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 93f58bfa3df..7bec628c4c3 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
@@ -2066,4 +2066,19 @@ public class CompleteParseASTTest extends CompleteParseBaseTest
     	parse( "namespace {  int abc; }");//$NON-NLS-1$
     	assertTrue( callback.problems.isEmpty() );
 	}
+    
+    public void testBug73615() throws Exception
+	{
+    	for( int i = 0; i < 2; ++i )
+    	{
+    		StringWriter writer = new StringWriter();
+    		if( i == 0 )
+    			writer.write( "class B;\n");
+    		writer.write( "class A { A( B * ); };\n");
+    		if( i == 0 )
+    			parse( writer.toString() );
+    		else
+    			parse( writer.toString(), false );
+    	}
+	}
 }
diff --git a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/parser/token/TokenFactory.java b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/parser/token/TokenFactory.java
index be32cfc72ea..9b13f4b07b2 100644
--- a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/parser/token/TokenFactory.java
+++ b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/parser/token/TokenFactory.java
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ public class TokenFactory {
 
 	public static ITokenDuple createTokenDuple( ITokenDuple firstDuple, ITokenDuple secondDuple ){
 		if( secondDuple == null ) return firstDuple;
+		if( firstDuple == null ) return secondDuple;
 		List [] f1 = firstDuple.getTemplateIdArgLists();
 		List [] f2 = secondDuple.getTemplateIdArgLists();
 		if( f1 == null && f2 == null )