diff --git a/linker/shared/src/main/scala/org/scalajs/linker/analyzer/Analysis.scala b/linker/shared/src/main/scala/org/scalajs/linker/analyzer/Analysis.scala
index 46050e65b1..5d4ca8efb0 100644
--- a/linker/shared/src/main/scala/org/scalajs/linker/analyzer/Analysis.scala
+++ b/linker/shared/src/main/scala/org/scalajs/linker/analyzer/Analysis.scala
@@ -165,7 +165,6 @@ object Analysis {
     def from: From
   }
 
-  final case class MissingJavaLangObjectClass(from: From) extends Error
   final case class CycleInInheritanceChain(encodedClassNames: List[ClassName], from: From) extends Error
   final case class MissingClass(info: ClassInfo, from: From) extends Error
 
@@ -216,8 +215,6 @@ object Analysis {
 
   def logError(error: Error, logger: Logger, level: Level): Unit = {
     val headMsg = error match {
-      case MissingJavaLangObjectClass(_) =>
-        "Fatal error: java.lang.Object is missing"
       case CycleInInheritanceChain(encodedClassNames, _) =>
         ("Fatal error: cycle in inheritance chain involving " +
             encodedClassNames.map(_.nameString).mkString(", "))
diff --git a/linker/shared/src/main/scala/org/scalajs/linker/analyzer/Analyzer.scala b/linker/shared/src/main/scala/org/scalajs/linker/analyzer/Analyzer.scala
index 207e6300df..1bcc71044b 100644
--- a/linker/shared/src/main/scala/org/scalajs/linker/analyzer/Analyzer.scala
+++ b/linker/shared/src/main/scala/org/scalajs/linker/analyzer/Analyzer.scala
@@ -99,19 +99,11 @@ final class Analyzer(config: CommonPhaseConfig, initial: Boolean,
     /* Load the java.lang.Object class, and validate it
      * If it is missing or invalid, we're in deep trouble, and cannot continue.
      */
-    infoLoader.loadInfo(ObjectClass)(workQueue.ec) match {
-      case None =>
-        _errors += MissingJavaLangObjectClass(fromAnalyzer)
-
-      case Some(future) =>
-        workQueue.enqueue(future) { data =>
-          objectClassInfo = new ClassInfo(data,
-              unvalidatedSuperClass = None,
-              unvalidatedInterfaces = Nil, nonExistent = false)
-
-          objectClassInfo.link()
-          onSuccess()
-        }
+    lookupClass(ObjectClass) { clazz =>
+      if (!clazz.nonExistent) {
+        objectClassInfo = clazz
+        onSuccess()
+      }
     }
   }
 
@@ -352,7 +344,13 @@ final class Analyzer(config: CommonPhaseConfig, initial: Boolean,
     _classInfos.get(className) match {
       case None =>
         val loading = new LoadingClass(className)
+
+        _classInfos(className) = loading
+
+        // Request linking before scheduling the loading to avoid the task queue
+        // dropping to zero intermittently.
         loading.requestLink(knownDescendants)(onSuccess)
+        loading.startLoad()
 
       case Some(loading: LoadingClass) =>
         loading.requestLink(knownDescendants)(onSuccess)
@@ -377,17 +375,6 @@ final class Analyzer(config: CommonPhaseConfig, initial: Boolean,
     private val promise = Promise[LoadingResult]()
     private var knownDescendants = Set[LoadingClass](this)
 
-    _classInfos(className) = this
-
-    infoLoader.loadInfo(className)(workQueue.ec) match {
-      case Some(future) =>
-        workQueue.enqueue(future)(link(_, nonExistent = false))
-
-      case None =>
-        val data = createMissingClassInfo(className)
-        link(data, nonExistent = true)
-    }
-
     def requestLink(knownDescendants: Set[LoadingClass])(onSuccess: LoadingResult => Unit): Unit = {
       if (knownDescendants.contains(this)) {
         onSuccess(CycleInfo(Nil, this))
@@ -397,6 +384,17 @@ final class Analyzer(config: CommonPhaseConfig, initial: Boolean,
       }
     }
 
