diff --git a/Packages/Configuration/include/CGAL/config.h b/Packages/Configuration/include/CGAL/config.h
index eb608e13b62..26e500f0d72 100644
--- a/Packages/Configuration/include/CGAL/config.h
+++ b/Packages/Configuration/include/CGAL/config.h
@@ -28,6 +28,18 @@
 #define CGAL_VERSION 1.1-I-01
 #define CGAL_VERSION_NR 1001100001
 
+//----------------------------------------------------------------------//
+//             no namespaces for MIPS 7.2.1
+//----------------------------------------------------------------------//
+
+#if defined(__sgi) && !defined(__GNUC__) && defined(_COMPILER_VERSION)
+#if (_COMPILER_VERSION >= 721) && defined(_NAMESPACES)
+#define __STL_NO_NAMESPACES
+#include <stl_config.h>
+#undef __STL_USE_NAMESPACES
+#endif
+#endif
+
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------//
 //             include platform specific workaround flags (CGAL_CFG_...)
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------//