diff --git a/boost/fusion/container/list/cons_fwd.hpp b/boost/fusion/container/list/cons_fwd.hpp
index 684f02e..b518fd1 100644
--- a/boost/fusion/container/list/cons_fwd.hpp
+++ b/boost/fusion/container/list/cons_fwd.hpp
@@ -14,6 +14,16 @@ namespace boost { namespace fusion
 
     template <typename Car, typename Cdr = nil_>
     struct cons;
+
+    // "nil" is used as a keyword in the global namespace in
+    // at least
+    // - LEDA-4.2
+    // Objective-C
+    // Provide a backwards compatibility typedef if we don't use one of the above.
+#if !defined(__LEDA__) && !defined(__OBJC__)
+    typedef nil_ nil;
+#endif
+
 }}
 
 #endif