diff --git a/src/hotspot/share/runtime/arguments.cpp b/src/hotspot/share/runtime/arguments.cpp
index 95aa54f775f..7dae2cce16e 100644
--- a/src/hotspot/share/runtime/arguments.cpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/share/runtime/arguments.cpp
@@ -2215,10 +2215,6 @@ jint Arguments::parse_each_vm_init_arg(const JavaVMInitArgs* args, bool* patch_m
     // -bootclasspath/a:
     } else if (match_option(option, "-Xbootclasspath/a:", &tail)) {
       Arguments::append_sysclasspath(tail);
-#if INCLUDE_CDS
-      MetaspaceShared::disable_optimized_module_handling();
-      log_info(cds)("optimized module handling: disabled because bootclasspath was appended");
-#endif
     // -bootclasspath/p:
     } else if (match_option(option, "-Xbootclasspath/p:", &tail)) {
         jio_fprintf(defaultStream::output_stream(),
diff --git a/src/java.base/share/classes/jdk/internal/loader/ClassLoaders.java b/src/java.base/share/classes/jdk/internal/loader/ClassLoaders.java
index 75922c34e65..7b0f4d13e40 100644
--- a/src/java.base/share/classes/jdk/internal/loader/ClassLoaders.java
+++ b/src/java.base/share/classes/jdk/internal/loader/ClassLoaders.java
@@ -64,19 +64,19 @@ public class ClassLoaders {
     // Creates the built-in class loaders.
     static {
         ArchivedClassLoaders archivedClassLoaders = ArchivedClassLoaders.get();
+        // -Xbootclasspath/a or -javaagent with Boot-Class-Path attribute
+        String append = VM.getSavedProperty("jdk.boot.class.path.append");
+        URLClassPath bootUcp = (append != null && !append.isEmpty())
+                ? new URLClassPath(append, true)
+                : null;
         if (archivedClassLoaders != null) {
-            // assert VM.getSavedProperty("jdk.boot.class.path.append") == null
             BOOT_LOADER = (BootClassLoader) archivedClassLoaders.bootLoader();
+            BOOT_LOADER.setClassPath(bootUcp);
             setArchivedServicesCatalog(BOOT_LOADER);
             PLATFORM_LOADER = (PlatformClassLoader) archivedClassLoaders.platformLoader();
             setArchivedServicesCatalog(PLATFORM_LOADER);
         } else {
-            // -Xbootclasspath/a or -javaagent with Boot-Class-Path attribute
-            String append = VM.getSavedProperty("jdk.boot.class.path.append");
-            URLClassPath ucp = (append != null && !append.isEmpty())
-                    ? new URLClassPath(append, true)
-                    : null;
-            BOOT_LOADER = new BootClassLoader(ucp);
+            BOOT_LOADER = new BootClassLoader(bootUcp);
             PLATFORM_LOADER = new PlatformClassLoader(BOOT_LOADER);
         }
         // A class path is required when no initial module is specified.
