diff --git a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/dom/parser/cpp/semantics/CPPVisitor.java b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/dom/parser/cpp/semantics/CPPVisitor.java
index 6f13aa060cb..2ed292cd169 100644
--- a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/dom/parser/cpp/semantics/CPPVisitor.java
+++ b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/dom/parser/cpp/semantics/CPPVisitor.java
@@ -2178,8 +2178,15 @@ public class CPPVisitor extends ASTQueries {
 						placeholderKind);
 			}
 			if (declarator.getParent() instanceof ICPPASTParameterDeclaration) {
-				return createAutoParameterType(declSpec, declarator, 
-						(ICPPASTParameterDeclaration) declarator.getParent(), placeholderKind);
+				if (declarator.getParent().getParent() instanceof ICPPASTFunctionDeclarator) {
+					// 'auto' used as the type of a function parameter.
+					return createAutoParameterType(declSpec, declarator, 
+							(ICPPASTParameterDeclaration) declarator.getParent(), placeholderKind);
+				} else {
+					// 'auto' used as the type of a template parameter.
+					// This is a C++17 feature we don't yet support.
+					return ProblemType.CANNOT_DEDUCE_AUTO_TYPE;
+				}
 			}
 			ICPPASTInitializerClause autoInitClause= null;
 			IASTNode parent = declarator.getParent().getParent();