diff --git a/src/tools/Exception.cpp b/src/tools/Exception.cpp
index 3a9a3e83161e9d6d3b90799fd6d253993f9d80b8..ccd3ad418937c69fe778c28d76794c815e5b1a0c 100644
--- a/src/tools/Exception.cpp
+++ b/src/tools/Exception.cpp
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ Exception::Exception(const std::string&msg,const std::string&file,unsigned line,
 void Exception::abortIfExceptionsAreDisabled() {
 #if ! defined(__PLUMED_HAS_EXCEPTIONS)
   fprintf(stderr,"%s","Exceptions are disabled, aborting now\n");
-  fprintf(stderr,"%s",what());
+  fprintf(stderr,"%s",Exception::what());
   fprintf(stderr,"\n");
   std::abort();
 #endif