diff --git a/pkg/trait/jolokia.go b/pkg/trait/jolokia.go
index 9499eef0d9..e78bd9f50d 100644
--- a/pkg/trait/jolokia.go
+++ b/pkg/trait/jolokia.go
@@ -127,6 +127,7 @@ func (t *jolokiaTrait) Apply(e *Environment) error {
 		}
 	}
 	container.Args = append(container.Args, "-javaagent:"+jolokiaFilepath+"="+strings.Join(optionValues, ","))
+	container.Args = append(container.Args, "-cp", jolokiaFilepath)
 
 	containerPort := corev1.ContainerPort{
 		Name:          "jolokia",
diff --git a/pkg/trait/jolokia_test.go b/pkg/trait/jolokia_test.go
index c5c685cc59..6668f38507 100644
--- a/pkg/trait/jolokia_test.go
+++ b/pkg/trait/jolokia_test.go
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ func TestApplyJolokiaTraitNominalShouldSucceed(t *testing.T) {
 
 	assert.Equal(t, container.Args, []string{
 		"-javaagent:dependencies/lib/main/org.jolokia.jolokia-agent-jvm-1.7.1.jar=discoveryEnabled=false,host=*,port=8778",
+		"-cp", "dependencies/lib/main/org.jolokia.jolokia-agent-jvm-1.7.1.jar",
 	})
 
 	assert.Len(t, container.Ports, 1)
@@ -85,6 +86,7 @@ func TestApplyJolokiaTraitForOpenShiftProfileShouldSucceed(t *testing.T) {
 			"clientPrincipal.1=cn=system:master-proxy,clientPrincipal.2=cn=hawtio-online.hawtio.svc," +
 			"clientPrincipal.3=cn=fuse-console.fuse.svc,discoveryEnabled=false,extendedClientCheck=true," +
 			"host=*,port=8778,protocol=https,useSslClientAuthentication=true",
+		"-cp", "dependencies/lib/main/org.jolokia.jolokia-agent-jvm-1.7.1.jar",
 	})
 
 	assert.Len(t, container.Ports, 1)
@@ -134,6 +136,7 @@ func TestApplyJolokiaTraitWithOptionShouldOverrideDefault(t *testing.T) {
 		"-javaagent:dependencies/lib/main/org.jolokia.jolokia-agent-jvm-1.7.1.jar=caCert=.cacert,clientPrincipal=cn:any," +
 			"discoveryEnabled=true,extendedClientCheck=false,host=explicit-host,port=8778,protocol=http," +
 			"useSslClientAuthentication=false",
+		"-cp", "dependencies/lib/main/org.jolokia.jolokia-agent-jvm-1.7.1.jar",
 	})
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/trait/jvm.go b/pkg/trait/jvm.go
index 7ca44edd49..2a352f52b6 100644
--- a/pkg/trait/jvm.go
+++ b/pkg/trait/jvm.go
@@ -204,6 +204,7 @@ func (t *jvmTrait) enableDebug(e *Environment) string {
 }
 
 func (t *jvmTrait) prepareClasspathItems(container *corev1.Container) []string {
+	existingClasspaths := extractExistingClasspathItems(container)
 	classpath := sets.NewSet()
 	// Deprecated: replaced by /etc/camel/resources.d/[_configmaps/_secrets] (camel.ResourcesConfigmapsMountPath/camel.ResourcesSecretsMountPath).
 	classpath.Add("./resources")
@@ -223,9 +224,28 @@ func (t *jvmTrait) prepareClasspathItems(container *corev1.Container) []string {
 	// Keep class path sorted so that it's consistent over reconciliation cycles
 	sort.Strings(items)
 
+	if existingClasspaths != nil {
+		existingClasspaths = append(existingClasspaths, items...)
+		return existingClasspaths
+	}
+
 	return items
 }
 
+// extractExistingClasspathItems returns any container classpath option (if exists).
+func extractExistingClasspathItems(container *corev1.Container) []string {
+	for i, arg := range container.Args {
+		if arg == "-cp" || arg == "-classpath" {
+			if i < len(container.Args) {
+				// return the next argument
+				return strings.Split(container.Args[i+1], ":")
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
 // Translate HTTP proxy environment variables, that are set by the environment trait,
 // into corresponding JVM system properties.
 func (t *jvmTrait) prepareHTTPProxy(container *corev1.Container) ([]string, error) {
diff --git a/pkg/trait/jvm_test.go b/pkg/trait/jvm_test.go
index 13041de494..fefefffd2c 100644
--- a/pkg/trait/jvm_test.go
+++ b/pkg/trait/jvm_test.go
@@ -449,6 +449,49 @@ func TestApplyJvmTraitWithClasspath(t *testing.T) {
 		"io.quarkus.bootstrap.runner.QuarkusEntryPoint",
 	}, d.Spec.Template.Spec.Containers[0].Args)
 }
+
+func TestApplyJvmTraitWithClasspathAndExistingContainerCPArg(t *testing.T) {
+	trait, environment := createNominalJvmTest(v1.IntegrationKitTypePlatform)
+	trait.Classpath = "/path/to/my-dep.jar:/path/to/another/dep.jar"
+	d := appsv1.Deployment{
+		Spec: appsv1.DeploymentSpec{
+			Template: corev1.PodTemplateSpec{
+				Spec: corev1.PodSpec{
+					Containers: []corev1.Container{
+						{
+							Name: defaultContainerName,
+							Args: []string{
+								"-cp",
+								"my-precious-lib.jar",
+							},
+						},
+					},
+				},
+			},
+		},
+	}
+
+	environment.Resources.Add(&d)
+	configure, condition, err := trait.Configure(environment)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.True(t, configure)
+	assert.Nil(t, condition)
+	err = trait.Apply(environment)
+
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.Equal(t, []string{
+		// WARN: we don't care if there are multiple classpath arguments
+		// as the application will use the second one
+		"-cp",
+		"my-precious-lib.jar",
+		"-cp",
+		fmt.Sprintf("my-precious-lib.jar:./resources:%s:%s:%s:%s:%s:dependencies/*",
+			rdMountPath, cmrMountPath, scrMountPath,
+			"/path/to/another/dep.jar", "/path/to/my-dep.jar"),
+		"io.quarkus.bootstrap.runner.QuarkusEntryPoint",
+	}, d.Spec.Template.Spec.Containers[0].Args)
+}
+
 func TestApplyJvmTraitKitMissing(t *testing.T) {
 	trait, environment := createNominalJvmTest(v1.IntegrationKitTypePlatform)
 	environment.IntegrationKit = nil