diff --git a/AABB_tree/include/CGAL/AABB_tree.h b/AABB_tree/include/CGAL/AABB_tree.h
index 0ba2229ba95..c6a686d3520 100644
--- a/AABB_tree/include/CGAL/AABB_tree.h
+++ b/AABB_tree/include/CGAL/AABB_tree.h
@@ -57,6 +57,14 @@ namespace CGAL {
 		typedef typename Primitives::size_type size_type; 
 
 	public:
+		/**
+		* @brief Default Constructor
+		*
+		* Builds an empty tree datastructure. 
+		*/
+		template<typename ConstPrimitiveIterator>
+		AABB_tree();
+
 		/**
 		* @brief Constructor
 		* @param first iterator over first primitive to insert
@@ -436,6 +444,17 @@ namespace CGAL {
 
 	};  // end class AABB_tree
 
+	template<typename Tr>
+	template<typename ConstPrimitiveIterator>
+	AABB_tree<Tr>::AABB_tree(ConstPrimitiveIterator first,
+		ConstPrimitiveIterator beyond)
+		: m_primitives()
+		, m_p_root_node(NULL)
+		, m_p_search_tree(NULL)
+		, m_search_tree_constructed(false)
+	{
+  }
+
 	template<typename Tr>
 	template<typename ConstPrimitiveIterator>
 	AABB_tree<Tr>::AABB_tree(ConstPrimitiveIterator first,