diff --git a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/dom/parser/cpp/semantics/CPPTemplates.java b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/dom/parser/cpp/semantics/CPPTemplates.java
index ed2697d8a40..da964ef2b0d 100644
--- a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/dom/parser/cpp/semantics/CPPTemplates.java
+++ b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/dom/parser/cpp/semantics/CPPTemplates.java
@@ -954,7 +954,7 @@ public class CPPTemplates {
 
 			IValue value;
 			ICPPASTDeclarator decl = ASTQueries.findAncestorWithType(point, ICPPASTDeclarator.class);
-			if (((IASTName) point).getRoleOfName(false) == IASTNameOwner.r_definition
+			if (point instanceof IASTName && ((IASTName) point).getRoleOfName(false) == IASTNameOwner.r_definition
 					&& decl != null && decl.getInitializer() != null) {
 				// Explicit specialization.
 				value = SemanticUtil.getValueOfInitializer(decl.getInitializer(), type);