diff --git a/test/hotspot/jtreg/runtime/cds/appcds/jigsaw/modulepath/OptimizeModuleHandlingTest.java b/test/hotspot/jtreg/runtime/cds/appcds/jigsaw/modulepath/OptimizeModuleHandlingTest.java
index eecc218a71a..53de474d9cd 100644
--- a/test/hotspot/jtreg/runtime/cds/appcds/jigsaw/modulepath/OptimizeModuleHandlingTest.java
+++ b/test/hotspot/jtreg/runtime/cds/appcds/jigsaw/modulepath/OptimizeModuleHandlingTest.java
@@ -306,7 +306,7 @@ public class OptimizeModuleHandlingTest {
                    .shouldNotContain(OPTIMIZE_ENABLED)
                    .shouldNotContain(OPTIMIZE_DISABLED);
             });
-        tty("10. run with CDS on,  with main/test jars on classpath also with -Xbootclasspath/a:  should not pass");
+        tty("10. run with CDS on,  with main/test jars on classpath also with -Xbootclasspath/a:  should pass");
         TestCommon.run("-Xlog:cds",
                        "-cp", mainJar.toString() + PATH_SEPARATOR + testJar.toString(),
                        "-Xbootclasspath/a:", ".",
@@ -314,9 +314,51 @@ public class OptimizeModuleHandlingTest {
             .assertAbnormalExit(out -> {
                 out.shouldNotContain(CLASS_FOUND_MESSAGE)
                    .shouldNotContain(CLASS_NOT_FOUND_MESSAGE)
-                   .shouldContain(OPTIMIZE_DISABLED)
                    .shouldNotContain(OPTIMIZE_ENABLED)
                    .shouldContain(MAP_FAILED);
             });
+
+        // Dump an archive with -Xbootclasspath/a
+        output = TestCommon.createArchive(
+                                testJar.toString(),
+                                appClasses,
+                                "-Xbootclasspath/a:" + mainJar.toString());
+        TestCommon.checkDump(output);
+        tty("11. run with CDS on,  with test jar on classpath and with main jar on -Xbootclasspath/a:  should pass");
+        TestCommon.run("-Xlog:cds",
+                       "-cp", testJar.toString(),
+                       "-Xbootclasspath/a:" + mainJar.toString(),
+                       MAIN_CLASS)
+            .assertNormalExit(out -> {
+                out.shouldNotContain(CLASS_FOUND_MESSAGE)
+                   .shouldNotContain(CLASS_NOT_FOUND_MESSAGE)
+                   .shouldContain(OPTIMIZE_ENABLED);
+            });
+        tty("12. run with CDS on,  with main jar on classpath and with test jar on -Xbootclasspath/a:  should not pass due to class paths mismatch");
+        TestCommon.run("-Xlog:cds",
+                       "-cp", mainJar.toString(),
+                       "-Xbootclasspath/a:" + testJar.toString(),
+                       MAIN_CLASS)
+            .assertAbnormalExit(out -> {
+                out.shouldNotContain(CLASS_FOUND_MESSAGE)
+                   .shouldNotContain(CLASS_NOT_FOUND_MESSAGE)
+                   .shouldNotContain(OPTIMIZE_ENABLED)
+                   .shouldContain(MAP_FAILED);
+            });
+        // Dump an archive with only -Xbootclasspath/a
+        output = TestCommon.createArchive(
+                                null,
+                                appClasses,
+                                "-Xbootclasspath/a:" + mainJar.toString());
+        TestCommon.checkDump(output);
+        tty("13. run with CDS on,  with the same -Xbootclasspath/a as dump time and adding a -cp with test.jar:  should pass");
+        TestCommon.run("-Xlog:cds,class+load",
+                       "-cp", testJar.toString(),
+                       "-Xbootclasspath/a:" + mainJar.toString(),
+                       MAIN_CLASS)
+            .assertNormalExit(out -> {
+                out.shouldMatch(MAIN_FROM_CDS)
+                   .shouldContain(OPTIMIZE_ENABLED);
+            });
     }
 }
diff --git a/test/hotspot/jtreg/runtime/cds/serviceability/ReplaceCriticalClassesForSubgraphs.java b/test/hotspot/jtreg/runtime/cds/serviceability/ReplaceCriticalClassesForSubgraphs.java
index f7d50fd7fe6..71d984d3a63 100644
--- a/test/hotspot/jtreg/runtime/cds/serviceability/ReplaceCriticalClassesForSubgraphs.java
+++ b/test/hotspot/jtreg/runtime/cds/serviceability/ReplaceCriticalClassesForSubgraphs.java
@@ -47,7 +47,8 @@ public class ReplaceCriticalClassesForSubgraphs extends ReplaceCriticalClasses {
 
             // CDS should not be disabled -- these critical classes cannot be replaced because
             // JvmtiExport::early_class_hook_env() is false.
-            "-subgraph java/lang/module/ResolvedModule jdk.internal.module.ArchivedModuleGraph",
+            "-subgraph java/lang/module/Configuration java.lang.module.Configuration",
+            "-subgraph java/lang/ModuleLayer java.lang.ModuleLayer",
             "-subgraph java/lang/Integer java.lang.Integer$IntegerCache",
 
             // Tests for archived full module graph. We cannot use whitebox, which requires appending to bootclasspath.