diff --git a/modules/oracle-free/src/main/java/org/testcontainers/oracle/OracleContainer.java b/modules/oracle-free/src/main/java/org/testcontainers/oracle/OracleContainer.java
index 90d772f0328..2080c24283b 100644
--- a/modules/oracle-free/src/main/java/org/testcontainers/oracle/OracleContainer.java
+++ b/modules/oracle-free/src/main/java/org/testcontainers/oracle/OracleContainer.java
@@ -89,7 +89,12 @@ public Set<Integer> getLivenessCheckPortNumbers() {
 
     @Override
     public String getDriverClassName() {
-        return "oracle.jdbc.driver.OracleDriver";
+        try {
+            Class.forName("oracle.jdbc.OracleDriver");
+            return "oracle.jdbc.OracleDriver";
+        } catch (ClassNotFoundException e) {
+            return "oracle.jdbc.driver.OracleDriver";
+        }
     }
 
     @Override
diff --git a/modules/oracle-xe/src/main/java/org/testcontainers/containers/OracleContainer.java b/modules/oracle-xe/src/main/java/org/testcontainers/containers/OracleContainer.java
index 24dbdb37701..75b16779f40 100644
--- a/modules/oracle-xe/src/main/java/org/testcontainers/containers/OracleContainer.java
+++ b/modules/oracle-xe/src/main/java/org/testcontainers/containers/OracleContainer.java
@@ -110,7 +110,12 @@ public Set<Integer> getLivenessCheckPortNumbers() {
 
     @Override
     public String getDriverClassName() {
-        return "oracle.jdbc.driver.OracleDriver";
+        try {
+            Class.forName("oracle.jdbc.OracleDriver");
+            return "oracle.jdbc.OracleDriver";
+        } catch (ClassNotFoundException e) {
+            return "oracle.jdbc.driver.OracleDriver";
+        }
     }
 
     @Override