diff --git a/source/Components/AvalonDock/Layout/LayoutRoot.cs b/source/Components/AvalonDock/Layout/LayoutRoot.cs
index ba81f75c..ed905d49 100644
--- a/source/Components/AvalonDock/Layout/LayoutRoot.cs
+++ b/source/Components/AvalonDock/Layout/LayoutRoot.cs
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ This program is provided to you under the terms of the Microsoft Public
 using System.Collections.ObjectModel;
 using System.Diagnostics;
 using System.Linq;
+using System.Reflection;
 using System.Text;
 using System.Windows.Controls;
 using System.Windows.Markup;
@@ -653,9 +654,19 @@ void IXmlSerializable.WriteXml(XmlWriter writer)
 
 		internal static Type FindType(string name)
 		{
-			foreach (var assembly in AppDomain.CurrentDomain.GetAssemblies())
-				foreach (var type in assembly.GetTypes())
-					if (type.Name.Equals(name)) return type;
+			var avalonAssembly = Assembly.GetAssembly(typeof(LayoutRoot));
+
+			foreach (var assembly in AppDomain.CurrentDomain.GetAssemblies().OrderBy(a => a != avalonAssembly))
+				try
+				{
+					foreach (var type in assembly.GetTypes())
+						if (type.Name.Equals(name))
+							return type;
+				}
+				catch (ReflectionTypeLoadException)
+				{
+				}
+
 			return null;
 		}
 
@@ -995,4 +1006,4 @@ void DumpElement(ILayoutElement element, StringBuilder indent, int childID, bool
 
 		#endregion Diagnostic tools
 	}
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}