountFieldId = NULL;
+static jstring nettyPackagePrefixJString = NULL;
+static const char* nettyPackagePrefix = NULL;
+static char* nettyClassName = NULL;
 
 // util methods
 static int getSysctlValue(const char * property, int* returnValue) {
@@ -116,17 +120,35 @@ jint JNI_OnLoad(JavaVM* vm, void* reserved) {
     if ((*vm)->GetEnv(vm, (void**) &env, JNI_VERSION_1_6) != JNI_OK) {
         return JNI_ERR;
     } else {
-        if (netty_unix_errors_JNI_OnLoad(env) == JNI_ERR) {
+        // Load the prefix to use when looking for Netty classes
+        jclass systemCls = (*env)->FindClass(env, "java/lang/System");
+        if (systemCls == NULL) {
             return JNI_ERR;
         }
-        if (netty_unix_filedescriptor_JNI_OnLoad(env) == JNI_ERR) {
+        jmethodID getPropertyMethod = (*env)->GetStaticMethodID(env, systemCls, "getProperty", "(Ljava/lang/String;)Ljava/lang/String;");
+        if (getPropertyMethod == NULL) {
             return JNI_ERR;
         }
-        if (netty_unix_socket_JNI_OnLoad(env) == JNI_ERR) {
+        jstring propertyName = (*env)->NewStringUTF(env, "io.netty.native.epoll.nettyPackagePrefix");
+        nettyPackagePrefixJString = (*env)->CallStaticObjectMethod(env, systemCls, getPropertyMethod, propertyName);
+        if (nettyPackagePrefixJString != NULL) {
+            nettyPackagePrefix = (*env)->GetStringUTFChars(env, nettyPackagePrefixJString, 0);
+        }
+
+        if (netty_unix_errors_JNI_OnLoad(env, nettyPackagePrefix) == JNI_ERR) {
+            return JNI_ERR;
+        }
+        if (netty_unix_filedescriptor_JNI_OnLoad(env, nettyPackagePrefix) == JNI_ERR) {
+            return JNI_ERR;
+        }
+        if (netty_unix_socket_JNI_OnLoad(env, nettyPackagePrefix) == JNI_ERR) {
             return JNI_ERR;
         }
 
-        jclass fileRegionCls = (*env)->FindClass(env, "io/netty/channel/DefaultFileRegion");
+        nettyClassName = netty_unix_util_prepend(nettyPackagePrefix, "io/netty/channel/DefaultFileRegion");
+        jclass fileRegionCls = (*env)->FindClass(env, nettyClassName);
+        free(nettyClassName);
+        nettyClassName = NULL;
         if (fileRegionCls == NULL) {
             // pending exception...
             return JNI_ERR;
@@ -164,7 +186,10 @@ jint JNI_OnLoad(JavaVM* vm, void* reserved) {
             return JNI_ERR;
         }
 
-        jclass nativeDatagramPacketCls = (*env)->FindClass(env, "io/netty/channel/epoll/NativeDatagramPacketArray$NativeDatagramPacket");
+        nettyClassName = netty_unix_util_prepend(nettyPackagePrefix, "io/netty/channel/epoll/NativeDatagramPacketArray$NativeDatagramPacket");
+        jclass nativeDatagramPacketCls = (*env)->FindClass(env, nettyClassName);
+        free(nettyClassName);
+        nettyClassName = NULL;
         if (nativeDatagramPacketCls == NULL) {
             // pending exception...
             return JNI_ERR;
@@ -197,6 +222,12 @@ jint JNI_OnLoad(JavaVM* vm, void* reserved) {
             return JNI_ERR;
         }
 
