diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index f1fd7e14..a7faa4c6 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -17,11 +17,11 @@
 # connect it to localhost (password: password) to observe
 # the graphical output of these tests.
 
-FROM openjdk:11
+FROM debian:stable
 WORKDIR /beast2
 
 # Install Apache Ant
-RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y ant
+RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y openjdk-21-jdk openjfx ant
 
 # Install and configure VNC server
 RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y tightvncserver twm
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ RUN echo password | vncpasswd -f > /root/.vnc/passwd
 RUN chmod 600 /root/.vnc/passwd
 
 # Install BEAGLE
-RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y build-essential autoconf automake libtool pkg-config
+RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y build-essential autoconf automake libtool pkg-config git
 # use latest release v3.1.2, issue #786
 RUN cd /root && git clone --branch v3.1.2 --depth=1 https://github.com/beagle-dev/beagle-lib.git
 RUN cd /root/beagle-lib && ./autogen.sh && ./configure --prefix=/usr/local && make install
diff --git a/src/beast/pkgmgmt/PackageManager.java b/src/beast/pkgmgmt/PackageManager.java
index d2690b20..c3567039 100644
--- a/src/beast/pkgmgmt/PackageManager.java
+++ b/src/beast/pkgmgmt/PackageManager.java
@@ -381,9 +381,14 @@ private static void loadURL(URL url, InputStream is, Map<String, Package> packag
 
                 PackageVersion packageVersion = new PackageVersion(element.getAttribute("version"));
 
-                if (element.hasAttribute("projectURL") &&
-                        !(pkg.getLatestVersion() != null && packageVersion.compareTo(pkg.getLatestVersion())<0))
-                    pkg.setProjectURL(new URL(element.getAttribute("projectURL")));
+                    if (element.hasAttribute("projectURL") &&
+                            !(pkg.getLatestVersion() != null && packageVersion.compareTo(pkg.getLatestVersion()) < 0)) {
+                        try {
+                            pkg.setProjectURL(new URL(element.getAttribute("projectURL")));
+                        } catch (MalformedURLException ex) {
+                            System.err.println("Error parsing projectURL: " + ex.getMessage());
+                        }
+                    }
 
                 Set<PackageDependency> packageDependencies = new HashSet<PackageDependency>();
                 NodeList depNodes = element.getElementsByTagName("depends");