diff --git a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/dom/parser/cpp/CPPASTForStatement.java b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/dom/parser/cpp/CPPASTForStatement.java
index 1c67f88bdb4..f87b38da7b9 100644
--- a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/dom/parser/cpp/CPPASTForStatement.java
+++ b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/dom/parser/cpp/CPPASTForStatement.java
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@
  *******************************************************************************/
 package org.eclipse.cdt.internal.core.dom.parser.cpp;
 
+import java.util.Optional;
+
 import org.eclipse.cdt.core.dom.ast.ASTVisitor;
 import org.eclipse.cdt.core.dom.ast.IASTDeclaration;
 import org.eclipse.cdt.core.dom.ast.IASTExpression;
@@ -27,6 +29,7 @@ import org.eclipse.cdt.core.dom.ast.cpp.ICPPASTExpression;
 import org.eclipse.cdt.core.dom.ast.cpp.ICPPASTForStatement;
 import org.eclipse.cdt.internal.core.dom.parser.cpp.semantics.DestructorCallCollector;
 import org.eclipse.cdt.internal.core.dom.parser.cpp.semantics.EvalUtil;
+import org.eclipse.cdt.internal.core.dom.parser.cpp.semantics.ExecCompoundStatement;
 import org.eclipse.cdt.internal.core.dom.parser.cpp.semantics.ExecFor;
 import org.eclipse.cdt.internal.core.dom.parser.cpp.semantics.ExecSimpleDeclaration;
 
@@ -252,7 +255,8 @@ public class CPPASTForStatement extends CPPASTAttributeOwner implements ICPPASTF
 				: null;
 		ICPPASTExpression iterationExpr = (ICPPASTExpression) getIterationExpression();
 		ICPPEvaluation iterationEval = iterationExpr != null ? iterationExpr.getEvaluation() : null;
-		ICPPExecution bodyExec = EvalUtil.getExecutionFromStatement(getBody());
+		ICPPExecution bodyExec = Optional.ofNullable(getBody()).map(EvalUtil::getExecutionFromStatement)
+				.orElseGet(() -> new ExecCompoundStatement());
 		return new ExecFor(initializerExec, conditionExprEval, conditionDeclExec, iterationEval, bodyExec);
 	}
 }
diff --git a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/dom/parser/cpp/semantics/ExecCompoundStatement.java b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/dom/parser/cpp/semantics/ExecCompoundStatement.java
index a906b88b4c7..bd9b040e8b2 100644
--- a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/dom/parser/cpp/semantics/ExecCompoundStatement.java
+++ b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/dom/parser/cpp/semantics/ExecCompoundStatement.java
@@ -21,6 +21,10 @@ import org.eclipse.core.runtime.CoreException;
 public class ExecCompoundStatement implements ICPPExecution {
 	private ICPPExecution[] executions;
 
+	public ExecCompoundStatement() {
+		this(new IASTStatement[] {});
+	}
+
 	private ExecCompoundStatement(ICPPExecution[] executions) {
 		this.executions = executions;
 	}