--- a/smalltalk.rc	Fri Nov 15 09:55:57 2019 +0100
+++ b/smalltalk.rc	Sun Dec 08 00:45:12 2019 +0100
@@ -810,7 +810,7 @@
 "/
 "/ load initial packages (as set in the user's prefs)
 "/
-UserPreferences current autoloadedPackages notEmpty ifTrue:[
+UserPreferences current autoloadedPackages notEmptyOrNil ifTrue:[
   (Smalltalk commandLineArguments includesAny:#('--noAutoload' '--noautoload')) ifTrue:[
     'smalltalk.rc [info]: autoloaded packages suppressed.' infoPrintCR.
   ] ifFalse:[
@@ -820,7 +820,11 @@
 	Error handle:[:ex |
 	    ('smalltalk.rc [error]: error while autoloading package: ',eachPackage) errorPrintCR.
 	] do:[
-	    Smalltalk loadPackage:eachPackage.
+	    Smalltalk loadPackage:eachPackage asAutoloaded:true.
+	    (defClass := eachPackage asPackageId projectDefinitionClass) notNil ifTrue:[
+		defClass installAutoloadedClasses.
+	    ].
+	    ('smalltalk.rc [info]: loaded ',eachPackage,'.') infoPrintCR.
 	]
     ].
     Smalltalk showSplashMessage:('done.').