diff --git a/Packages/Interval_arithmetic/changes.txt b/Packages/Interval_arithmetic/changes.txt
index edda6948f10..a5026a59256 100644
--- a/Packages/Interval_arithmetic/changes.txt
+++ b/Packages/Interval_arithmetic/changes.txt
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+Version 4.140 on 15 April 2002
+- Workaround a bug in GCC 3.0.4 detected by Matthias.
+
 Version 4.139 on 13 April 2002
 - Shorten symbol names in test/Filtered_kernel.C.
 
diff --git a/Packages/Interval_arithmetic/include/CGAL/Interval_base.h b/Packages/Interval_arithmetic/include/CGAL/Interval_base.h
index 38116facd04..7b7c4f9df37 100644
--- a/Packages/Interval_arithmetic/include/CGAL/Interval_base.h
+++ b/Packages/Interval_arithmetic/include/CGAL/Interval_base.h
@@ -40,6 +40,12 @@ struct Interval_base
 
   Interval_base () {}
 
+  // This copy ctor, normally equivalent to the one created by the compiler,
+  // appears to fix a code generation problem with GCC 3.0.4...
+  // (see test/IA/gcc_3.0.bug.C).
+  Interval_base (const Interval_base &i)
+    : inf_(i.inf_), sup_(i.sup_) {}
+
   Interval_base (const double d)
     : inf_(d), sup_(d) {}
 
diff --git a/Packages/Interval_arithmetic/test/Interval_arithmetic/gcc_3.0_bug.C b/Packages/Interval_arithmetic/test/Interval_arithmetic/gcc_3.0_bug.C
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..c19156c38ac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Packages/Interval_arithmetic/test/Interval_arithmetic/gcc_3.0_bug.C
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+/*
+  This test file has been distilled from a bug-report from Matthias.
+  Probably a GCC 3.0.4 code generation bug.
+  It shows up only with -O -DNDEBUG.
+  It goes away when :
+  - operator-(Interval) is not inline
+  - copy ctor of Interval_base is written explicitly.
+
+> Have you made some progress for this bug ?
+> If you could try to keep the bug without having the test program depend on
+> LEDA, I could have a look at it, but currently I can't even compile it...
+> -- 
+> Sylvain
+
+I've changed one of the examples from the Triangulation_3 examples a bit
+and it shows the same behavior.
+
+When I compile with -DNDEBUG it loops; removing -DNDEBUG from the
+makefile makes it work. I attach the makefile and the example.
+
+Matthias
+
+*/
+
+#ifndef NDEBUG
+#define NDEBUG
+#endif
+
+#include <CGAL/Simple_cartesian.h>
+#include <CGAL/Interval_arithmetic.h>
+
+#include <iostream>
+
+typedef CGAL::Interval_nt_advanced NT;
+typedef CGAL::Simple_cartesian<NT> K;
+
+int main()
+{
+  std::cout.precision(20);
+  CGAL::Bounded_side bs;
+  K::Point_3 p0(0, 0, 0);
+  K::Point_3 p1(1, 0, 0);
+  K::Point_3 p2(0, 1, 0);
+
+ {
+  CGAL::Protect_FPU_rounding<false> p;
+  bs = CGAL::coplanar_side_of_bounded_circle(p0, p1, p2, p0);
+ }
+
+  if (bs != CGAL::ON_BOUNDARY) {
+    std::cout << "BUG !  " << (int) bs << std::endl;
+    abort();
+  }
+
+  std::cout << p0 << std::endl;
+  std::cout << p1 << std::endl;
+  std::cout << p2 << std::endl;
+
+  return 0;
+}