diff --git a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/dom/parser/cpp/AbstractCPPClassSpecializationScope.java b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/dom/parser/cpp/AbstractCPPClassSpecializationScope.java
index 4732b8ba8af..f470b9b1529 100644
--- a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/dom/parser/cpp/AbstractCPPClassSpecializationScope.java
+++ b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/dom/parser/cpp/AbstractCPPClassSpecializationScope.java
@@ -120,6 +120,9 @@ public class AbstractCPPClassSpecializationScope implements ICPPClassSpecializat
 
 	    IBinding[] bindings= classScope.getBindings(lookup);
 		IBinding[] result= IBinding.EMPTY_BINDING_ARRAY;
+		if (bindings == null) {
+			return result;
+		}
 		int n = 0;
 		for (IBinding binding : bindings) {
 			if (binding == specialized ||