diff --git a/gdb/ChangeLog b/gdb/ChangeLog
index b1889883e4..2fa7422d5a 100644
--- a/gdb/ChangeLog
+++ b/gdb/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+2015-01-07  Pierre Muller  <muller@sourceware.org>
+
+	PR symtab/17811
+	* stabsread.c (define_symbol): Set language for C++ special symbols.
+
 2015-01-07  Patrick Palka  <patrick@parcs.ath.cx>
 
 	* inflow.c (initial_gdb_ttystate): Tweak comment.
diff --git a/gdb/stabsread.c b/gdb/stabsread.c
index 212c7fac51..6862c52522 100644
--- a/gdb/stabsread.c
+++ b/gdb/stabsread.c
@@ -675,6 +675,9 @@ define_symbol (CORE_ADDR valu, char *string, int desc, int type,
       SYMBOL_LINE (sym) = 0;	/* unknown */
     }
 
+  SYMBOL_SET_LANGUAGE (sym, current_subfile->language,
+		       &objfile->objfile_obstack);
+
   if (is_cplus_marker (string[0]))
     {
       /* Special GNU C++ names.  */
@@ -710,8 +713,6 @@ define_symbol (CORE_ADDR valu, char *string, int desc, int type,
   else
     {
     normal:
-      SYMBOL_SET_LANGUAGE (sym, current_subfile->language,
-			   &objfile->objfile_obstack);
       if (SYMBOL_LANGUAGE (sym) == language_cplus)
 	{
 	  char *name = alloca (p - string + 1);