diff --git a/src/base/circular_queue.hh b/src/base/circular_queue.hh
index ff7f73dc19..5023661b91 100644
--- a/src/base/circular_queue.hh
+++ b/src/base/circular_queue.hh
@@ -394,7 +394,7 @@ class CircularQueue : private std::vector<T>
     };
 
   public:
-    using typename Base::operator[];
+    using Base::operator[];
 
     explicit CircularQueue(uint32_t size = 0)
         : _capacity(size), _head(1), _tail(0), _empty(true), _round(0)
diff --git a/src/systemc/SConscript b/src/systemc/SConscript
index 694ee56b34..7317b3a823 100644
--- a/src/systemc/SConscript
+++ b/src/systemc/SConscript
@@ -31,7 +31,9 @@ from m5.util import compareVersions
 from m5.util.terminal import termcap
 
 if env['USE_SYSTEMC']:
-    if compareVersions(env['GCC_VERSION'], '5.0') < 0:
+    if 'GCC_VERSION' in env and \
+        compareVersions(env['GCC_VERSION'], '5.0') < 0:
+
         print(termcap.Yellow + termcap.Bold +
                 'Warning: Disabling systemc on gcc versions less than 5.0.' +
                 termcap.Normal)