diff --git a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core.tests/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/core/parser/tests/CompleteParseASTTest.java b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core.tests/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/core/parser/tests/CompleteParseASTTest.java
index 5c9083f0fd5..13f99a16903 100644
--- a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core.tests/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/core/parser/tests/CompleteParseASTTest.java
+++ b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core.tests/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/core/parser/tests/CompleteParseASTTest.java
@@ -2263,5 +2263,17 @@ public class CompleteParseASTTest extends CompleteParseBaseTest
         	assertTrue(ip.getArguments().indexOf("This was equal, but not for the eclipse") > 0);
     	}
 	}
+    
+    public void testBug74847() throws Exception {
+        String code = "class A : public FOO {};";
+        Iterator i = parse( code, false ).getDeclarations();
+        IASTClassSpecifier A = (IASTClassSpecifier) ((IASTAbstractTypeSpecifierDeclaration)i.next()).getTypeSpecifier();
+        assertFalse( A.getBaseClauses().hasNext() );
+        i = callback.getProblems();
+        IProblem problem = (IProblem) i.next();
+        assertEquals( problem.getID(), IProblem.SEMANTIC_NAME_NOT_FOUND );
+        assertEquals( problem.getSourceStart(), code.indexOf( "FOO" ) );
+        assertFalse( i.hasNext() );
+    }
 }
 
diff --git a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/parser/ast/complete/CompleteParseASTFactory.java b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/parser/ast/complete/CompleteParseASTFactory.java
index 2640508ee2e..9434fcd9fc0 100644
--- a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/parser/ast/complete/CompleteParseASTFactory.java
+++ b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/parser/ast/complete/CompleteParseASTFactory.java
@@ -915,8 +915,9 @@ public class CompleteParseASTFactory extends BaseASTFactory implements IASTFacto
         //Its possible that the parent is not an IContainerSymbol if its a template parameter or some kinds of template instances
 		ISymbol symbol = lookupQualifiedName( classSymbol, parentClassName, references, true );
 		
-		if( symbol instanceof ITemplateSymbol && 
-			! ( symbol instanceof UndefinedTemplateSymbol ) )
+		if( symbol == null )
+		    handleProblem( IProblem.SEMANTIC_NAME_NOT_FOUND, parentClassName.toCharArray(), parentClassName.getStartOffset(), parentClassName.getEndOffset(), parentClassName.getLineNumber(), true );
+		if( symbol instanceof ITemplateSymbol &&  ! ( symbol instanceof UndefinedTemplateSymbol ) )
 			handleProblem( IProblem.SEMANTIC_INVALID_TEMPLATE_ARGUMENT, parentClassName.toCharArray(), parentClassName.getStartOffset(), parentClassName.getEndOffset(), parentClassName.getLineNumber(), true);
 			
 		List [] templateArgumentLists = parentClassName.getTemplateIdArgLists();