diff --git a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/dom/parser/cpp/CPPClassTemplate.java b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/dom/parser/cpp/CPPClassTemplate.java
index 3556305be54..91e7f01c6e3 100644
--- a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/dom/parser/cpp/CPPClassTemplate.java
+++ b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/dom/parser/cpp/CPPClassTemplate.java
@@ -443,13 +443,14 @@ public class CPPClassTemplate extends CPPTemplateDefinition implements
 	public IScope getCompositeScope() {
 	    if( definition == null )
 	        checkForDefinition();
-	    
-		if( definition != null && definition instanceof ICPPASTCompositeTypeSpecifier ){
-			ICPPASTCompositeTypeSpecifier compSpec = (ICPPASTCompositeTypeSpecifier) definition.getParent(); 
-			return compSpec.getScope();
-		} else {
-			return null;
+		if( definition != null ) {
+			IASTNode parent = definition.getParent();
+			if (parent instanceof ICPPASTCompositeTypeSpecifier) {
+				ICPPASTCompositeTypeSpecifier compSpec = (ICPPASTCompositeTypeSpecifier)parent;
+				return compSpec.getScope();
+			}
 		}
+		return null;
 	}
 
 	/* (non-Javadoc)