diff --git a/karaf/features/src/main/feature/feature.xml b/karaf/features/src/main/feature/feature.xml
index eafcfa9..9157b1d 100644
--- a/karaf/features/src/main/feature/feature.xml
+++ b/karaf/features/src/main/feature/feature.xml
@@ -254,7 +254,6 @@
 
     <feature name="brooklyn-software-base"  version="${project.version}"  description="Brooklyn Software Base">
         <bundle>mvn:org.apache.brooklyn/brooklyn-software-base/${project.version}</bundle>
-        <bundle dependency="true">wrap:mvn:org.glassfish.external/opendmk_jmxremote_optional_jar/${opendmk_jmxremote_optional_jar.version}$Import-Package=javax.management.openmbean,*</bundle>
         <feature>brooklyn-software-winrm</feature>
         <feature>brooklyn-policy</feature>
     </feature>
diff --git a/software/base/src/main/java/org/apache/brooklyn/feed/jmx/JmxHelper.java b/software/base/src/main/java/org/apache/brooklyn/feed/jmx/JmxHelper.java
index dd93d72..0fd1384 100644
--- a/software/base/src/main/java/org/apache/brooklyn/feed/jmx/JmxHelper.java
+++ b/software/base/src/main/java/org/apache/brooklyn/feed/jmx/JmxHelper.java
@@ -306,16 +306,13 @@
      * Handles loading the {@link JMXConnector} in OSGi, where we need to supply the classloader.
      */
     public static JMXConnector newConnector(JMXServiceURL url, Map<String, ?> env) throws IOException {
-        Map<String, Object> envCopy = MutableMap.copyOf(env);
-        String protocol = url.getProtocol();
-        if ("jmxmp".equalsIgnoreCase(protocol)) {
-            envCopy.put(JMXConnectorFactory.PROTOCOL_PROVIDER_CLASS_LOADER, javax.management.remote.jmxmp.JMXMPConnector.class.getClassLoader());
-            envCopy.put(JMXConnectorFactory.DEFAULT_CLASS_LOADER, javax.management.remote.jmxmp.JMXMPConnector.class.getClassLoader());
-        } else if ("rmi".equalsIgnoreCase(protocol)) {
-            envCopy.put(JMXConnectorFactory.PROTOCOL_PROVIDER_CLASS_LOADER, javax.management.remote.rmi.RMIConnector.class.getClassLoader());
-            envCopy.put(JMXConnectorFactory.DEFAULT_CLASS_LOADER, javax.management.remote.rmi.RMIConnector.class.getClassLoader());
-        }
-        return JMXConnectorFactory.connect(url, envCopy);
+        // Fix for BROOKLYN-626
+        // In Karaf 4.2.8, they added jmxmp support via a jar in boot/lib/
+        // This means it's on the root classpath without it being a proper/normal bundle!
+        // We need to use the classes from that ClassLoader rather than our own bundle, otherwise
+        // we get ClassCastException when we deserialize a jmxmp message and try to cast it to
+        // `Message` from the other ClassLoader. 
+        return JMXConnectorFactory.connect(url, env);
     }
     
     @SuppressWarnings({ "rawtypes", "unchecked" })