+        if (nettyPackagePrefixJString != NULL) {
+            (*env)->ReleaseStringUTFChars(env, nettyPackagePrefixJString, nettyPackagePrefix);
+            nettyPackagePrefix = NULL;
+            nettyPackagePrefixJString = NULL;
+        }
+
         return JNI_VERSION_1_6;
     }
 }
@@ -208,6 +239,15 @@ void JNI_OnUnload(JavaVM* vm, void* reserved) {
         return;
     } else {
         // delete global references so the GC can collect them
+        if (nettyPackagePrefixJString != NULL) {
+            (*env)->ReleaseStringUTFChars(env, nettyPackagePrefixJString, nettyPackagePrefix);
+            nettyPackagePrefix = NULL;
+            nettyPackagePrefixJString = NULL;
+        }
+        if (nettyClassName != NULL) {
+            free(nettyClassName);
+            nettyClassName = NULL;
+        }
         netty_unix_errors_JNI_OnUnLoad(env);
         netty_unix_filedescriptor_JNI_OnUnLoad(env);
         netty_unix_socket_JNI_OnUnLoad(env);
diff --git a/transport-native-epoll/src/main/c/io_netty_channel_unix_Errors.c b/transport-native-epoll/src/main/c/io_netty_channel_unix_Errors.c
index 30df59b11d..0a4ff6b88e 100644
--- a/transport-native-epoll/src/main/c/io_netty_channel_unix_Errors.c
+++ b/transport-native-epoll/src/main/c/io_netty_channel_unix_Errors.c
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <errno.h>
 #include "netty_unix_errors.h"
+#include "netty_unix_util.h"
 #include "io_netty_channel_unix_Errors.h"
 
 static jclass runtimeExceptionClass = NULL;
@@ -24,22 +25,14 @@ static jclass channelExceptionClass = NULL;
 static jclass ioExceptionClass = NULL;
 static jclass closedChannelExceptionClass = NULL;
 static jmethodID closedChannelExceptionMethodId = NULL;
+static char* nettyClassName = NULL;
 
 /** Notice: every usage of exceptionMessage needs to release the allocated memory for the sequence of char */
 static char* exceptionMessage(char* msg, int error) {
-    if (error < 0) {
-        // some functions return negative values
-        // and it's hard to keep track of when to send -error and when not
-        // this will just take care when things are forgotten
-        // what would generate a proper error
-        error = error * -1;
-    }
-    //strerror is returning a constant, so no need to free anything coming from strerror
-    char* err = strerror(error);
-    char* result = malloc(strlen(msg) + strlen(err) + 1);
-    strcpy(result, msg);
-    strcat(result, err);
-    return result;
+    // strerror is returning a constant, so no need to free anything coming from strerror
+    // error may be negative because some functions return negative values. we should make sure it is always
+    // positive when passing to standard library functions.
+    return netty_unix_util_prepend(msg, strerror(error < 0 ? -error : error));
 }
 
 // Exported C methods
@@ -79,7 +72,7 @@ void netty_unix_errors_throwOutOfMemoryError(JNIEnv* env) {
     (*env)->ThrowNew(env, exceptionClass, "");
 }
 
-jint netty_unix_errors_JNI_OnLoad(JNIEnv* env) {
+jint netty_unix_errors_JNI_OnLoad(JNIEnv* env, const char* nettyPackagePrefix) {
     jclass localRuntimeExceptionClass = (*env)->FindClass(env, "java/lang/RuntimeException");
     if (localRuntimeExceptionClass == NULL) {
         // pending exception...
@@ -92,7 +85,10 @@ jint netty_unix_errors_JNI_OnLoad(JNIEnv* env) {
         return JNI_ERR;
     }
 
-    jclass localChannelExceptionClass = (*env)->FindClass(env, "io/netty/channel/ChannelException");
+    nettyClassName = netty_unix_util_prepend(nettyPackagePrefix, "io/netty/channel/ChannelException");
+    jclass localChannelExceptionClass = (*env)->FindClass(env, nettyClassName);
+    free(nettyClassName);
+    nettyClassName = NULL;
     if (localChannelExceptionClass == NULL) {
         // pending exception...
         return JNI_ERR;
@@ -139,6 +135,10 @@ jint netty_unix_errors_JNI_OnLoad(JNIEnv* env) {
 
 void netty_unix_errors_JNI_OnUnLoad(JNIEnv* env) {
     // delete global references so the GC can collect them
+    if (nettyClassName != NULL) {
+        free(nettyClassName);
+        nettyClassName = NULL;
+    }
     if (runtimeExceptionClass != NULL) {
         (*env)->DeleteGlobalRef(env, runtimeExceptionClass);
         runtimeExceptionClass = NULL;
diff --git a/transport-native-epoll/src/main/c/io_netty_channel_unix_FileDescriptor.c b/transport-native-epoll/src/main/c/io_netty_channel_unix_FileDescriptor.c
index f8859f7b00..a8c21a70ca 100644
--- a/transport-native-epoll/src/main/c/io_netty_channel_unix_FileDescriptor.c
+++ b/transport-native-epoll/src/main/c/io_netty_channel_unix_FileDescriptor.c
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ static jint _read(JNIEnv* env, jclass clazz, jint fd, void* buffer, jint pos, ji
     return (jint) res;
 }
 
