MUnit Error: Cannot create embedded container (Mule 4.9.12 / Java 17)

Hi community,

I’m running into a persistent issue when executing MUnit tests locally in Anypoint Studio

. 

Even a

Error

org.mule.runtime.module.embedded.internal.utils.EmbeddedImplementationUtils:
Dependencies to ignore for Runtime version 4.9.12 and Java version 17: []
java.lang.IllegalStateException: Cannot create embedded container
	at org.mule.runtime.module.embedded.internal.DefaultEmbeddedContainerBuilder.build(...)
	at org.mule.munit.remote.container.EmbeddedContainerFactory.createContainer(...)
	...
Caused by: java.lang.IllegalCallerException:
javax.naming is not open to module org.mule.runtime.jpms.utils
	at java.base/java.lang.Module.addOpens(Module.java:836)
	at org.mule.runtime.jpms.utils@4.9.12/org.mule.runtime.jpms.api.JpmsUtils.openToModule(...)

Environment

• Anypoint Studio: 7.23.0
• Mule Runtime: 4.9.12
• MUnit: 3.6.3
• Java: embedded JDK 17
• OS: Windows 11
• Project:
  • Existing project (worked until yesterday)
  • Git clone
  • No recent runtime / Studio / Java upgrade

pom.xml (relevant properties):

<properties>
    <app.runtime>4.9.12</app.runtime>
    <munit.version>3.6.3</munit.version>
    <mule-global.version>2.0.1</mule-global.version>
</properties>

What I already tried

• Clean project (Project → Clean)
• Recreated a completely empty MUnit test → same error
• Verified correct Mule Runtime 4.9.12 is configured in Studio
• changed Mule Runtime to 4.10.2
• Reinstalled Anypoint Studio from scratch
• Verified Java 17 is used (Studio requires Java ≥17)
• Deleted local Maven cache:

~/.m2/repository/org/mule
~/.m2/repository/com/mulesoft

Updated settings.xml:

• • Enterprise repository configured
  • Added public MuleSoft repositories:
    • https://repository.mulesoft.org/releases/
    • https://repository.mulesoft.org/nexus/content/repositories/public/
• Run: Project --> clean

API Spec was updated recently, but:

• • Issue occurs even without APIKit flows
  • Happens with an empty test class

Observations

• The failure happens before any test logic runs
• The stacktrace points to JPMS / module access:

javax.naming is not open to module org.mule.runtime.jpms.utils

Looks like the embedded Mule container cannot open JDK modules

when running under Java 17

Questions

1. Is Mule Runtime 4.9.12 + MUnit 3.6.x officially supported with Java 17 for embedded container execution?
2. Is this a known JPMS issue in Mule 4.9.x when running MUnit?
3. Are there required JVM arguments (e.g. --add-opens) that must be configured for MUnit locally?
4. Has anyone solved this without upgrading the runtime?

Any help or confirmation would be highly appreciated. 

 Thanks in advance!