Index: src/java/org/apache/jackrabbit/jca/JCARepositoryManager.java
===================================================================
--- src/java/org/apache/jackrabbit/jca/JCARepositoryManager.java	(revision 387099)
+++ src/java/org/apache/jackrabbit/jca/JCARepositoryManager.java	(working copy)
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 import org.apache.jackrabbit.core.config.RepositoryConfig;
 
 import javax.jcr.RepositoryException;
+import java.io.InputStream;
 import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.Map;
 
@@ -28,6 +29,9 @@
  */
 public final class JCARepositoryManager {
 
+    /** The config file prefix that signifies the file is to be loaded from the classpath. */
+    public static final String CLASSPATH_CONFIG_PREFIX = "classpath:";
+    
     /**
      * Instance of manager.
      */
@@ -48,6 +52,12 @@
 
     /**
      * Create repository.
+     *
+     * @param homeDir   The location of the repository.
+     * @param configFile The path to the repository configuration file. If the file is located on
+     *                   the classpath, the path should be prepended with
+     *                   JCARepositoryManager.CLASSPATH_CONFIG_PREFIX.
+     *
      */
     public RepositoryImpl createRepository(String homeDir, String configFile)
             throws RepositoryException {
@@ -57,6 +67,9 @@
 
     /**
      * Shutdown the repository.
+     *
+     * @param homeDir   The location of the repository.
+     * @param configFile The path to the repository configuration file.
      */
     public void shutdownRepository(String homeDir, String configFile) {
         Reference ref = getReference(homeDir, configFile);
@@ -65,6 +78,9 @@
 
     /**
      * Return the reference.
+     *
+     * @param homeDir   The location of the repository.
+     * @param configFile The path to the repository configuration file.
      */
     private synchronized Reference getReference(String homeDir, String configFile) {
         Reference ref = new Reference(homeDir, configFile);
@@ -95,7 +111,8 @@
         private final String homeDir;
 
         /**
-         * Configuration file.
+         * Configuration file. Configuration files located on the classpath begin with
+         * JCARepositoryManager.CLASSPATH_CONFIG_PREFIX.
          */
         private final String configFile;
 
@@ -125,7 +142,21 @@
         public RepositoryImpl create()
                 throws RepositoryException {
             if (repository == null) {
-                RepositoryConfig config = RepositoryConfig.create(configFile, homeDir);
+                RepositoryConfig config = null;
+                
+                if (configFile.startsWith(CLASSPATH_CONFIG_PREFIX)) {
+                    ClassLoader cl = Thread.currentThread().getContextClassLoader();
+                    if (cl == null) {
+                        cl = this.getClass().getClassLoader();
+                    }
+                    
+                    InputStream configInputStream = cl.getResourceAsStream(
+                        configFile.substring(CLASSPATH_CONFIG_PREFIX.length()));
+                    config = RepositoryConfig.create(configInputStream, homeDir);
+                } else {
+                    config = RepositoryConfig.create(configFile, homeDir);
+                }
+                
                 repository = RepositoryImpl.create(config);
             }