diff --git a/framework/src/play/Play.java b/framework/src/play/Play.java
index 65e22469..f74ea390 100644
--- a/framework/src/play/Play.java
+++ b/framework/src/play/Play.java
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
 import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
+import java.util.Objects;
 import java.util.Properties;
 
 import static java.nio.charset.StandardCharsets.UTF_8;
@@ -158,6 +159,13 @@ public void init(String id) {
     setupApplicationMode();
     VirtualFile appRoot = setupAppRoot();
     routes = appRoot.child("conf/routes");
+    if (!routes.exists()) {
+      try {
+        routes = VirtualFile.open(Objects.requireNonNull(Thread.currentThread().getContextClassLoader().getResource("conf/routes")).getFile());
+      } catch (NullPointerException e) {
+        // keep going! VirtualFile's exception is more descriptive
+      }
+    }
 
     modulesRoutes.clear();
     loadModules(appRoot);
diff --git a/framework/src/play/PropertiesConfLoader.java b/framework/src/play/PropertiesConfLoader.java
index 16d75ba4..4c432fa5 100644
--- a/framework/src/play/PropertiesConfLoader.java
+++ b/framework/src/play/PropertiesConfLoader.java
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 
 import java.util.HashSet;
 import java.util.Map;
+import java.util.Objects;
 import java.util.Properties;
 import java.util.Set;
 import java.util.regex.Matcher;
@@ -33,9 +34,33 @@ public Properties readOneConfigurationFile(String playId, String filename) {
   }
 
   private Properties readOneConfigurationFile(String filename, String playId, String inheritedId, Set<VirtualFile> confs) {
-    VirtualFile conf = VirtualFile.open(Play.applicationPath + "/conf/" + filename);
+    VirtualFile conf = resolveFilenameToVirtualFile(filename);
+    return readOneConfigurationFile(conf, playId, inheritedId, confs);
+  }
+
+  protected VirtualFile resolveFilenameToVirtualFile(String filename) {
+    VirtualFile conf = resolveFileNameWithApplicationPath(filename);
+    if (!conf.exists()) {
+      try {
+        conf = resolveFileNameWithClasspath(filename);
+      } catch (NullPointerException e) {
+        // keep going! VirtualFile's exception is more descriptive
+      }
+    }
+    return conf;
+  }
+
+  protected final VirtualFile resolveFileNameWithApplicationPath(String filename) {
+    return VirtualFile.open(Play.applicationPath + "/conf/" + filename);
+  }
+
+  protected final VirtualFile resolveFileNameWithClasspath(String filename) {
+    return VirtualFile.open(Objects.requireNonNull(Thread.currentThread().getContextClassLoader().getResource("conf/" + filename)).getPath());
+  }
+
+  private Properties readOneConfigurationFile(VirtualFile conf, String playId, String inheritedId, Set<VirtualFile> confs) {
     if (confs.contains(conf)) {
-      throw new RuntimeException("Detected recursive @include usage. Have seen the file " + filename + " before");
+      throw new RuntimeException("Detected recursive @include usage. Have seen the file " + conf.getName() + " before");
     }
 
     confs.add(conf);