diff --git a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/dom/parser/CompositeValue.java b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/dom/parser/CompositeValue.java
index 4c8a1eb6515..362920b8ad3 100644
--- a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/dom/parser/CompositeValue.java
+++ b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/dom/parser/CompositeValue.java
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ public final class CompositeValue implements IValue {
 	 * determined by the default member initializers only. Constructors are not considered
 	 * when determining the values of the fields.
 	 */
-	public static CompositeValue create(ICPPClassType classType) {
+	public static IValue create(ICPPClassType classType) {
 		return create(classType, 0);
 	}
 
@@ -185,10 +185,10 @@ public final class CompositeValue implements IValue {
 	 * determined by the default member initializers only. Constructors are not considered
 	 * when determining the values of the fields.
 	 */
-	public static CompositeValue create(ICPPClassType classType, int nestingLevel) {
+	public static IValue create(ICPPClassType classType, int nestingLevel) {
 		Set<ICPPClassType> recursionProtectionSet = fCreateInProgress.get();
 		if (!recursionProtectionSet.add(classType)) {
-			return new CompositeValue(null, ICPPEvaluation.EMPTY_ARRAY);
+			return IntegralValue.UNKNOWN;
 		}
 		try {
 			if (sDEBUG && nestingLevel > 0) {
diff --git a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/dom/parser/cpp/semantics/EvalConstructor.java b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/dom/parser/cpp/semantics/EvalConstructor.java
index c31c059260e..c6fe267f5bb 100644
--- a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/dom/parser/cpp/semantics/EvalConstructor.java
+++ b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/dom/parser/cpp/semantics/EvalConstructor.java
@@ -160,11 +160,15 @@ public final class EvalConstructor extends CPPDependentEvaluation {
 			return this;
 		}
 		final ICPPClassType classType = (ICPPClassType) unwrappedType;
-		final CompositeValue compositeValue = CompositeValue.create(classType);
+		final IValue classObject = CompositeValue.create(classType);
 		ICPPEvaluation[] argList = evaluateArguments(fArguments, callSiteRecord, context);
-		EvalFixed constructedObject = new EvalFixed(fType, ValueCategory.PRVALUE, compositeValue);
+		EvalFixed constructedObject = new EvalFixed(fType, ValueCategory.PRVALUE, classObject);
 		CPPVariable binding = new CPPVariable(TEMP_NAME);
 
+		if (!(classObject instanceof CompositeValue compositeValue)) {
+			return constructedObject;
+		}
+
 		ActivationRecord localRecord = EvalFunctionCall.createActivationRecord(fConstructor.getParameters(), argList,
 				constructedObject);
 		localRecord.update(binding, constructedObject);