diff --git a/Surface_mesher/include/CGAL/Complex_2_in_triangulation_3.h b/Surface_mesher/include/CGAL/Complex_2_in_triangulation_3.h
index b298947fd5c..af8e361c6dc 100644
--- a/Surface_mesher/include/CGAL/Complex_2_in_triangulation_3.h
+++ b/Surface_mesher/include/CGAL/Complex_2_in_triangulation_3.h
@@ -342,6 +342,10 @@ public:
     return face_status(e.first->vertex(e.second), e.first->vertex(e.third));
   }
 
+  Face_status face_status (const Cell_handle c, const int i, const int j) const {
+    return face_status(c->vertex(i), c->vertex(j));
+  }
+
   Face_status face_status (const Vertex_handle& va,
                            const Vertex_handle& vb) const
   {