diff --git a/include/boost/preprocessor/tuple/elem.hpp b/include/boost/preprocessor/tuple/elem.hpp
index 430178a..afff4ed 100644
--- a/include/boost/preprocessor/tuple/elem.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/preprocessor/tuple/elem.hpp
@@ -40,11 +40,13 @@ BOOST_PP_TUPLE_ELEM(2,1,(A,B))
   )\
 /**/
 #else
-#  define BOOST_PP_TUPLE_ELEM_CAT2(A,B) A##B
 #  define BOOST_PP_TUPLE_ELEM(SIZE_OF_TUPLE,INDEX,TUPLE)\
+  BOOST_PP_TUPLE_ELEM_DELAY(SIZE_OF_TUPLE,INDEX,TUPLE)\
+/**/
+#  define BOOST_PP_TUPLE_ELEM_DELAY(SIZE_OF_TUPLE,INDEX,TUPLE)\
   BOOST_PP_DETAIL_CAT2(\
      BOOST_PP_TUPLE16_ELEM##INDEX\
-    ,BOOST_PP_TUPLE_ELEM_CAT2(BOOST_PP_DETAIL_CAT2(BOOST_PP_TUPLE_ELEM_EX,SIZE_OF_TUPLE),TUPLE)\
+    ,BOOST_PP_DETAIL_CAT2(BOOST_PP_TUPLE_ELEM_EX##SIZE_OF_TUPLE,TUPLE)\
   )\
 /**/
 #endif