+    def startLoad(): Unit = {
+      infoLoader.loadInfo(className)(workQueue.ec) match {
+        case Some(future) =>
+          workQueue.enqueue(future)(link(_, nonExistent = false))
+
+        case None =>
+          val data = createMissingClassInfo(className)
+          link(data, nonExistent = true)
+      }
+    }
+
     private def link(data: Infos.ClassInfo, nonExistent: Boolean): Unit = {
       lookupAncestors(data.superClass.toList ++ data.interfaces) { classes =>
         val (superClass, interfaces) =
@@ -461,15 +459,11 @@ final class Analyzer(config: CommonPhaseConfig, initial: Boolean,
     val isNativeJSClass =
       kind == ClassKind.NativeJSClass || kind == ClassKind.NativeJSModuleClass
 
-    // Note: j.l.Object is special and is validated upfront
-
     val superClass: Option[ClassInfo] =
-      if (className == ObjectClass) unvalidatedSuperClass
-      else validateSuperClass(unvalidatedSuperClass)
+      validateSuperClass(unvalidatedSuperClass)
 
     val interfaces: List[ClassInfo] =
-      if (className == ObjectClass) unvalidatedInterfaces
-      else validateInterfaces(unvalidatedInterfaces)
+      validateInterfaces(unvalidatedInterfaces)
 
     /** Ancestors of this class or interface.
      *
@@ -497,6 +491,11 @@ final class Analyzer(config: CommonPhaseConfig, initial: Boolean,
       def from = FromClass(this)
 
       kind match {
+        case _ if className == ObjectClass =>
+          assert(superClass.isEmpty)
+
+          None
+
         case ClassKind.Class | ClassKind.ModuleClass | ClassKind.HijackedClass =>
           val superCl = superClass.get // checked by ClassDef checker.
           if (superCl.kind != ClassKind.Class) {
@@ -1479,8 +1478,12 @@ final class Analyzer(config: CommonPhaseConfig, initial: Boolean,
   }
 
   private def createMissingClassInfo(className: ClassName): Infos.ClassInfo = {
+    val superClass =
+      if (className == ObjectClass) None
+      else Some(ObjectClass)
+
     new Infos.ClassInfoBuilder(className, ClassKind.Class,
-        superClass = Some(ObjectClass), interfaces = Nil, jsNativeLoadSpec = None)
+        superClass = superClass, interfaces = Nil, jsNativeLoadSpec = None)
       .addMethod(makeSyntheticMethodInfo(NoArgConstructorName, MemberNamespace.Constructor))
       .result()
   }
diff --git a/linker/shared/src/test/scala/org/scalajs/linker/AnalyzerTest.scala b/linker/shared/src/test/scala/org/scalajs/linker/AnalyzerTest.scala
index e28017127c..06b8747849 100644
--- a/linker/shared/src/test/scala/org/scalajs/linker/AnalyzerTest.scala
+++ b/linker/shared/src/test/scala/org/scalajs/linker/AnalyzerTest.scala
@@ -51,7 +51,23 @@ class AnalyzerTest {
   @Test
   def missingJavaLangObject(): AsyncResult = await {
     val analysis = computeAnalysis(Nil, stdlib = TestIRRepo.empty)
-    assertExactErrors(analysis, MissingJavaLangObjectClass(fromAnalyzer))
+    assertContainsError("MissingClass(jlObject)", analysis) {
+      case MissingClass(ClsInfo(name), fromAnalyzer) =>
+        name == ObjectClass.nameString
+    }
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  def missingJavaLangObjectButOthers(): AsyncResult = await {
+    val classDefs = Seq(classDef("A", superClass = Some(ObjectClass)))
+
+    val analysis = computeAnalysis(classDefs,
+        reqsFactory.classData("A"), stdlib = TestIRRepo.empty)
+
+    assertContainsError("MissingClass(jlObject)", analysis) {
+      case MissingClass(ClsInfo(name), fromAnalyzer) =>
+        name == ObjectClass.nameString
+    }
   }
 
   @Test