diff --git a/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/model/metadata/MetaDataProducerHelper.java b/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/model/metadata/MetaDataProducerHelper.java
index 06a35280..e8165a41 100644
--- a/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/model/metadata/MetaDataProducerHelper.java
+++ b/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/model/metadata/MetaDataProducerHelper.java
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ import java.util.Comparator;
 import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
+import com.google.common.collect.ImmutableSet;
 import com.google.common.reflect.ClassPath;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.exceptions.QException;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.logging.QLogger;
@@ -50,6 +51,8 @@ public class MetaDataProducerHelper
    private static Map<Class<?>, Integer> comparatorValuesByType = new HashMap<>();
    private static Integer                defaultComparatorValue;
 
+   private static ImmutableSet<ClassPath.ClassInfo> topLevelClasses;
+
    static
    {
       ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
@@ -70,8 +73,6 @@ public class MetaDataProducerHelper
       comparatorValuesByType.put(QAppMetaData.class, 23);
    }
 
-
-
    /*******************************************************************************
     ** Recursively find all classes in the given package, that implement MetaDataProducerInterface
     ** run them, and add their output to the given qInstance.
@@ -186,7 +187,7 @@ public class MetaDataProducerHelper
       List<Class<?>> classes = new ArrayList<>();
       ClassLoader    loader  = Thread.currentThread().getContextClassLoader();
 
-      for(ClassPath.ClassInfo info : ClassPath.from(loader).getTopLevelClasses())
+      for(ClassPath.ClassInfo info : getTopLevelClasses(loader))
       {
          if(info.getName().startsWith(packageName))
          {
@@ -197,4 +198,29 @@ public class MetaDataProducerHelper
       return (classes);
    }
 
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   private static ImmutableSet<ClassPath.ClassInfo> getTopLevelClasses(ClassLoader loader) throws IOException
+   {
+      if(topLevelClasses == null)
+      {
+         topLevelClasses = ClassPath.from(loader).getTopLevelClasses();
+      }
+
+      return (topLevelClasses);
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public static void clearTopLevelClassCache()
+   {
+      topLevelClasses = null;
+   }
+
 }
diff --git a/qqq-middleware-javalin/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/javalin/QJavalinImplementation.java b/qqq-middleware-javalin/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/javalin/QJavalinImplementation.java
index 86a6ed08..276a8733 100644
--- a/qqq-middleware-javalin/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/javalin/QJavalinImplementation.java
+++ b/qqq-middleware-javalin/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/javalin/QJavalinImplementation.java
@@ -103,6 +103,7 @@ import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.values.SearchPossibleValueSo
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.widgets.RenderWidgetInput;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.widgets.RenderWidgetOutput;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.data.QRecord;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.MetaDataProducerHelper;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.QBackendMetaData;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.QInstance;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.fields.AdornmentType;
@@ -283,6 +284,14 @@ public class QJavalinImplementation
 
          try
          {
+            ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+            // clear the cache of classes in this class, so that new classes can be found //
+            ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+            MetaDataProducerHelper.clearTopLevelClassCache();
+
+            /////////////////////////////////////////////////
+            // try to get a new instance from the supplier //
+            /////////////////////////////////////////////////
             QInstance newQInstance = qInstanceHotSwapSupplier.get();
             if(newQInstance == null)
             {
@@ -290,6 +299,9 @@ public class QJavalinImplementation
                return;
             }
 
+            ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+            // validate the instance, and only if it passes, then set it in our static field //
+            ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
             new QInstanceValidator().validate(newQInstance);
             QJavalinImplementation.qInstance = newQInstance;
             LOG.info("Swapped qInstance");