diff --git a/src/libCom/timer/epicsTimer.cpp b/src/libCom/timer/epicsTimer.cpp
index e80875760..6e0ed0c61 100644
--- a/src/libCom/timer/epicsTimer.cpp
+++ b/src/libCom/timer/epicsTimer.cpp
@@ -52,7 +52,11 @@ void epicsTimerForC::destroy ()
 {
     timerQueue & queueTmp ( this->queue );
     this->~epicsTimerForC ();
-    epicsTimerForC::operator delete ( this, queueTmp.timerForCFreeList );
+#   ifdef CXX_PLACEMENT_DELETE
+        epicsTimerForC::operator delete ( this, queueTmp.timerForCFreeList );
+#   else
+        queueTmp.timerForCFreeList.release ( this );
+#   endif
 }
 
 epicsTimerNotify::expireStatus epicsTimerForC::expire ( const epicsTime & )