diff --git a/java/src/processing/mode/java/pdex/ErrorCheckerService.java b/java/src/processing/mode/java/pdex/ErrorCheckerService.java
index 0094eb0c6..b8fabbf24 100644
--- a/java/src/processing/mode/java/pdex/ErrorCheckerService.java
+++ b/java/src/processing/mode/java/pdex/ErrorCheckerService.java
@@ -568,9 +568,18 @@ public class ErrorCheckerService {
     }
 
     // Mode class path
-    String coreClassPath = mode.getCoreLibrary().getClassPath();
-    if (coreClassPath != null) {
-      classPath.append(File.pathSeparator).append(coreClassPath);
+    if (neededImports == null) {
+      String searchClassPath = mode.getSearchPath();
+      if (searchClassPath != null) {
+        classPath.append(File.pathSeparator).append(searchClassPath);
+      }
+    } else {
+      Library coreLibrary = mode.getCoreLibrary();
+      String coreClassPath = coreLibrary != null ?
+          coreLibrary.getClassPath() : mode.getSearchPath();
+      if (coreClassPath != null) {
+        classPath.append(File.pathSeparator).append(coreClassPath);
+      }
     }
 
     // Core libraries