diff --git a/WinRT.Runtime/ComWrappersSupport.cs b/WinRT.Runtime/ComWrappersSupport.cs
index 53242c133..31b5b75b3 100644
--- a/WinRT.Runtime/ComWrappersSupport.cs
+++ b/WinRT.Runtime/ComWrappersSupport.cs
@@ -267,6 +267,11 @@ private static Func<IInspectable, object> CreateArrayFactory(Type implementation
 
         internal static Func<IInspectable, object> CreateTypedRcwFactory(string runtimeClassName)
         {
+            // If we don't have a runtime class name, then we just use IInspectable.
+            if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(runtimeClassName))
+            {
+                return (IInspectable obj) => obj;
+            }
             // PropertySet and ValueSet can return IReference<String> but Nullable<String> is illegal
             if (runtimeClassName == "Windows.Foundation.IReference`1<String>")
             {
@@ -277,7 +282,18 @@ internal static Func<IInspectable, object> CreateTypedRcwFactory(string runtimeC
                 return (IInspectable obj) => new ABI.System.Nullable<Type>(obj.ObjRef);
             }
 
-            var (implementationType, _) = TypeNameSupport.FindTypeByName(runtimeClassName.AsSpan());
+            Type implementationType = null;
+
+            try
+            {
+                (implementationType, _) = TypeNameSupport.FindTypeByName(runtimeClassName.AsSpan());
+            }
+            catch (TypeLoadException)
+            {
+                // If we reach here, then we couldn't find a type that matches the runtime class name.
+                // Fall back to using IInspectable directly.
+                return (IInspectable obj) => obj;
+            }
 
             if (implementationType.IsGenericType && implementationType.GetGenericTypeDefinition() == typeof(System.Collections.Generic.KeyValuePair<,>))
             {
diff --git a/WinUI/WinUIDesktopSample/App.xaml.cs b/WinUI/WinUIDesktopSample/App.xaml.cs
index f6ac2bf22..62e05f6ae 100644
--- a/WinUI/WinUIDesktopSample/App.xaml.cs
+++ b/WinUI/WinUIDesktopSample/App.xaml.cs
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ public App()
         Window myWindow;
         protected override void OnLaunched(LaunchActivatedEventArgs args)
         {
+            var value = DependencyProperty.UnsetValue;
             var button = new Button
             {
                 Content = "Click me to load MainPage",