diff --git a/include/boost/regex.hpp b/include/boost/regex.hpp
index 4baa930b..efc42fce 100644
--- a/include/boost/regex.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/regex.hpp
@@ -30,6 +30,10 @@
 
 #include <boost/cregex.hpp>
 
+#ifdef BOOST_RE_DEBUG
+# include <iosfwd>
+#endif
+
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 
 // what follows is all C++ don't include in C builds!!
@@ -193,6 +197,11 @@ enum syntax_element_type
    syntax_element_restart_continue = syntax_element_soft_buffer_end + 1
 };
 
+#ifdef BOOST_RE_DEBUG
+// dwa 09/26/00 - This is needed to suppress warnings about an ambiguous conversion
+ostream& operator<<(ostream&, syntax_element_type);
+#endif
+
 union offset_type
 {
    re_syntax_base* p;