diff --git a/Algebraic_foundations/include/CGAL/number_utils.h b/Algebraic_foundations/include/CGAL/number_utils.h
index 298f2708e23..f54670de191 100644
--- a/Algebraic_foundations/include/CGAL/number_utils.h
+++ b/Algebraic_foundations/include/CGAL/number_utils.h
@@ -325,7 +325,7 @@ NT approximate_sqrt(const NT& nt)
 }
 
 template <class NT>
-Comparison_result
+typename Same_uncertainty_nt<Comparison_result, NT>::type
 compare_quotients(const NT& xnum, const NT& xden,
                   const NT& ynum, const NT& yden)
 {