Following test case compile failed with GCC 4.6, the error message: /data/a.cpp: In constructor 'D<T>::D(bool)': /data/a.cpp:19:6: error: class 'D<T>' does not have any field named 'B' /data/a.cpp: In constructor 'D<T>::D(bool) [with T = A]': /data/a.cpp:24:15: instantiated from here /data/a.cpp:19:9: error: no matching function for call to 'B<A>::B()' /data/a.cpp:19:9: note: candidates are: /data/a.cpp:6:4: note: B<T>::B(bool) [with T = A] /data/a.cpp:6:4: note: candidate expects 1 argument, 0 provided /data/a.cpp:4:27: note: B<A>::B(const B<A>&) /data/a.cpp:4:27: note: candidate expects 1 argument, 0 provided It seems that, gcc failed to lookup injected name B in "template <class T> D<T>::D(bool s) : B(s)". 14.6.1/p3, The injected-class-name of a class template or class template specialization can be used either as a templatename or a type-name wherever it is in scope. [ Example: template <class T> struct Base { Base* p; }; template <class T> struct Derived: public Base<T> { typename Derived::Base* p; // meaning Derived::Base<T> }; The injected name "B" here equal to "B<T>", which should compile clean. class A{}; template <class T> struct B { B(bool s){} }; template <class T> class D: public B<T> { public: D(bool s); }; template <class T> D<T>::D(bool s) : B(s) { } D<A> library(0);