diff --git a/openide.util.lookup/manifest.mf b/openide.util.lookup/manifest.mf
--- a/openide.util.lookup/manifest.mf
+++ b/openide.util.lookup/manifest.mf
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 Manifest-Version: 1.0
 OpenIDE-Module: org.openide.util.lookup
 OpenIDE-Module-Localizing-Bundle: org/openide/util/lookup/Bundle.properties
-OpenIDE-Module-Specification-Version: 8.30
+OpenIDE-Module-Specification-Version: 8.31
 
diff --git a/openide.util.lookup/src/org/netbeans/modules/openide/util/GlobalLookup.java b/openide.util.lookup/src/org/netbeans/modules/openide/util/GlobalLookup.java
--- a/openide.util.lookup/src/org/netbeans/modules/openide/util/GlobalLookup.java
+++ b/openide.util.lookup/src/org/netbeans/modules/openide/util/GlobalLookup.java
@@ -46,10 +46,19 @@
 public class GlobalLookup {
     private static final ThreadLocal<Lookup> CURRENT = new ThreadLocal<Lookup>();
     
+    /**
+     * The true system Lookup, the main, holy and only.
+     */
+    private static volatile Lookup systemLookup;
+    
     private GlobalLookup() {
     }
 
+    @SuppressWarnings("AssignmentToMethodParameter")
     public static boolean execute(Lookup defaultLookup, Runnable r) {
+        if (defaultLookup == null) {
+            defaultLookup = systemLookup;
+        }
         Lookup prev = CURRENT.get();
         if (prev == defaultLookup) {
             return false;
@@ -66,4 +75,8 @@
     public static Lookup current() {
         return CURRENT.get();
     }
+    
+    public static void setSystemLookup(Lookup lkp) {
+        systemLookup = lkp;
+    }
 }
diff --git a/openide.util.lookup/src/org/openide/util/Lookup.java b/openide.util.lookup/src/org/openide/util/Lookup.java
--- a/openide.util.lookup/src/org/openide/util/Lookup.java
+++ b/openide.util.lookup/src/org/openide/util/Lookup.java
@@ -127,8 +127,9 @@
                 if (lkp != null) {
                     return lkp;
                 }
+            } else {
+                return defaultLookup;
             }
-            return defaultLookup;
         }
         LOG.log(Level.FINER, "About to initialize Lookup@{0}.getDefault() by {1}", 
             new Object[] { Lookup.class.getClassLoader(), Thread.currentThread() }
@@ -149,6 +150,8 @@
             if (className != null) {
                 Object o = Class.forName(className, true, l).newInstance();
                 defaultLookup = (Lookup)o;
+                // set the global global Lookuo
+                GlobalLookup.setSystemLookup(defaultLookup);
                 LOG.log(Level.FINE, "Default lookup initialized {0}", defaultLookup);
                 // for testing purposes, tests may setup a class implementing both interfaces
                 if (o instanceof Lookup.Provider) {
diff --git a/openide.util.lookup/src/org/openide/util/lookup/Lookups.java b/openide.util.lookup/src/org/openide/util/lookup/Lookups.java
--- a/openide.util.lookup/src/org/openide/util/lookup/Lookups.java
+++ b/openide.util.lookup/src/org/openide/util/lookup/Lookups.java
@@ -285,10 +285,19 @@
      * of {@link Lookup#getDefault()} to here-in provided lookup. Useful in a
      * multi user environment where different users and their requests should
      * be associated with different content of default lookup.
+     * <p/>
+     * As a special case, {@code executeWith} will execute the Runnable with
+     * the system global lookup (the one effective during system bootstrap), when
+     * the passed {@code defaultLookup} parameter is {@code null}. This feature may
+     * be useful to switch from a specialized Lookup back to a default one for
+     * some limited processing, or when the caller needs to bypass potential
+     * execution-local content temporary effective in the default Lookup and
+     * work with system-wide services only.
      * 
      * @param defaultLookup the lookup to be come default while code is running
      * @param code the code to execute (synchronously) before the method returns
      * @since 8.30
+     * @since 8.31 can delegate to the system Lookup
      */
     public static void executeWith(Lookup defaultLookup, Runnable code) {
         if (!GlobalLookup.execute(defaultLookup, code)) {
diff --git a/openide.util.lookup/src/org/openide/util/lookup/MetaInfServicesLookup.java b/openide.util.lookup/src/org/openide/util/lookup/MetaInfServicesLookup.java
--- a/openide.util.lookup/src/org/openide/util/lookup/MetaInfServicesLookup.java
+++ b/openide.util.lookup/src/org/openide/util/lookup/MetaInfServicesLookup.java
@@ -512,6 +512,10 @@
 
                         if (o == null) {
                             o = SharedClassObjectBridge.newInstance(c);
+                            Object other = CACHE.findInstance(c);
+                            if (other != null) {
+                                return object = other;
+                            }
                             CACHE.storeInstance(o);
                         }