diff --git a/core/deployment/src/main/java/io/quarkus/deployment/steps/ClassPathSystemPropBuildStep.java b/core/deployment/src/main/java/io/quarkus/deployment/steps/ClassPathSystemPropBuildStep.java
index feda25cbade14..dccb19214baec 100644
--- a/core/deployment/src/main/java/io/quarkus/deployment/steps/ClassPathSystemPropBuildStep.java
+++ b/core/deployment/src/main/java/io/quarkus/deployment/steps/ClassPathSystemPropBuildStep.java
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.Collection;
 import java.util.List;
-import java.util.stream.Collectors;
 import java.util.stream.Stream;
 
 import io.quarkus.deployment.annotations.BuildProducer;
@@ -46,8 +45,8 @@ public void set(List<SetClassPathSystemPropBuildItem> setCPItems,
 
             }
         }
-        String classPathValue = Stream.concat(parentFirst.stream(), regular.stream()).map(p -> p.toAbsolutePath().toString())
-                .collect(Collectors.joining(":"));
-        recorder.set(classPathValue);
+        List<String> allJarPaths = Stream.concat(parentFirst.stream(), regular.stream()).map(p -> p.toAbsolutePath().toString())
+                .toList();
+        recorder.set(allJarPaths);
     }
 }
diff --git a/core/runtime/src/main/java/io/quarkus/runtime/ClassPathSystemPropertyRecorder.java b/core/runtime/src/main/java/io/quarkus/runtime/ClassPathSystemPropertyRecorder.java
index fdca4fcb0cb65..c5f17f4b8d0f6 100644
--- a/core/runtime/src/main/java/io/quarkus/runtime/ClassPathSystemPropertyRecorder.java
+++ b/core/runtime/src/main/java/io/quarkus/runtime/ClassPathSystemPropertyRecorder.java
@@ -1,11 +1,13 @@
 package io.quarkus.runtime;
 
+import java.util.List;
+
 import io.quarkus.runtime.annotations.Recorder;
 
 @Recorder
 public class ClassPathSystemPropertyRecorder {
 
-    public void set(String value) {
-        System.setProperty("java.class.path", value);
+    public void set(List<String> allJarPaths) {
+        System.setProperty("java.class.path", String.join(":", allJarPaths));
     }
 }