diff --git a/simgear/compatibility/sstream b/simgear/compatibility/sstream
index 6188ce94..a90a6498 100644
--- a/simgear/compatibility/sstream
+++ b/simgear/compatibility/sstream
@@ -14,8 +14,7 @@ namespace std {
    };
 
 
-   class istringstream : public istrstream {
-   };
+   typedef istrstream istringstream;
 
 };