I created a simple 'bugtest' project using seam-gen (war, hsql), added hibernate.cfg.xml, jbpm.cfg.xml, uncommented <bpm:... > section in components.xml.
Then added empty component:

@Scope(ScopeType.CONVERSATION)
@Name("org.jboss.seam.bpm.businessProcess")
@BypassInterceptors
@Install(
    dependencies="org.jboss.seam.bpm.jbpm", 
    precedence=APPLICATION, 
    classDependencies="javax.faces.context.FacesContext"
)
public class BusinessProcess extends 
org.jboss.seam.faces.BusinessProcess {

}

All annotations above were copied from the parent class, except @Install.precedence changed to APPLICATION. Hot deploy of a changed components leads to NPE with HTTP-404. Steps to reproduce:

1. ant restart


2. touch Authenticator.java


3. ant explode


4. browser: http://localhost:8080/bugtest/

I'm using jboss-4.2.2.GA, seam-2.0.2.SP1, java-1.6.0_05