-jint netty_unix_filedescriptor_JNI_OnLoad(JNIEnv* env) {
+jint netty_unix_filedescriptor_JNI_OnLoad(JNIEnv* env, const char* nettyPackagePrefix) {
     void* mem = malloc(1);
     if (mem == NULL) {
         netty_unix_errors_throwOutOfMemoryError(env);
diff --git a/transport-native-epoll/src/main/c/io_netty_channel_unix_Socket.c b/transport-native-epoll/src/main/c/io_netty_channel_unix_Socket.c
index 25bf6d5915..8b05e19852 100644
--- a/transport-native-epoll/src/main/c/io_netty_channel_unix_Socket.c
+++ b/transport-native-epoll/src/main/c/io_netty_channel_unix_Socket.c
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 
 #include "netty_unix_errors.h"
 #include "netty_unix_socket.h"
+#include "netty_unix_util.h"
 #include "io_netty_channel_unix_Socket.h"
 
 static jclass datagramSocketAddressClass = NULL;
@@ -35,6 +36,7 @@ static jclass inetSocketAddressClass = NULL;
 static jclass netUtilClass = NULL;
 static jmethodID netUtilClassIpv4PreferredMethodId = NULL;
 static int socketType;
+static char* nettyClassName = NULL;
 static const char* ip4prefix = "::ffff:";
 
 // Optional external methods
@@ -301,8 +303,11 @@ int netty_unix_socket_setOption(JNIEnv* env, jint fd, int level, int optname, co
     return rc;
 }
 
-jint netty_unix_socket_JNI_OnLoad(JNIEnv* env) {
-    jclass localDatagramSocketAddressClass = (*env)->FindClass(env, "io/netty/channel/unix/DatagramSocketAddress");
+jint netty_unix_socket_JNI_OnLoad(JNIEnv* env, const char* nettyPackagePrefix) {
+    nettyClassName = netty_unix_util_prepend(nettyPackagePrefix, "io/netty/channel/unix/DatagramSocketAddress");
+    jclass localDatagramSocketAddressClass = (*env)->FindClass(env, nettyClassName);
+    free(nettyClassName);
+    nettyClassName = NULL;
     if (localDatagramSocketAddressClass == NULL) {
         // pending exception...
         return JNI_ERR;
@@ -334,7 +339,10 @@ jint netty_unix_socket_JNI_OnLoad(JNIEnv* env) {
         netty_unix_errors_throwRuntimeException(env, "failed to get method ID: InetSocketAddress.<init>(String, int)");
         return JNI_ERR;
     }
-    jclass localNetUtilClass = (*env)->FindClass(env, "io/netty/util/NetUtil" );
+    nettyClassName = netty_unix_util_prepend(nettyPackagePrefix, "io/netty/util/NetUtil");
+    jclass localNetUtilClass = (*env)->FindClass(env, nettyClassName);
+    free(nettyClassName);
+    nettyClassName = NULL;
     if (localNetUtilClass == NULL) {
         // pending exception...
         return JNI_ERR;
@@ -376,6 +384,10 @@ jint netty_unix_socket_JNI_OnLoad(JNIEnv* env) {
 }
 
 void netty_unix_socket_JNI_OnUnLoad(JNIEnv* env) {
+    if (nettyClassName != NULL) {
+        free(nettyClassName);
+        nettyClassName = NULL;
+    }
     if (datagramSocketAddressClass != NULL) {
         (*env)->DeleteGlobalRef(env, datagramSocketAddressClass);
         datagramSocketAddressClass = NULL;
diff --git a/transport-native-epoll/src/main/c/netty_unix_errors.h b/transport-native-epoll/src/main/c/netty_unix_errors.h
index e23f383f0b..1637b83459 100644
--- a/transport-native-epoll/src/main/c/netty_unix_errors.h
+++ b/transport-native-epoll/src/main/c/netty_unix_errors.h
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ void netty_unix_errors_throwClosedChannelException(JNIEnv* env);
 void netty_unix_errors_throwOutOfMemoryError(JNIEnv* env);
 
