diff --git a/Mono.TextTemplating/Mono.TextTemplating/CurrentDomainAssemblyResolver.cs b/Mono.TextTemplating/Mono.TextTemplating/CurrentDomainAssemblyResolver.cs
index 2d79a8a..e990380 100644
--- a/Mono.TextTemplating/Mono.TextTemplating/CurrentDomainAssemblyResolver.cs
+++ b/Mono.TextTemplating/Mono.TextTemplating/CurrentDomainAssemblyResolver.cs
@@ -26,17 +26,20 @@ Assembly ResolveReferencedAssemblies (object sender, ResolveEventArgs args)
 		{
 			var asmName = new AssemblyName (args.Name);
 
+			// The list of assembly files referenced by the template may contain reference assemblies,
+			// which will fail to load. Letting the host attempt to resolve the assembly first
+			// gives it an opportunity to resolve runtime assemblies.
+			var path = resolveAssemblyReference (asmName.Name + ".dll");
+			if (File.Exists (path)) {
+				return Assembly.LoadFrom (path);
+			}
+
 			foreach (var asmFile in assemblyFiles) {
 				if (asmName.Name == Path.GetFileNameWithoutExtension (asmFile)) {
 					return Assembly.LoadFrom (asmFile);
 				}
 			}
 
-			var path = resolveAssemblyReference (asmName.Name + ".dll");
-			if (File.Exists (path)) {
-				return Assembly.LoadFrom (path);
-			}
-
 			return null;
 		}
 
diff --git a/Mono.TextTemplating/Mono.TextTemplating/TemplateAssemblyLoadContext.cs b/Mono.TextTemplating/Mono.TextTemplating/TemplateAssemblyLoadContext.cs
index fb48b73..a524bc5 100644
--- a/Mono.TextTemplating/Mono.TextTemplating/TemplateAssemblyLoadContext.cs
+++ b/Mono.TextTemplating/Mono.TextTemplating/TemplateAssemblyLoadContext.cs
@@ -96,6 +96,14 @@ protected override Assembly Load (AssemblyName assemblyName)
 
 		Assembly ResolveAssembly (AssemblyLoadContext context, AssemblyName assemblyName)
 		{
+			// The list of assembly files referenced by the template may contain reference assemblies,
+			// which will fail to load. Letting the host attempt to resolve the assembly first
+			// gives it an opportunity to resolve runtime assemblies.
+			var path = host.ResolveAssemblyReference (assemblyName.Name + ".dll");
+			if (File.Exists (path)) {
+				return LoadFromAssemblyPath (path);
+			}
+
 			for (int i = 0; i < templateAssemblyFiles.Length; i++) {
 				var asmFile = templateAssemblyFiles[i];
 				if (asmFile is null) {
@@ -113,11 +121,6 @@ Assembly ResolveAssembly (AssemblyLoadContext context, AssemblyName assemblyName
 				}
 			}
 
-			var path = host.ResolveAssemblyReference (assemblyName.Name + ".dll");
-			if (File.Exists (path)) {
-				return LoadFromAssemblyPath (path);
-			}
-
 			return null;
 		}
 	}