diff --git a/src/Particle/ParticleSetT.cpp b/src/Particle/ParticleSetT.cpp
index de0489e537..45a76df0c6 100644
--- a/src/Particle/ParticleSetT.cpp
+++ b/src/Particle/ParticleSetT.cpp
@@ -1339,10 +1339,13 @@ ParticleSetT<T>::convert2CartInBox(const ParticlePos& pin, ParticlePos& pout)
 }
 
 // explicit instantiations
+#ifndef QMC_COMPLEX
 template class ParticleSetT<double>;
 template class ParticleSetT<float>;
+#else
 template class ParticleSetT<std::complex<double>>;
 template class ParticleSetT<std::complex<float>>;
+#endif
 
 template void
 ParticleSetT<double>::mw_makeMove<CoordsType::POS>(