diff --git a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/formatter/CodeFormatterVisitor.java b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/formatter/CodeFormatterVisitor.java
index 1e402ba02bd..cd502b3f7ef 100644
--- a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/formatter/CodeFormatterVisitor.java
+++ b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/formatter/CodeFormatterVisitor.java
@@ -3570,8 +3570,12 @@ public class CodeFormatterVisitor extends ASTVisitor implements ICPPASTVisitor,
 		IASTName name = node.getTemplateName();
 		name.accept(this);
 		if (peekNextToken() == Token.tLT) {
-			scribe.printNextToken(Token.tLT,
-					preferences.insert_space_before_opening_angle_bracket_in_template_arguments);
+			char[] simpleId = name.getSimpleID();
+			if (simpleId[simpleId.length - 1] == '<')
+				scribe.printNextToken(Token.tLT, true);
+			else
+				scribe.printNextToken(Token.tLT,
+						preferences.insert_space_before_opening_angle_bracket_in_template_arguments);
 			if (preferences.insert_space_after_opening_angle_bracket_in_template_arguments) {
 				scribe.space();
 			}
diff --git a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.ui.tests/ui/org/eclipse/cdt/ui/tests/text/CodeFormatterTest.java b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.ui.tests/ui/org/eclipse/cdt/ui/tests/text/CodeFormatterTest.java
index d17b169fa64..ec166d5bfa2 100644
--- a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.ui.tests/ui/org/eclipse/cdt/ui/tests/text/CodeFormatterTest.java
+++ b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.ui.tests/ui/org/eclipse/cdt/ui/tests/text/CodeFormatterTest.java
@@ -3758,4 +3758,27 @@ public class CodeFormatterTest extends BaseUITestCase {
 	public void testTemplateIdWithMacro4_Bug406231() throws Exception {
 		assertFormatterResult();
 	}
+
+	//class data
+	//{
+	//public:
+	//	template <class x> bool operator< (x const &n) const
+	//	{
+	//	    return n < 0;
+	//	}
+	//};
+	////explicit instantiation
+	//template bool data::operator< <int>(int const &) const;
+
+	//class data {
+	//public:
+	//	template<class x> bool operator<(x const &n) const {
+	//		return n < 0;
+	//	}
+	//};
+	////explicit instantiation
+	//template bool data::operator< <int>(int const &) const;
+	public void testTemplateInstantiationOperatorLesser_Bug540252() throws Exception {
+		assertFormatterResult();
+	}
 }