diff --git a/Source/Swig/swig.h b/Source/Swig/swig.h
index e2dd71314..6abe6f5c5 100644
--- a/Source/Swig/swig.h
+++ b/Source/Swig/swig.h
@@ -158,6 +158,7 @@ extern "C" {
   extern String *SwigType_namestr(const SwigType *t);
   extern String *SwigType_templateprefix(const SwigType *t);
   extern String *SwigType_templatesuffix(const SwigType *t);
+  extern String *SwigType_istemplate_templateprefix(const SwigType *t);
   extern String *SwigType_templateargs(const SwigType *t);
   extern String *SwigType_prefix(const SwigType *t);
   extern int SwigType_array_ndim(SwigType *t);
diff --git a/Source/Swig/typemap.c b/Source/Swig/typemap.c
index b9d53d5d1..7b1ea529b 100644
--- a/Source/Swig/typemap.c
+++ b/Source/Swig/typemap.c
@@ -705,9 +705,9 @@ static Hash *typemap_search(const_String_or_char_ptr tmap_method, SwigType *type
 
       /* look for the type reduced to just the template prefix */
       Delete(template_prefix);
-      template_prefix = SwigType_templateprefix(ctype);
-      tm = get_typemap(ts, template_prefix);
+      template_prefix = SwigType_istemplate_templateprefix(ctype);
       if (template_prefix) {
+	tm = get_typemap(ts, template_prefix);
 	if (debug_display && cqualifiedname)
 	  Printf(stdout, "  Looking for: %s\n", SwigType_str(template_prefix, cqualifiedname));
 	if (tm && cqualifiedname) {
diff --git a/Source/Swig/typeobj.c b/Source/Swig/typeobj.c
index abd84ee09..81a5aeff1 100644
--- a/Source/Swig/typeobj.c
+++ b/Source/Swig/typeobj.c
@@ -852,10 +852,12 @@ SwigType *SwigType_add_template(SwigType *t, ParmList *parms) {
  * SwigType_templateprefix()
  *
  * Returns the prefix before the first template definition.
+ * Returns the type unmodified if not a template.
  * For example:
  *
  *     Foo<(p.int)>::bar  =>  Foo
  *     r.q(const).Foo<(p.int)>::bar => r.q(const).Foo
+ *     Foo => Foo
  * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 
 String *SwigType_templateprefix(const SwigType *t) {
@@ -896,6 +898,25 @@ String *SwigType_templatesuffix(const SwigType *t) {
   return NewStringEmpty();
 }
 
+/* -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+ * SwigType_istemplate_templateprefix()
+ *
+ * Combines SwigType_istemplate and SwigType_templateprefix efficiently into one function.
+ * Returns the prefix before the first template definition.
+ * Returns NULL if not a template.
+ * For example:
+ *
+ *     Foo<(p.int)>::bar  =>  Foo
+ *     r.q(const).Foo<(p.int)>::bar => r.q(const).Foo
+ *     Foo => NULL
+ * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
+
+String *SwigType_istemplate_templateprefix(const SwigType *t) {
+  const char *s = Char(t);
+  const char *c = strstr(s, "<(");
+  return c ? NewStringWithSize(s, c - s) : 0;
+}
+
 /* -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
  * SwigType_templateargs()
  *