 // JNI initialization hooks. Users of this file are responsible for calling these in the JNI_OnLoad and JNI_OnUnload methods.
-jint netty_unix_errors_JNI_OnLoad(JNIEnv* env);
+jint netty_unix_errors_JNI_OnLoad(JNIEnv* env, const char* nettyPackagePrefix);
 void netty_unix_errors_JNI_OnUnLoad(JNIEnv* env);
 
 #endif /* NETTY_UNIX_ERRORS_H_ */
diff --git a/transport-native-epoll/src/main/c/netty_unix_filedescriptor.h b/transport-native-epoll/src/main/c/netty_unix_filedescriptor.h
index f5311168cb..221ce181aa 100644
--- a/transport-native-epoll/src/main/c/netty_unix_filedescriptor.h
+++ b/transport-native-epoll/src/main/c/netty_unix_filedescriptor.h
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 #include <jni.h>
 
 // JNI initialization hooks. Users of this file are responsible for calling these in the JNI_OnLoad and JNI_OnUnload methods.
-jint netty_unix_filedescriptor_JNI_OnLoad(JNIEnv* env);
+jint netty_unix_filedescriptor_JNI_OnLoad(JNIEnv* env, const char* nettyPackagePrefix);
 void netty_unix_filedescriptor_JNI_OnUnLoad(JNIEnv* env);
 
 #endif /* NETTY_UNIX_FILEDESCRIPTOR_H_ */
diff --git a/transport-native-epoll/src/main/c/netty_unix_socket.h b/transport-native-epoll/src/main/c/netty_unix_socket.h
index 8a8c1ab652..eb5552cae2 100644
--- a/transport-native-epoll/src/main/c/netty_unix_socket.h
+++ b/transport-native-epoll/src/main/c/netty_unix_socket.h
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ int netty_unix_socket_getOption(JNIEnv* env, jint fd, int level, int optname, vo
 int netty_unix_socket_setOption(JNIEnv* env, jint fd, int level, int optname, const void* optval, socklen_t len);
 
 // JNI initialization hooks. Users of this file are responsible for calling these in the JNI_OnLoad and JNI_OnUnload methods.
-jint netty_unix_socket_JNI_OnLoad(JNIEnv* env);
+jint netty_unix_socket_JNI_OnLoad(JNIEnv* env, const char* nettyPackagePrefix);
 void netty_unix_socket_JNI_OnUnLoad(JNIEnv* env);
 
 #endif /* NETTY_UNIX_SOCKET_H_ */
diff --git a/transport-native-epoll/src/main/c/netty_unix_util.c b/transport-native-epoll/src/main/c/netty_unix_util.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6662271342
--- /dev/null
+++ b/transport-native-epoll/src/main/c/netty_unix_util.c
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2016 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.
+ */
+
+#include <string.h>
+#include "netty_unix_util.h"
+
+char* netty_unix_util_prepend(const char* prefix, const char* str) {
+    if (prefix == NULL) {
+        char* result = (char*) malloc(sizeof(char) * (strlen(str) + 1));
+        strcpy(result, str);
+        return result;
+    }
+    char* result = (char*) malloc(sizeof(char) * (strlen(prefix) + strlen(str) + 1));
+    strcpy(result, prefix);
+    strcat(result, str);
+    return result;
+}
diff --git a/transport-native-epoll/src/main/c/netty_unix_util.h b/transport-native-epoll/src/main/c/netty_unix_util.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3ab0aa549c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/transport-native-epoll/src/main/c/netty_unix_util.h
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2016 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_UTIL_H_
+#define NETTY_UNIX_UTIL_H_
+
+/**
+ * Return a new string (caller must free this string) which is equivalent to <pre>prefix + str</pre>.
+ *
+ * Caller must free the return value!
+ */
+char* netty_unix_util_prepend(const char* prefix, const char* str);
+
+#endif /* NETTY_UNIX_UTIL_H_ */