diff --git a/src/libCom/test/epicsExceptionTest.cpp b/src/libCom/test/epicsExceptionTest.cpp
index 2b4cbd1f9..6489a4c01 100644
--- a/src/libCom/test/epicsExceptionTest.cpp
+++ b/src/libCom/test/epicsExceptionTest.cpp
@@ -15,7 +15,11 @@
 
 #include <new>
 #include <iostream>
+#if defined(__GNUC__) && (__GNUC__<2 || (__GNUC__==2 && __GNUC_MINOR__<=96))
+#include <climits>
+#else
 #include <limits>
+#endif
 
 #include <assert.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
@@ -30,13 +34,16 @@ const nothrow_t  nothrow ;
 }
 #endif
 
-// some interesting bugs found in the MS implementation of new
 #if defined ( _MSC_VER )
+    // some interesting bugs found in the MS implementation of new
 #   if _MSC_VER > 1310  /* this gets fixed some release after visual studio 7 we hope */
         static const size_t unsuccessfulNewSize = numeric_limits<size_t>::max();
 #   else
         static const size_t unsuccessfulNewSize = numeric_limits<size_t>::max()-100;
 #   endif
+#elif defined(__GNUC__) && (__GNUC__<2 || (__GNUC__==2 && __GNUC_MINOR__<=96))
+    // tornado does not supply ansi c++
+    static const size_t unsuccessfulNewSize = UINT_MAX;
 #else
     static const size_t unsuccessfulNewSize = numeric_limits<size_t>::max();
 #endif